Guten Appetit!
Ulrich Nowak, director of the Goethe Institut in Lebanon, introduces us to the local favorites from his hometown in Bavaria and explains the dynamic shift towards new German cuisine
From its coasts and lowlands to its uplands and the Alps, Germany has a wealth of landscapes and regions, and its cuisine is as varied as the country itself. Each state has its own special traditional dishes, usually a hearty meal of bratwurst, sauerkraut with pork knuckle or schnitzel. Although these traditional, often rich and fatty meals are still served across the country today, German eating habits have changed dramatically. Sauerkraut, potato salad, wheat bread and German sausage during the week and on Sundays a goose braised in the oven for hours – these are the traditional meals that Nowak remembers from his childhood. He has spent a great deal of time abroad, most recently in South East Asia before his post to Beirut, but the picturesque town of Buchenau, 25 kilometers southwest of Munich, is where he “considers home” when he’s in Germany. “Germans are famous for their rolls and bread – black, grain, wheat – with butter, jam and cheese. Many of the bakeries have their own signature recipes,” says Nowak. “Germany is also the land of potatoes, boil them, mix with mayonnaise and serve with sausage like a currywurst,” a grilled pork sausage cut into slices and seasoned with ketchup or tomato paste blended with curry and generous amounts of curry powder; a common takeaway served on a carton plate with French fries or bread rolls. Weißwurst, or white sausage, made from finely minced veal and pork bacon is typical of the South. Traditionally, this sausage was consumed only before noon with a pretzel and sweet mustard and washed down with a Weißbier, the light and tasty Bavarian wheat beer. “The half liter glass [the beer] is served in what should have an hourglass shape – it’s very refreshing and perfect with the sausage.” When in Munich, Nowak recommends visiting The Hofbräuhaus (+49 89 290136 hofbraeuhaus.de) one of the area’s oldest breweries. Its huge beer hall is known for its traditional music, Bavarian dishes and the waiters dressed in Lederhosen (traditional leather trousers). Some of Munich’s other must-see sights are the Nymphenburg Palace, a baroque castle with park, built in the 17th century, which was the summer residence of Bavarian monarchs, the Allianz Arena, which hosts Munich’s famous soccer team Bayern München and the BMW museum, located next to the 1972 Olympic village in Munich, exhibiting historical cars and motorcycles. The world-renowned Munich Oktoberfest, known as the “Wiesn” - the Bavarian word for lawn - is the traditional yearly folk festival