Northern German Traditional Food

Pork and bacon feature often in Northern German cuisine.

Northern German cuisine is about more than beer and bratwurst sausages. An abundance of local produce means that traditional dishes are varied and include some unusual sweet recipes that are a mix of sweet and salty flavors. Northern German food is generally considered rich with dumplings, potatoes, noodles and densely textured bread as an accompaniment or component of many dishes. Meat is also favored, especially pork.

Pears, Beans and Bacon

This dish, also known as gröner hein, is a stew made with a special type of pear called kochbirnen that isn't very sweet and can only be eaten cooked. As well as combining pears, French beans and bacon, the stew includes potatoes and fresh herbs. It is recommended that you serve the stew with plain flour dumplings called klüten. These are made with butter, eggs, flour, milk and salt mixed together to form a dough and then boiled in small balls.

Hamburger Aalsuppe

Eel is popular in northern Germany where they eat it smoked, jellied and in soup. Hamburger aalsuppe is eel soup Hamburg style. Eel is cooked in beef stock, with the joint of a smoked ham for flavor and an assortment of dried fruit, fresh vegetables and herbs. Before serving, the eel must be removed from the pot to be skinned, boned and chopped. When this is done the meat is returned to the soup and it is seasoned to create a sweet and sour taste.

Labskaus

Labskaus is a stew that is believed to have originated from German sailing vessels who were offshore for many weeks at a time. Provisions included salted meat, potatoes and onions, which all feature in the dish. These are flavored with cloves and a bay leaf. The ingredients are mashed together before serving. There are many variations of labskaus, with additions such as herring, gherkins and beetroot. It is now commonly served with a fried egg on top.

Desserts With Bacon

Northern Germany enjoys sweet and salty combinations, as well as sweet and sour. Although there is a traditional red fruit jelly made from mixed fruits typical to North Germany, there are other desserts that may seem a little stranger to foreign palates. Fluffy dumplings made with bacon, sugar and mustard are served with fruit compote. You could also try a sweet soup known as Nordfriesische birnensuppe, made with smoked bacon, pears, raisins, sugar and buttermilk.

References

• BBC h2g2: Traditional North German Food
• BBC h2g2: Pears, French Beans and Bacon
• BBC h2g2: Green Eel Soup
• BBC h2g2: Labskaus
• BBC h2g2: Rich Sweet Dishes
• Nurnberger Bierhaus: About German Food