Many people don’t realize how diverse and different the country of Germany is. I went on a school trip to Berlin a couple years ago and then recently visited my family’s former exchange student in Frankfurt, which is in the state of Hesse. I also have a friend in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Each of the states are all very different in many ways, including the food. When people think of German food, they really think of Bavarian food. Pretzels, well they are Bavarian. Schnitzel, it’s actually Austrian. Potato Salad, don’t even get me started on how we have completely Americanized it. So, here below are the top (almost) pure German dishes to get in the Hesse state.
1. Spätzle
Spätzle is a type of egg noodle. The picture above is of Käsespätzle. It is basically German Mac&Cheese but ten times better. I always thought it was a German thing in general, but really Spätzle is a Western German thing. I never once saw it during my time in Eastern Germany, but saw it all over Western Germany. I had Käsespätzle in the city of Heidelberg, which is actually in the Baden-Wurttemburg state, but it is just as popular in Hesse. I highly recommend trying it or even maybe making it at home. I make it all the time and even though it is a pain to make, it is totally worth it.
2. Flammkuchen
Flammkuchen is something very popular in Hesse and Western Germany. I actually had it twice while I was in Frankfurt. Flammkuchen literally translates to Flame Cake. A traditional Flammkuchen, like the second photo, consists of a thin crust, thinner than any of our American pizza crusts, a sour cream like sauce topped with onions and bacon. Like pizza, Flammkuchen can have many different toppings too, like the veggie one in the first picture. The best part of about Flammkuchen is that is serves one person. You can eat a whole one by yourself and nobody will judge you.
3. Spundekäs
This is something that I never heard of before going to Germany. It actually ended up being one of my favorite foods from Germany. Sadly you can’t find it here or really anywhere outside of Hesse. It is a very Hessen thing and when I asked a friend of mine from Baden-Württemburg state about it she had no idea what I was talking about. I even showed her a picture and she still was confused. That is how pure Hessen this is. Spundekäs is a spiced cream cheese. On a side note, Germans love cream cheese and they put it on everything. Anyway, I love Spundekas and I miss the taste of it on freshly baked German bread. I actually ate a whole meal of just Spundekäs and bread while I was in Germany. I had two icecream scooped size balls of Spundekäs on my plate and I think in the end I end up eating like 6 pieces of bread. It was totally worth all of the calories though.
4. Curry
I know what you are thinking. This is not German, but to Germans it is. I’ve asked a few of my German friends what their favorite German foods were and one of the things they said was Curry. I love Curry, but I wouldn’t associate it with German food. Curry would be my answer to being asked my favorite Indian or Thai food, not German food. Whether it is considered a German food or not, it is totally worth trying while in Germany as it is very popular throughout the country. It is a staple of the German diet and the Germans really know how to make it. I actually had Curry twice while in Frankfurt.
5. Wursts
In Germany, you can not refer to this sausage as a brat. It is a wurst. The full name is a Bratwurst and for some reason Americans shortened it to brat, but the word brat refers to the way that the wurst is cooked. Brat means that is was fried. Any kind of food in Germany can be brat, whether it is a wurst, potatoes, or vegetables. The difference between a wurst in Germany and here is that they don’t eat it on a bun or with Ketchup. It is served with a lot of sauerkraut, mustard, and usually with a side of bread like most other German dishes. I don’t know which way I like better, the German way or the American way. They are both amazing. I highly recommend trying it the German way if you haven’t.
6. German Pancakes
Now this a true German pancake. When Americans think of German pancakes, we think of a large pan-sized fluffy pancake topped with fruit. That is not a German pancake. A German pancake is like a mix of an American pancake and a Crepe. It is thinner than our pancakes, but thicker than the Crepe. It can be cooked with apples inside or just plain. Then it is topped with Applesauce or yogurt and some cinnamon and sugar. This something that I had homemade in Germany and it tasted so good. Because it don’t have much sugar in, it is healthier than our pancakes, so you don’t have to feel bad about indulging!
This was my list of foods you have to try in Hesse, or maybe just make on your own. They are some of the most underrated German foods, but still just as amazing as the rest. If you find yourself in Germany, or even in Hesse, I highly recommend trying these. 🙂
The Journal of Wanderlust 