Germany is a country known for its rich food. The Germans appreciate healthy, well-prepared foods served with care. Diverse geography and history within Germany's regions have resulted in each region having its own local foods and specialties.

Germany's regional cuisine can be divided into North, Central and South. In the north, food preferences are influenced by the Scandinavian countries and the sea. The central region is made up of rolling hills and forests, so the cuisine is richer and heavier. The cuisine in the south is lighter, influenced by the foods of Italy and Austria.

Germany has a fertile terrain, with ample water supplies and a productive climate - ideal for the growth of cattle, poultry, sheep and pigs. Meat is abundant in Germany and this is evident by the number of meat dishes in German cuisine.

Smoking, marinating and salting procedures were developed to store meat, leading to today's emphasis on sausages and preserved foods. Pork is a national favorite, used in more dishes than any other livestock. Germany is also one of the top potato consuming countries.

Currywurst
Currywurst is a typical Berliner dish and was invented in Berlin in 1949.

Ingredients
3 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 pound kielbasa
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch paprika
Curry powder to taste

Preparation
Preheat oven to Broil/Grill. Pour tomato sauce into a large saucepan, then stir in the chili sauce, onion salt, sugar and pepper. Let simmer over medium heat, occasionally stirring; bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, broil/grill kielbasa sausage for 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Slice into pieces 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Pour tomato sauce mixture over sausage, then sprinkle with paprika and curry powder then serve.

Schweinebraten (German roast pork)
In Germany, Schweinebraten is most often served with braised cabbage or sauerkraut, dumplings and a fine pilsner.

Ingredients
4 to 6 pound pork butt or shoulder
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons oil
3 onions, roughly chopped
3 carrots, roughly chopped
1 cup water, stock, white wine or beer
2 or 3 tablespoons flour
2 or 3 tablespoons butter

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub the entire roast with the oil and sprinkle with caraway, salt, pepper. Let stand for one hour.

Spray your roasting pan with cooking spray. Place the vegetables into roasting pan and pour in liquid of choice. Place the roast, fat side down, in the roasting pan on top of the vegetables. Cover tightly and roast for one hour.

Remove from oven, uncover and turn roast fat side up. Cut decorative diamonds into the fat, insert meat thermometer and place, uncovered, in the oven for approximately 2 hours or until meat thermometer reads 165°F.

Remove from oven and take out of roaster; cover with foil to preserve temperature, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and save the vegetables to serve on the side. Measure pan juices; add enough chosen liquid (water, wine, stock, or beer) to make 2 cups. Make a roux by blending the flour and butter together very well in a saucepan; add the pan juices and bring to a simmer.

Slice the roast thinly and serve with the gravy on the side. For additional richness, the gravy may be finished with a little butter, cream or sour cream.

Cheese Spaetzle
This recipe comes from a region named "Allgaeu" but it is popular all around in Swabia. This area is famous for its cheese, milk and milk products, and is a popular tourist region as well.

Ingredients
For the Spaetzle:
400 g flour
5 eggs
1 TL salt
About 1/4 l cold water or mineral water
(Or 300 g dried Spaetzle)

2 large onions
1 tbsp butter
300 g grated cheese (Emmenthaler, Gouda, and any cheese which melts easily, but not processed cheese)
Water with some salt
Optional: chopped chives
Optional:  salt, pepper

Preparation
Sieve the flour into a bowl; add eggs, salt and water and mix it with a wooden spoon. Stir the dough until you can see bubbles. You may have to add some more cold water.

Melt butter in a skillet; peel onions and cut them in small rings. Fry them in the butter until light brown.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. By using a wooden board or a Spaetzle maker make the Spaetzle. Stir often with a wooden spoon; when the Spaetzle are swimming on the surface, they are done. Take them out with a skimmer and keep them in a warm bowl in the oven. Before you place them in the oven sprinkle some of the grated cheese over them. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Serve them on warm plates, Add fried onions on each portion and sprinkle with chopped chives.

German Potato Pancakes

Ingredients
2 eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation
Peel and grate potatoes. Place the grated potatoes in a clean dishcloth or cheesecloth and squeeze the liquid out of them into a bowl. Let the liquid stand a few minutes, then drain the liquid, leaving potato starch at the bottom of the bowl. Add the potatoes.

Grate the onion over the potatoes. Add dried onion flakes for part or all of the onion, if you like. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and egg. Mix thoroughly.

Heat oil in a frying pan. You can use a non-stick pan and just a few drops of oil, if you wish, but for best results use oil.

Using about 1/2 cup, drop the potato mixture into hot oil and flatten with the back of a spoon. Fry 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with applesauce and maybe a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Bavarian Crème

Ingredients
1 vanilla bean
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups whipped cream
6 sliced strawberries

Preparation
Put the split vanilla bean in cream and slowly bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let sit for 1 hour. Remove bean and scrape out seeds, add them to the cream and discard the pod. Sprinkle the gelatin into the milk and set aside.

Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together. Warm the cream mixture back up and slowly whisk into eggs. Place mixture over simmering water and stir until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooded spoon. Remove from heat; add milk and gelatin mixture. Place bowl in ice bath and stir until at room temperature.

Fold in whipped cream and pour mixture into 6 (6-ounce) ramekins. Place in refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours or until mixture is set. Remove from molds and garnish with strawberries.

Apple Strudel Recipe (Apfelstrudel)

Ingredients

For the dough:

75g (2 1/2oz) butter
50g (2oz) raisins
100g (1/2 cup) sugar
50g (2oz) breadcrumbs
50g (2oz) chopped almonds
3 drops vanilla essence

Preparation
Prepare the dough:
Sift flour into a mixing bowl, add butter or oil, salt and water. Knead the dough either with your hands, or a hand mixer (with kneading hook) for 10 to 15 minutes until it is elastic and smooth.

Warm a pan with hot water, oil the pan, and put the dough into the hot pan, cover, and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat  oven  to 180° C / 350° F and grease the baking sheet.

Prepare the filling:
Peel and core the apples and cut them into small pieces. Add raisins, almonds, sugar, vanilla  and lemon essences. Stir. Melt the butter.

Prepare the strudel:
After 30 minutes, roll the dough out on a large floured tea towel, brush it with a little butter, then stretch the dough using your hands. Place your hands under the dough to stretch it. Make a rectangle of about 70x50 cm (27 1/2 x 20 in). Brush the dough with 2/3 of the melted butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, leave an edge of 3 cm (1 1/4 in) uncovered. Spread the filling on the bread crumbs.

Fold the uncovered edges of the short sides over the filling. With the help of the tea towel, roll the strudel, starting from the longer side, press the ends tighly.

Put the strudel on the greased baking sheet and brush it with butter. Bake it for 50 minutes until golden brown. After about 30 minutes, brush the apple strudel with the rest of the melted butter.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven, let the Apfelstrudel cool down a little on the sheet. Sprinkle with powder sugar.

Petya Vetseva / Expatica

For measurement conversions, you can visit this webpage: www.pastrywiz.com/conversion.htm

www.german-recipes-and-more.com/strudel-recipes.html

www.germanfoodguide.com

http://voices.yahoo.com/best-foods-germany-407497.html?cat=16

www.chefkoch.de/rs/s0/deutsch/Rezepte.html

www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4248997,00.html

http://mybestgermanrecipes.com/category/soups-2/pichelsteiner-eintopf/

www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/germany/#axzz1j9JU34bq