Thuringia Bratwurst is a highly-spiced uncured sausage made in Germany. The sausages are 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) long, and weigh between 3 ½ to 5 oz (100 to 150 g.) The meat is pork, which may be blended with veal or beef. It is trimmed of all rind, ground medium-fine, then…
German Food
Tilsit Cheese
Tilsit cheese is a creamy, semi-firm cheese with a rich taste. It is made from cow’s milk in many countries.
Torte
Torte (pronounced tor-teh) is a German word meaning cake. It is reserved for fancier cakes — for simpler cakes, Germans use the word “Kuchen.” It is rather like we would use the word “gâteaux” for fancy, schmantzy cakes. Put more simply, if you buy a Torte or a gâteau at a bakery, you expect to…
Tumanga Apples
Tumanga Apples have smooth, yellow skin with a red flush on the side that got the sun. Inside, they have firm, crisp, very juicy flesh with a rich, spicy flavour. The tree is a reliable bearer, and somewhat self-pollinating. Cooking Tips For fresh-eating. Storage Hints Stores until March. History Notes Tumanga Apples were developed in…
Underberg Bitters
Underberg® Bitters is a digestif made from herbs and gentian root. It doesn’t contain sugar, as other bitters do. It is sold in small bottles wrapped in brown paper. You need to sip it, or chug it. History Notes Underberg Bitters were developed by a Hubert Underberg, who first brewed it commercially in 1846. As…
Vanilla Sugar
Sugar that has been flavoured with vanilla. Very popular in German cooking especially. Nice sprinkled over fresh fruit such as strawberries, etc. Take vanilla beans or leftover pods, place in a jar that can be sealed tightly, and cover with sugar. It doesn’t really matter how much sugar you use; probably a cup or two…
Volkswagen Ketchup
The Volkswagen car company makes spiced ketchup called “Volkswagen Gewürz Ketchup”, or “Volkswagen Spiced Ketchup”. It is particularly designed for use in the German dish, “currywurst”.
Wachholder Ham
Wachholder Ham is made in Bavaria from pork shoulder or thigh. It is cured with sodium nitrite, smoked, herb extracts and dextrose. It can be smoked or unsmoked. It is usually sold already cooked. Language Notes Wachholder means “Juniper.”
Weißwürst
Weisswurst is a thin-skinned Bavarian veal and pork sausage. It is cooked by simmering, and traditionally served in the mornings with pretzels and sweet mustard.
Westphalian Ham
Westphalian Ham © Denzil Green Westphalian Ham is made from the hind leg of pigs allowed to graze on acorns in the Westphalia (Westfalen) forest in Prussia, Germany. The meat is rindless and bright pink, with a mild smoked flavour. An unsmoked version is now also made. To make the ham, the meat is allowed…
Wiener Schnitzel
Wiener schnitzel is a Middle European dish consisting of veal thinly sliced (a veal “scallop”) dredged in flour, dipped in seasoned egg and milk mixture, coated with fresh bread crumbs and fried in butter. The veal cutlets are cut about as thick as a finger when starting, then they are pounded flat. Recipes will vary,…
Zabergau Reinette Apples
Zabergau Reinette are medium to large-sized, roundish, occasionally lop-sided apples. They have yellowish-green skin with orange flushes and red stripes, with such a heavy covering of rough, yellowish-brown russet that some say it looks more like a potato. Inside, the flesh is crisp, off-white, finely-textured, and firm. It has a sharp taste with a balance…
Zuccalmaglio’s Reinette Apples
Zuccalmaglio’s Reinette Apples have dark brown skin turning to flushes of rough brownish-red that in spots is sticky and russetted. Inside, they have finely-grained flesh. It has a complex fruity taste: adjectives used include strawberry, quince, pineapple and pear. The fruit ripens in October. Cooking Tips For fresh-eating. Storage Hints Stores for up to 5…
Zungenwurst
Zungenwurst is a German blood sausage with chunks of pickled pigs tongue in it. It is a pure animal product, with no cereal or filler in it. It is made from blood, fat and tongue spiced with ground black pepper. The sausage is cured and dried, so that it is safe to eat without cooking…
Zwetschgenknödel
Zwetschgenknödel are plum dumplings made in Germany. The dough is made of flour, baking powder, egg, salt and milk. Some variations add mashed potato to the dough. The dough is rolled out to ¼ to ½ inch (½ to 1 cm) thick, and cut into large pieces. Zwetschgen (Prune Plums) are washed and pitted, but…
Zwieback
Zwieback are slices of bread baked in an oven to make them dry and crispy. They are often made from bread that is slightly sweetened, or has egg in it. Some variations have mashed potato in the bread. Usually the bread is purpose-made from a recipe intended for it to be made into Zwieback. The…