German Cuisine: The Warmth of Winter, the Empire's Dessert, and 3 Iconic Flavors 🇩🇪

German cuisine, especially in the south, is enriched with pastries and baked meats, while the country generally has a hearty identity dominated by potatoes, cabbage, and hundreds of varieties of sausage (Wurst). The cuisine focuses on simplicity, quality, and regional diversity.

In this article, we examine Germany’s national main dish (and street food icon), its most famous cake, and the street delicacy that reflects Germany’s modern history after World War II.

Here is Germany’s gourmet trio: Bratwurst, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, and Currywurst.

1. The Foundation of the Main Dish: Bratwurst

Bratwurst is the cornerstone of Germany’s sausage culture, with thousands of different varieties, and is consumed both as street food and a main dish. Its name means “fried sausage” in German.

• What is it? It is a type of sausage, thin or thick, usually made from a mixture of veal, pork, or veal-pork, and seasoned. Different regions have their own registered Bratwurst recipes (e.g., Nürnberg Bratwurst).
• How is it Eaten? As a main course, it is served with potato salad (Kartoffelsalat), Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), or mashed potatoes. Sometimes Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes) accompany it.
• Why a Main Dish? It is the simplest and most common representative of Germany’s traditional meat and bread-centric food culture.

2. Queen of Desserts: Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake) takes its name from the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) region in southwestern Germany and is the country’s most famous dessert worldwide.

• What is it? It is a rich cake prepared with three or four layers of chocolate sponge cake, fresh cream spread between the layers, sour cherries, and the essential Kirschwasser (cherry liqueur).
• The Trick: The original recipe requires the liqueur to be used generously to moisten the cake. It is decorated with cream, chocolate shavings (representing the Black Forest), and cherries.
• Cultural Role: It is the most elegant reflection of Germany’s official confectionery tradition and regional products (especially Kirschwasser).

3. Icon of the Streets: Currywurst

Currywurst is a fast, cheap, and filling delicacy that emerged in post-World War II Berlin and quickly became Germany’s most popular and modern street food.

• What is it? A steamed and then fried sausage (sometimes beef, sometimes pork), prepared with a special tomato sauce (ketchup) and generously dusted with curry powder (curry powder).
• How is it Consumed? It is usually served sliced, eaten with a small wooden fork, and accompanied by plenty of French fries (Pommes).
• History: It is credited to Herta Heuwer, who created it in Berlin in 1949. This dish, which added an international touch to German cuisine, even has its own museum (Deutsches Currywurst Museum) in Berlin today.