Zungenwurst is a traditional German blood sausage that contains pieces of pickled tongues. It typically consists of a mixture of pork blood, fat, and pieces of pickled tongues, seasoned with ground pepper and (optionally) other strong spices. Usually, the blood sausage is entirely made of animal parts, containing no fillers or cereals.
Since the sausage is typically cured and dried, it requires no cooking prior to its consumption. A common sausage in Austria as well, it can be consumed both hot and chilled, fried, or sliced in sandwiches. Its name is derived from the German words Zungen, meaning tongues in English, and Wurst, which translates to sausage.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Wurst
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Brathering is a traditional fish dish originating from Germany, consisting of marinated fried herring. Fresh herrings are rolled in flour or breaded, pan-fried, and marinated in a mixture of white wine vinegar, onions, sugar, salt, pepper, mustard seeds, and bay leaves.
The dish is traditionally served cold, and it’s typically accompanied by fried potatoes, rösti, or potato salad. The herrings can also be used in sandwiches, and nowadays canned brathering can be bought in most stores. The dish is usually enjoyed for lunch or as a snack at street food stands.
Gefilte fish, or stuffed fish (from gefilte, which means filled or stuffed in Yiddish), is a ubiquitous Jewish appetizer that is based on chopped or ground fish. This dish is typically prepared with ground carp, pike, or whitefish that is combined with a variety of other ingredients before it is shaped into balls or oval patties, which are then usually simmered in fish stock.
Typical ingredients that go into gefilte fish include matzo meal, eggs, onions, carrots, leeks, parsley, goose fat or oil, and various seasonings and spices such as salt, pepper, allspice, sugar, cinnamon, or bay leaves. Gefilte fish may be more on the savory side, with a distinctive peppery flavor, as it is usually prepared in countries such as Lithuania and Russia, or sweet, a version that is typical of Polish cuisine.
Pichelsteiner is a thick German stew made with several kinds of meat and vegetables. Pork, beef, and mutton are the main ingredients alongside potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and leeks. Various other vegetables can be added for extra flavor, such as onions, celery, and garlic.
The stew is seasoned with salt and pepper, then sprinkled with fresh parsley. Pichelsteiner is considered an all-time classic in Bavaria, where the dish originated from in the 19th century. Auguste Winkler, an innkeeper from the small village of Grattersdorf, is credited with inventing the stew at an open-air cooking festival in 1879.
Bayerischer Wurstsalat is a traditional German salad originating from Bavaria. It's made with Regensburger knockwurst sausage, diced onions, olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and paprika. The wurst is peeled and sliced thinly, then tossed with the onions, olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings.
Before serving, it's chilled, then dusted with paprika on top. The salad is sometimes also served as an appetizer, and it's recommended to serve it with beets, pickles, bread rolls, and butter.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Wurstsalat
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Brotsuppe, meaning bread soup, is a humble German dish based on stale bread and meat broth (usually beef) or vegetable broth. Pieces of leftover bread (usually rye bread) are fried in butter or lard alongside onions until nicely colored and crispy before they are added to a hot broth seasoned with salt and pepper and enhanced with aromatic spices such as marjoram, caraway, or nutmeg.
Some variations of the soup call for the addition of meat, egg yolks, or cream for extra flavor, and a more filling meal. Brotsuppe is also often referred to as fränkische brotsuppe as it is mainly associated with the region of Franconia, although different versions of the soup have been traditionally consumed in other parts of the country as well.
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Senfgurken or mustard pickles are made with slices of cucumbers which have been peeled, seeded, and salted before they are pickled in a vinegar-based liquid alongside onions, dill, and mustard seeds. Other typical spices added to the jar of pickles include black peppercorns, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, juniper berries, allspice berries, and bay leaves.
This simple German snack/appetizer is a common homemade staple that is often prepared in households throughout the country, while ready-made versions are available in most German supermarkets. With a distinctively sour and slightly sweet flavor, senfgurken are often served with barbecued meat or rye bread slathered with schmalz (rendered animal fat).
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Also known as little jumper or little knight, springerle is an anise-flavored biscuit made from wheat flour, eggs, and powdered sugar. In the past, the dough used to be leavened with hartshorn salt, but modern day recipes typically use baking powder.
The designs and images on top are made with flat molds, presses, and boards, or specially crafted wooden rolling pins. The origin of these biscuits can be traced back to southwestern Germany and the 14th century. The oldest mold for springerle comes from Switzerland, and it was also made in the 14th century.
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Weinkraut is a traditional German side dish and a version of the famous sauerkraut. It's usually made with a combination of sauerkraut, butter, onions, sweet apples (e.g. Red Delicious), bay leaves, juniper berries, white wine, and peppercorns.
The onions are sautéed in butter until translucent, and then mixed with thin strips of apple, sauerkraut, juniper berries, bay leaves, peppercorns, water, and white wine. The dish is cooked over low heat until the sauerkraut is not too dry nor too liquid and it's then served with grilled sausages.
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This rich sweet bread is made with a heavy yeast dough mixed with candied fruit and nuts. It is one of the many traditional specialties of Bremen's cuisine. The recipe for Klaben dates back to the 16th century, when bakers in Hanseatic League cities gained access to exotic ingredients they were able to obtain through their member cities.
The sweet bread is filled with raisins, almonds, various nuts, and orange and lemon peel. It is not sugar-dusted after baking, as opposed to Dresdner Stollen. The distinctive taste of this holiday favorite comes from the addition of cardamom, rum, or nutmeg.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Stollen
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