Brandenburg

Thin crepe-like pancakes, serve with fruit, jam, Nutella, sugar, cinnamon

Eierschecke is a confectionery speciality from Saxony and Thuringia. It is a layer cake with a base layer of cake, a middle layer of quark-based cheesecake and a top layer of vanilla custard. Parts of it are covered with a glaze made of cream, whole egg, sugar and flour for thickening. The term originates from a piece of 14th century menswear called Schecke which consisted of a medium-length tunic with a very tight waistline and was worn with a Dusing, a hip belt. The cake was named after the appearance of this "tripartite garment" .[citation needed] As the name is derived from a tripartite piece of clothing, Eierschecke consists of three parts or layers: the upper layer is made of creamy stirred egg yolk with butter, sugar, vanilla pudding and, lastly, beaten egg whites, which are folded into the batter. The middle layer (the "belt") consists of a kind of custard which, in addition to butter, egg, sugar and milk, also contains quark and vanilla flavouring. The cake base is either a yeast dough or shortcrust pastry. After these three layers are assembled, the cake is baked, then cut into rectangular pieces and served with coffee. While the recipe above is for the traditional Eierschecke from Dresden, there are also some variations and refinements of this recipe, e.g. the addition of raisins, almonds or Streusel, or even the coating of the whole cake with chocolate. Another variation is the Freiberger Eierschecke, which is much less tall than the Dresdner Eierschecke and contains neither quark nor raisins. Legend states that the quark had been used to build the city wall of Freiberg in the 13th century. To compensate for the alleged loss of flavour, more egg, sugar and even raisins were used. The legend is deliberately nonsensical: dairy products like quark have no history of being used in mortar (unlike sticky rice mortar).

A hedgehog slice is an uncooked flat, square or bar-shaped chocolate snack/dessert, similar to Rocky road but with alternating lighter and darker areas. The darker areas are chocolate flavoured. The lighter areas are crushed biscuit, rice puffs, or similar. Nuts may also be added. It usually has a topping of chocolate icing, upon which may be sprinkled coconut, hundreds and thousands, or other kinds of sprinkles or raisins . The dish goes by a variety of names. In German it is called Kalter Hund (cold dog), Kalte Schnauze (cold snout) or Kellerkuchen (cellar cake). In some languages it is named after its appearance, such as Swedish radiokaka (named for both its resemblance to old-time radios and its ability to be eaten soundlessly so as to not disturb radio broadcasts), Turkish Mozaik Pastası or Greek Mosaico. The Danish kiksekage and Serbo-Croatian keks torta simply mean biscuit cake. The Dutch name Arretjescake comes from a promotional recipe book published by Calvé and is named after its mascot character, while the Norwegian Delfiakake refers to the Delfia deep-frying fat mentioned in this recipe. The dish is derived from chocolate salami which was invented in the beginning of the twentieth century and which in turn traces its heritage to various kinds of fake sausage confectionery without chocolate from the start of the nineteenth century.

A cruller is a deep-fried pastry popular in parts of Europe and North America. In Europe it is typically either made of a string of dough that is folded over and twisted twice to create its signature shape or is formed from a rectangle of dough with a cut in the center allowing it to be pulled over and through itself to produce distinctive twists in the sides of the pastry. In North America, it is typically a form of cake doughnut made in a small loaf or simple stick shape or, in the case of the "French cruller", extruded in a ring from choux pastry. Crullers are typically topped with cinnamon sugar, dipped in plain icing, or served plain.

Wurzelpeter is a Kräuterlikör-type liqueur produced in Germany. It is flavoured with a variety of herbs, bark, and roots: its name references the latter . Production was started in 1935 in Berlin-Mitte by Paul Pöschke and Walter Heyer. The recipe was claimed to be documented as far back as 1875. Pöschke, a cycling enthusiast, organised sponsorship of cycling events by the company. In 1949 Heyer resigned, but the company was leased by Max Finke and continued in operation. From 1961, when Pöschke departed for West Germany, production of Wurzelpeter was taken over by the state enterprise VEB Bärensiegel Berlin in Berlin-Adlershof. This company had its administrative headquarters in Berlin-Lichtenberg, on the Josef-Orlopp-Straße, where there was also a production branch. Wurzelpeter gradually gained some status as a cult drink, and was considered to be the East German counterpart of Jägermeister. With limited production, it had a reputation in the GDR as Bückware, scarce goods available 'under the counter' through bartering or to favoured customers.

Brathering is a simple and traditional German dish of marinated fried herring. It is typical of the cuisine in northern Germany and the northern parts of the Netherlands, either for lunch or as a snack at fast food stands or take-out restaurants. Usually, the green (i.e., fresh) herring with the heads and guts removed are either breaded or simply turned in flour, then fried, and finally pickled in a marinade of white vinegar and briefly boiled water, onion, salt, spices like pepper, bay leaves, mustard seeds, and a little sugar. The thin bones of the green herring are partially dissolved in the marinade, so that they hardly interfere with eating. If refrigerated, fried herring may be preserved for up to two weeks. Brathering is also available as a commercial product in cans.

Flat meatballs, made with beef, pork

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef, pork, venison, rabbit, lamb, poultry, sausages, and seafood. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, stock is also common. A small amount of red wine or other alcohol is sometimes added for flavour. Seasonings and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature , allowing flavours to mingle. Stewing is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat that become tender and juicy with the slow, moist heat method. This makes it popular for low-cost cooking. Cuts with a certain amount of marbling and gelatinous connective tissue give moist, juicy stews, while lean meat may easily become dry. Stews are thickened by reduction or with flour, either by coating pieces of meat with flour before searing or by using a roux or beurre manié, a dough consisting of equal parts fat and flour. Thickeners like cornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot may also be used.

Eisbein is a German dish of corned ham hock, usually cured and slightly boiled. Eisbein is usually sold already cured and sometimes smoked, and then used in simple hearty dishes. Numerous regional variations exist, for example in Berlin it is served with pease pudding. In southern parts of Germany it is usually roasted. In Franconia it is commonly served with mashed potatoes or sauerkraut, in Austria with horseradish and mustard instead. The German name has associations with the practice of using a pig's leg-bone for ice skating. In southern Germany, the common preparation is known as Schweinshaxe.

Kassler or Kasseler in German cuisine is a cured and slightly smoked cut of pork similar to gammon. It can be either hot or cold smoked. Pork necks and loins are the most often used cuts although ribs, shoulders and bellies can also be used. It is often served either with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes or with kale and roasted potatoes. In addition to pork, chicken prepared 'Kasseler' style is available at some butchers. It is unclear where the name comes from. It is often said that the name derived from a Berlin-based butcher called Cassel who prepared the cut in the late 19th century. However, records of the town's inhabitants show that in the 19th century no butcher named Cassel or Kassel was living in Berlin. Likewise, it is not possible to prove that Kasseler comes from the German town Kassel.

The ketwurst is a form of hot dog originated from the German Democratic Republic . The word "ketwurst" comes from a combination of Ketchup and Wurst (German for "sausage"). Its preparation involves the heating of a special Bockwurst, larger than regular hot dogs, in water. A long roll is pierced by a hot metal cylinder, which creates an appropriately sized hole. The sausage is then dunked in ketchup and put inside of the roll. The Ketwurst was invented at the State Gastronomical Research Center — like the Grilletta, a hamburger-like meatball-in-a-bun — around 1977–1978. At that time, restaurants at the Berlin TV Tower were incapable of handling the large numbers of visitors, so a take-away food was needed. It is often considered the archetypical East German fast food, but until German reunification, it was rarely seen outside the city center of Berlin.

Königsberger Klopse , also known as Soßklopse, are a German specialty of meatballs in a creamy white sauce with capers. The dish is named for the former German city of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia), and is one of the highlights of historical East Prussian cuisine. In the German Democratic Republic (GDR), the dish was officially called Kochklopse ("boiled meatballs") to avoid any reference to its namesake city, which in the aftermath of World War II had been annexed by the Soviet Union. The city's German inhabitants had been expelled, and the city had been repopulated with Russians and other Soviet citizens and renamed after Mikhail Kalinin, a close ally of Joseph Stalin in the Soviet leadership. Königsberger Klopse were jokingly referred to as Revanchistenklopse. Königsberger Klopse are still a popular dish in present-day Germany.

Roasted goose. The goose became a symbol of the saint due to a legend that, when trying to avoid being ordained bishop he hid in a pen of geese whose cackling gave him away. Once a key medieval autumn feast, a custom of eating goose on the day spread to Sweden from France. It was primarily observed by the craftsmen and noblemen of the towns. In the peasant community, not everyone could afford this, so many ate duck or hen instead.

Herring, cream and onions

Sweet and sour eggs, hard boiled eggs cooked in a sauce with mustard, butter, cream, vinegar, sugar, dill, many different ways to prepare

Stewed pork and dried fruit

Eggs with mustard sauce, medium-boiled eggs with sennepssauce (mustard sauce), serve with rye bread, common during Easter

Asparagus grown in Brandenburg, Germany

Extrawurst can be either a type of cold cut or part of a German idiomatic expression. Extrawurst is a type of Austrian cold cut made from a well-spiced mixture of beef, pork and bacon fat. In Austria, it is the most popular type of cold cut. It is similar to the American Bologna sausage, the Dutch Boterhamworst [nl], the German Lyoner or Fleischwurst and the Swedish Falukorv.

A crêpe or crepe is a dish made from unleavened batter or dough that is cooked on a frying pan or a griddle. Crêpes are usually one of two varieties: sweet crêpes (crêpes sucrées) or savoury galettes (crêpes salées). They are often served with a wide variety of fillings such as cheese, fruit, vegetables, meats, and a variety of spreads. Crêpes can also be flambéed, such as in crêpes Suzette. The French term "crêpe" derives from crispa, the feminine version of the Latin word crispus, which means "curled, wrinkled, having curly hair."

Knieperkohl is a pickled cabbage dish similar to sauerkraut. It contains not only white cabbage but also collard greens and kale, as well as grape leaf and cherry leaf. Knieperkohl is considered a representative dish of the historical region of Prignitz, now part of Brandenburg in Germany. Knieperkohl is commonly served as an accompaniment to cured pork, such as Kassler, or sausages. Kohlwurst is a type of German sausage generally eaten with Knieperkohl. Potatoes are another typical accompaniment.

Quarkkäulchen is a Saxon dish made from dough containing about two-thirds mashed potatoes, one-third quark cheese, eggs and flour, and perhaps spiced with cinnamon or dotted with raisins. The dough is fried in butter or clarified butter into small pancakes. These are served hot, usually with sugar, fruits or other sweet side dishes.

Rye bread is a type of bread made with various proportions of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from wheat flour. Compared to white bread, it is higher in fiber, darker in color, and stronger in flavor. The world's largest exporter of rye bread is Poland. Rye bread was considered a staple through the Middle Ages. Many different types of rye grain have come from north-central, western, and eastern European countries such as Iceland, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the Czech Republic, and it is also a specialty in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Spreewald gherkins are a specialty pickled cucumber from Brandenburg, which are protected by the EU as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). In the 1870s, Theodor Fontane found that the Spreewaldgurke stood at the top of the agricultural products in Brandenburg's Spreewald: The secret of the Spreewald gherkins' special taste remained hidden, even to the satirist Fontane. Certainly, the moist soil, rich in humus, and the climate in the Spreewald also contribute to the good growth in the cucumber fields. The actual reason for the taste, which is considered by connoisseurs to be delicate, is found in their processing. While the process of fermentation in large barrels formerly took several weeks, gherkins today are ready for sale after only one day of processing—whether for mustard gherkins (Senfgurke), gherkins or dill pickles (Gewürzgurke) or pickled cucumbers (Salzgurke). This enormous time saving is achieved by heating to 70 °C (158 °F) with the addition of caustic soda. The composition of the additional ingredients, however, still remains a well-guarded secret of the approximately twenty picklers. These taste-enhancing ingredients, such as basil, lemon balm, grape leaves, cherry leaves or walnut leaves, give Spreewald gherkins their special sour, spicy taste.