Mahlzeit: Mealtime in Germany

I realized that my last article could have expanded on the many delicious meals that Germany has to offer. This week we will explore more in the realm of German cuisine which, although may not be the fanciest that the world has ever known, is certainly one of the heartiest and most satisfying.

Germans tend to have somewhat different eating habits from Americans and Canadians. For example, a typical German breakfast often includes plenty of fresh rolls, which tend to be much harder than the ones served in the U.S., a soft-boiled egg, which is served in its own cup made just for this purpose, and perhaps a little bit of yogurt. Jam or cheese is served with the crusty rolls, and sausage can usually be found somewhere on the table. The kind of sausage that Germans typically eat for their breakfast is not cooked the way that ours is, however: it is not in the patty or link form, and is not always served hot. The drink of choice for most Germans would be coffee, although tea is also drunk in German households. Contrary to what some may have you believe, Germans do not tend to drink beer with their breakfast!

People in the German-speaking countries traditionally eat their hot meal of the day at noontime, and have a cold supper in the evening. Many children still come home to have this afternoon dinner directly after school lets out, although some families do things differently as more and more families have both parents working in the 21st century.

What do Germans like to eat for their main, hot meal of the day? Even though Germany, Switzerland, and Austria are relatively small countries by North American standards, there are many specialty dishes that vary from region to region more widely than you may expect. There is much more to German dinners than sauerkraut and bratwurst! There are numerous northern dishes made with seafood and fish, obviously because of the region's proximity to the North and Baltic seas. Hamburg, which is a port city, has a dish called Hamburger Matjestopf, although be assured, it contains no hamburger whatsoever. It is actually a meal made with pickled herring, sliced apples, and onions in a sour cream sauce. Berliners and other Northern Germans even eat dishes made from eel! Kasseler Rippchen is commonly attributed to the city of Kassel in central Germany, but rumor has it that it actually originated elsewhere. This meal is delicious and is based on smoked porkloin. Preparation varies. In Bavaria and other southern regions of Germany, Spätzle (dumplings) are well loved. And yes, Germans do love their sauerkraut.

The copyright of the article Mahlzeit: Mealtime in Germany in Germanic Culture is owned by Colleen Thomas Ryor. Permission to republish Mahlzeit: Mealtime in Germany in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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