Talking About Baking

Posted on: 27 May 2016

If you're getting ready to throw a luncheon and have decided on German food, then you should make sure it's authentic. Rather than serve some generic sauerkraut and sausage, you should put out a spread that will make your guests think they were in a small restaurant somewhere in Bavaria. Here's a list of what you should get.

Kaiser Rolls

Rather than mass-produced rolls that you might find in the supermarket, choose authentic Kaiser rolls. These are used throughout Germany for breakfast and lunch. They have a crusty exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. Kaiser rolls are baked plain, as well as with poppy seeds, salt, and caraway seeds on the outside. A good idea is to get a sampling so that your guests can choose from an array when making their sandwich. Companies like the Klosterman Baking Company may be able to meet your needs in this area.

Extrawurst and Leberkäse

Most of the common cold cuts that are popular in your local supermarket won't be authentic German lunch items. Instead of turkey, ham, or Swiss cheese, you should look for extrawurst and leberkäse. Extrawurst is made from a mixture of beef, pork, and bacon fat. You might have to locate this at a butcher that caters to German and Austrian communities. If you are unable to locate it, then you could substitute a quality bologna. They have similar textures.

Leberkäse is a meat made with pork, corned beef, and onions. It is used in the famous Leberkässemmel sandwich. This is made with pickles and mustard and served on a Kaiser roll.

Spreewald Gherkins

These gherkins are famous throughout Germany and are even afforded protected status by the E.U. They have a very unique sweet and sour flavor created by the fermentation process. In addition to the flavor made by the fermentation process, the gherkins are flavored with basil, grape leaves, and other spices.

Yellow, Brown and Honey Mustard's

You need to have mustard on hand.  The most popular type of mustard in German is called Mittelscharf. It could be described as a mix between a classic yellow and a brown mustard. If you can't find it, you could mix the two yourself. Also, in Bavaria sweet mustard is popular, so a honey mustard would be a good condiment to have on hand.

Kartoffelsalat (Real German Style Potato Salad)

Authentic German potato salad includes bacon, oil, mustard, vinegar, and chopped red onions. The potatoes are cooked in beef broth to give them a more complex and rich flavor. This type of salad is not served cool, but rather warm. There is no mayo in the mix.