Gutes Essen

Or as they say in the old U.S. of A- Good eatin'!
I am slowly working to expand my palette. Unfortunately I am a true American eater. I like the American version of ethnic foods. And then I put ketchup on it. Sadly, I had a very different expectation of what Germany would be like. East Germany was not what I was imagining. But they do have a few of the same foods as the cooler Bavarians. Here are a few foods that I am truly enjoying (or trying VERY hard to enjoy) while we are over here. There are of course tons of things to try, including the 746 types of sausages. But here is a small sampling of a few of my faves:

Sauerkraut.

Fortunately my mother regularly forced me to eat this as a child. So now I actually LIKE it. 

And  the freshly made stuff here is REALLY tasty.

But it still stinks.

I apologize in advance to my vegetarian friends.

This is schweinhaxe. Or pork knuckle.

It is kind of hard to get past the skin and fat. But when you do? The meat is SO tender. 

I usually let Chris order it and then snag a bite or three.

Czech Goulash with Bread Dumplings.

Hello lover.

If you actually get these IN the Czech Republic, the meat is not always identifiable. 

But delicious all the same.

Lift. It's a fizzy apple juice. It is really nice on a hot day. And I'll bet it is awesome with ice!

But that's never happened here. Cause they don't believe in ice.

 These are in no way comparable to Donut Connection donuts. But a close enough substitute. 

Homer Simpson would approve of these donuts.

 The Corny Bar. It's their version of a granola bar. 

The other flavors are pretty gross, but they got it right with the peanut version.

I am not the biggest fan of beer. There. It's out.

But I do appreciate a taste or three of Chris'. And Germany has some pretty decent brew.

 Cheddar cheese is a specialty item here, which means hard to find. And then there are 30 white cheeses that all kind of taste like swiss. But this Butter Kase is very mild, and Austin LOVES it.

Sausages and salami. Not much meat goes through this country without being processed and packed into a casing. They even sell child friendly salami in the shape of bears. It is beary tasty.

 I reached my bratwurst limit the first month we were here. We ate SO much bratwurst. They sell it everywhere. Carts in the middle of shopping areas, nice restaurants, bier gardens, and apparently now in a tent next to the flooded Elbe River. Germans cater to those wanting to watch nature's destructive forces while enjoying a brat and beer. I am just now beginning to feel that I can get back on the brat wagon without wanting to vomit in my mouth.

 Schnitzel. I almost feel the same way that I did bratwurst. I had WAY too many schnitzels when we first got here. I prefer the pork over veal. It's a personal choice. I am now easing my way back into schnitzel consumption. Embrace the schnitzel.

Dear Potato Dumplings,

I love you.

Sincerely,

Brandi

 Spaetzle. A soft egg based noodle cooked in butter and sometimes, by the grace of God, cheese.

Schmalzkuchen. Bite sized fried donuts dusted in powdered sugar.

I ate my weight in these during the Christmas Market shenanigans.

Waffles are a big deal here. I like mine fresh off the iron, warm and shaped like hearts. 

Austin is a fan of their popular prepackaged waffles. Square.

Booooooring.

Brotchen (rolls). Bread is king here. You can buy bread and beer cheap throughout Germany. 

These people know how to keep their people happy.

And I am pretty sure I would have received hate mail if I didn't include pretzels. Honestly, I am the sad American who thinks that the pretzel from an authentic German bakery isn't as good as the ones you buy in the US at malls (I'm talking to you Auntie Anne's). But in a pinch, these will do.