Germany is a country that has been central to Europe
since its foundation some hundred and thirty years
ago. And central to this country's experience has
been food, yet this remains one of the world's great
unsung cuisines, generally condemned as stodgy or
boring, but there is much more to Germany than sausages
and sauerkraut. There is a large variety of rich culinary
traditions which have developed in the different regions
of Germany. A North/South divide is apparent when
it comes to German food and culture. The North is
influenced by Scandinavia and its closeness to the
sea, while those in the South prefer lighter food,
influenced by nearby Italy and Austria.
Germany is a fertile land ideal for raising livestock,
so pork, lamb, beef and dairy products are central
to the German diet. In the days before modern refrigeration,
Germans prolonged the shelf life of their meat by
smoking, marinating and salting. And this led to the
nation's predilection for sausages and preserved foods.
In Planet Food: Germany,
Merrilees Parker visits the world
famous Oktoberfest where she discovers
the best of German beers, as well
as the Weisswurst - Bavaria's very
own sausage! Nursing a hangover, she heads off to
uncover the history of the pretzel
and tries her hand at making the delicious Black
Forest Gateau from one of the best bakers
in the country. She discovers the two sides of the
capital Berlin, sampling its new and sophisticated
cuisine as well as its nostalgic produce that originated
from the former GDR.
FOODS
FESTIVALS
SHOPPING
