Celtnet German Recipes and Cookery, Home Page

Germany, offilicially Bundesrepublik Deutschland (The Federal Republic of Germany) is a country in west-central Europe (Germany is part of Western Europe) but is also part of the historical entity of Central Europe. Germany is officially a Parlimentary Federal Republic with its main ideals expressed in the 1949 Grundgesetz (Basic Law). The German capital is Berlin, where the parliament resides in the Reichstag. German is the official laguage though Danish, Low German, Sorbian, Romani and Frisian are recognized as regional languages. Germany is Europe's most populour country, with an estimated population (2006) of 82,314,90.

Germany is the world's third largest economy, as measured by GDP and Germany is considered as a modern 'Great Power' and is a member state of the United Nations, NATO, the G8 and the G4 nations. Despite, or maybe, due, to its econiomic porsperity Germany has Europe and the World's lowest fertility rates at 1.39 childred per mother. As such Germany's working population is shrinking.

Though perhaps not rated amongst the world's great cuisines, German cookery has a distinctive nature and flavour all it's own that's well worth exploring. Indeed, the cuisines of Germany vary greatly from region to region and there is often considerable influence from neighbouring regions and states. However, meat (particularly pork, beef and chicken) along with potatoes, cabbage, carrots, turnips, spinach and beans are staples of the diet. One commonality, however, is that meat is most often eaten in sausage form and there are over 1500 distinct types of German sausage. The medieval staples of bread and beer remain popular throughout the country, with over 300 types of bread being produced and an annual per capita consumption of 116 litres of beer, though wine is now also gaining in popularity. Kuchen (cakes) are also an important component of German cuisine with many hundreds of types being produced. These are particularly popular and common in the region of Bavaria.

It should also be noted that German cuisine has had a major impact on American cookery with stews and brewing styles coming directly from Germany. Also hamburgers (originally from Hamburg) and frankfurters (originally from Frankfurt) both come directly from German cuisine. Even the American apple and other fruit pies ultimately derive from German cuisine as do breakfast pancakes. German cuisine is ultimately rooted in the foods of the foods of the agrarian classes and thus is high in fat, protein and carbohydrate; all important sources of energy.