Good Main Dishes
2) Bavarian White Sausages- This white sausage is obviously unique to Bavaria and it's usually served with pretzels and mustard. Although I don't eat these because they are made with veal, I had to include them because they are a staple of Bavaria.
3) Doners- These aren't exactly German. It's Turkish and they are similar to Gyro's in the US. But I had to include them on my list because they are all over Germany and probably one of the best things you will eat here. Trust me. They are usually made with lamb or Turkey.
5) Baked Fish- It might take a little getting used to but the whole baked fish is lightly fried and then baked and it is delicious. If you don't want to pick through the bones you can just ask for a "fischfilet."
Good Side Dishes
6) Potato salad (kartoffelsalat)- Some more items on the good list is homemade potato salad. I never liked potato salad in the States but this is great. It's a typical side dish.
7) Pumpkin Cream Soup (keurbiscremesuppe)- The pumpkin cream soup is seasonal and it's amazing. It has pumpkin oil and pumpkin seeds in it. I went to an entire pumpkin festival here in the fall. Pretty much every soup here is good.
8) Cheese (kase)- What kind of cheese? Doesn't matter. All kinds of German cheese are usually good. And way cheaper than cheese in the States.
9) White Asparagus (spargel)- I didn't know there was such a thing as white asparagus before I moved to Germany. It's really good, but seasonal. I show you how to make a great Spargel soup here.
10) Red Sauerkraut- It doesn't look like it would taste good but I love red sauerkraut. It's a great side dish for meat and potato dishes because it sweetens it up.
10) Potato Pancakes (kartoffelpuffers)- Potato pancakes can be found in a lot of European countries and they are yummy. Paired with applesauce or ketchup, even better. I got these at the Heidelberg Christmas Market.
Good Desserts and Drinks
13) Beer- Okay even though I don't drink beer I had to add it to the list. Germany is obviously known for its great beer and if I had to drink beer I'd like it from here. Or maybe Belgium. Radlers (beer and lemonade) and Colaweizen (cola and beer) are also good and lighter choices.
14) Spiced Wine (gluhwein)- This is another seasonal item. It's like a warm spiced cider and it's served at all the German Christmas markets like the Passau Christmas Market where I took this picture.
15) Black Forest Cake- This cake, which I'm sure you've heard of is traditionally from the Black Forest region in Germany and made with liquor from that area, chocolate, and sour cherries. Yum
Take it or Leave it
These are four foods that I could take or leave. They aren't good or bad IMO.
16) Dumplings (knodel)- They are made with different kinds of foods. If they are made with riced potatoes then they are okay with me, but sometimes they are made with lard and I mean, come on, you're basically eating a starchy ball...why add lard to that?
17) Schnitzel- There are so many ways to make schnitzel. But it's almost always with pork. It's not bad when it's fried but no person should be eating the amount of schnitzel that is usually prepared with this dish. If it's a jaegerschnitzel, it's made with a mushroom sauce. If it's wiener schnitzel it's made with veal and I'm not touching it.
18) Goulash- It's made all around the world. It's basically a hearty stew of meat and potatoes. But I'm not such a fan and sometimes it can be way too salty. But, it can be good comfort food on a cold day with some bread for dipping.
19) Pretzels- Okay why are pretzels on the take it or leave it list? Not every German pretzel is created equally. I've had some amazing pretzels like the huge ones at Oktoberfest and I've also had some crusty dried out pretzels that are used as bar food. It really depends.
The Bad
These are food that I think are gross and don't plan on eating again or in the first place. Some are self explanatory...ahem...pork knuckle.
21) Prawns- I actually love shrimp and prawns are technically giant shrimp but there's something about how big they are that turns me off. Plus they are served looking back at you so I just can't do it. Fish whole. No problem. But prawns. Nope.
22) Gingerbread Cake (lebekuchen)- These are the seasonal decorative heart thingies that hang at fests and markets. They look cool but do not taste good. Even the fresh made lebekuchen doesn't taste good IMO.
23) Currywurst- This is a whole pile of nope. A big wiener covered in curry sauce and powder. I just don't like it.
24) Carbonated Water (wasser mit gas)- All of the water in Germany (and most of Europe) is served with bubbles. I don't like it. You have to purposely ask for still water if you don't want it with bubbles. I can't figure out why Germans like bubbly water and wouldn't want to enjoy a fresh glass of water, but that's why it's on the bad list for me.
26) Spaetzel- It's basically noodles with a weird texture. Some people love them but I think they are bland and gross. You can spice them up with different toppings but I've never really grown fond for them, so they go on my bad list.
So there you have it. The good, the bad, and the take it or leave it. As you can see, there are more good than bad. Have you had some of these German foods? Which do you like and dislike and which are you wanting to try for the first time?
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