Wednesday, July 1, 2009

"Corner View" Staple Foods

Legend has it that one of Germany's early Kaisers enjoyed potatoes so much that he wanted to also offer them to his people. Many commoners, influenced by mystical thinking, believed that those things growing below the earth were evil, and would not eat the strange vegetable. In reaction to their superstitions the Kaiser planted a potato field and required that it be heavily guarded. The people assumed that whatever was in that field must be of great worth, and they would sneak in and steal the potatoes... it is thus said that this is how the potato came to the common man in Germany.

What many non-Germans may not know about Germany is that "Bratwurst" and "Sauerkraut" is not your average, everyday kind of meal. Of course they are served here, but more as a cookout kind of food like hamburgers in the US for picnics and barbeque's. German cuisine would be what I consider a no fuss, no frills kind of food, no heavy seasonings or flavors, no explosion of colors on the plate, a basic meat and potatoes kind of meal, and it will always, ALWAYS, ... ALWAYS be served with potatoes in numerous varaiations.

I realize that my assumptions about German cuisine might be just that when you compare them to Southern Germany. I suppose one could say it is like comparing Texas and New York, you just can't. But from here in the North, a summer meal of asparagus, a winter meal with wild game, and all those meals in between, I know that it will usually be served with potatoes... just basic... just German.

Are you still hungry? Then you should visit Jane at Spain Daily for a second helping.

17 comments :

  1. I'm Hungry, so I think i'm going to see you... and your table !! Nice pictures and choice !!!

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  2. Great history lesson and yummy photos!

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  3. My maternal grandmother came from Southern Germany, and she'd always cook kartoffeln at every single meal!

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  4. i´m learning so much this week! thanks allison! great post:)

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  5. I would like a helping of your potatoes please. they look so... good! xoxo

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  6. loved your corner, the story and definitely potatoes.

    :D

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  7. See I knew there was a place for me! I could eat potatoes breakfast. lunch, and dinner. My husband and family are constantly teasing me about it.. looks like I should move to Germany!

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  8. i love the history. really great post. potatoes are delicious! and yours look beautiful.

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  9. wow allison
    your shots are amazing!!
    and the table? so perfect!!
    thanks for sharing!!

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  10. Gosh I love potatoes....we ate a lot of them in England too, they are fabby with some oatmeal on top. You made me want some!!!!!

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  11. My husband is German and would just about drool if he saw the spargel, schinken, and kartoffeln. Yummy!

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  12. this was a very interesting post ! thanks ! i learned a lot. and now, i am hungry for some german potato !!

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  13. So that's why I'm such a meat and potatoes girl; it's the German in me!

    That's an interesting bit of potato history. I think it's fascinating that the people associated the potato with evil. Maybe because it is toxic and in the nightshade family.

    Thanks for the tidbits!

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  14. I couldn't live without potatoes :)
    Thanks for sharing :)

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  15. One of the few things my (german) husband cooks is his specialty potato salad. With ham, pickles, and not too acidic.

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  16. We lived in Germany years ago, but with the British forces so ate all our usual foods,until I went shopping in the german shops...that was fun, until I got used to what I was buying :-)

    They do serve plain food there, and normally just potatoes, yes it like that then..

    We love Schnitzel, Jaeger or Zigeuner, mit Frites mit mayonnaise, although we didn;t have these all the time, they just tasted different to us Brits!! Oh we still eat Bratwurst now, and Fleisch wurst..

    We also used to go over to Holland to Venlo and Nijmegan for Dutch food:-)

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