# What should I know about German cooking? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414 "2018-05-01T15:51:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/1 "2018-05-01T15:51:33Z")
I might pick up a weekend gig cooking for a local bar and grill that definitely specializes in authentic German cuisine, as in, they actually pound out the meat and use flour and egg and bread crumbs for their schnitzel rather than just popping a frozen bit into a fryer. I’m fairly familiar with American, Italian, and Chinese cuisine, a little bit with French but not very much. Anything I should know that would help me stay true to German cooking traditions? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/2 "2018-05-01T16:41:58Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > I might pick up a weekend gig cooking for a local bar and grill that definitely specializes in authentic German cuisine, as in, they actually pound out the meat and use flour and egg and bread crumbs for their schnitzel rather than just popping a frozen bit into a fryer. I’m fairly familiar with American, Italian, and Chinese cuisine, a little bit with French but not very much. Anything I should know that would help me stay true to German cooking traditions? if your sauce for sauerbraten is made from the marinating liquid (red wine/red wine vinegar, spices) you’re 90% of the way down the correct path. I’ve been to a couple of “German” restaurants where their sauerbraten sauce was clearly pre-made, and tasted more like a generic sweet & sour sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/3 "2018-05-01T19:10:06Z")
Learn to make spaetzle and jaeger schnitzel. The latter is sort of like its Viennese brother, but has mushrooms and gravy. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/4 "2018-05-01T19:48:21Z")
And rotkohl, and for the love of Og, make potato pancakes–by which I mean latkes–an option. Spaetzle doesn’t always do the job. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/5 "2018-05-01T20:04:21Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > And rotkohl, and for the love of Og, make potato pancakes–by which I mean latkes–an option. Spaetzle doesn’t always do the job. And rouladen! ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/6 "2018-05-01T20:22:54Z")
In terms of spices, remember dill and caraway are your friends. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/7 "2018-05-01T20:24:09Z")
Red cabbage, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/8 "2018-05-01T21:06:19Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > I might pick up a weekend gig cooking for a local bar and grill that definitely specializes in authentic German cuisine, as in, they actually pound out the meat and use flour and egg and bread crumbs for their schnitzel rather than just popping a frozen bit into a fryer. I’m fairly familiar with American, Italian, and Chinese cuisine, a little bit with French but not very much. Anything I should know that would help me stay true to German cooking traditions? I was in Germany for work several years ago and found some restaurants I really liked. I was mentioning to some of my co-workers how much I liked the German food, and I mentioned at specific place. Oh, no," he said, “that’s not German, that’s Franconian.” So I guess my answer is, it’s complicated. I’ve tried to find good German restaurants in the States; none have been as good as the real thing. If you can get close, you’re awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/das_glasperlenspiel/32/2944_2.png) [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Das_Glasperlenspiel)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/9 "2018-05-02T00:41:02Z")
Gulasche suppe! Und bratkartoffeln! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/10 "2018-05-02T01:32:20Z")
> [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](#): > > Gulasche suppe! Und bratkartoffeln! Yeah, for a bar and grill type of place specializing in German food, goulash soup would be a great thing to know. There’s few things I enjoy more than a hearty bowl of goulash soup and a mug of German lager in a bar on a crisp fall day. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/11 "2018-05-02T01:45:58Z")
Authentic German Foods: 1. Wurst 2. Beer 3. Wurst 4. Wurst 5. Beer 6.Wurst ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/12 "2018-05-02T01:57:22Z")
It’s easy to fall off a tightrope either way. Yes go for all the authenticity you can handle, but in the end, while people may go home saying “that was the real deal”, they **must** go home saying “that was good”. Also, if every last one of them is from the northeast corner of Baden bei Baden-Baden zum Baden, then study what comes from their home town, not necessarily from all of Germany, which is a pretty big place. Context is big. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/13 "2018-05-02T14:30:53Z")
Well, here’s their menu (I’d be at the Moline location). I suppose it’s more correct to call them German Fusion cuisine? [http://www.bier-stube.com/food-drink-menus/](http://www.bier-stube.com/food-drink-menus/) ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/14 "2018-05-02T14:49:39Z")
I was part owner of a German restaurant. We scratch made, saurbratten, rouladen, all desserts and sauces. We had pork shanks in sauerkraut, pike with a mustard sauce, parsley potatoes, pretzels, and fresh salads. I sold it over 30 years ago and it’s still in operation, haven’t a clue what the menu is. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/15 "2018-05-03T02:18:21Z")
Get Mimi Sheraton’s book on German cooking and read it cover to cover. It was published in 1967, and it’s a classic. Any cookbooks related to Luchow’s restaurant in New York are also entertaining and informative — I have two — and you can find used copies really cheap online. Also, when I cook German or Hungarian (or pretty much any Central European cuisine) I use plain ol’ white distilled vinegar. It’s delicious in potato dishes, and seems more appropriate than cider or fancy wine-based stuff. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/16 "2018-05-03T02:34:19Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > Well, here’s their menu (I’d be at the Moline location). I suppose it’s more correct to call them German Fusion cuisine? > [http://www.bier-stube.com/food-drink-menus/](http://www.bier-stube.com/food-drink-menus/) That’s pretty much what I’d expect from a German-American bierstube menu. And, actually, I’m mighty impressed as you guys have Weisswurst, which I love and I don’t always find on German menus here. Next time I’m through Moline, I may have to stop there instead of my usual Harris Pizza stop (which, okay, is just across the border in Rock Island.) ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/17 "2018-05-03T04:00:52Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Authentic German Foods: > > 1. Wurst > 2. Beer > 3. Wurst > 4. Wurst > 5. Beer > 6.Wurst The thing is, a half hour later you’re hungry for power. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/18 "2018-05-03T04:13:09Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > The thing is, a half hour later you’re hungry for power. My college roommates used to say that the problem with my cooking was that 72 hours later you were hungry again. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/19 "2018-05-03T11:37:57Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > The thing is, a half hour later you’re hungry for power. I always heard it as, ‘An hour later you want to invade Poland.’ ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-know-about-german-cooking/813414/20 "2018-05-03T11:57:15Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Get Mimi Sheraton’s book on German cooking and read it cover to cover. I got a copy at a used book store ten years ago and hardly a month goes by where we don’t prepare a recipe from it