Typical Foods Eaten in Germany - New ? Post #7

[Venus193]

Mashed potatoes are a highly variable item.  If you order them in a kosher establishment they will contain no dairy.  Most other places they will be prepared with some butter and milk or cream; some places prepare them with sour cream.

Most of the time they will be well blended and should not be lumpy.  I don't personally like them too creamy, but some people like them almost as loose as grits.

[WestAussieGirl]

I don't add spices, just butter, milk, and salt.  Consistency was creamy - no lumps - more whipped than mashed. They were certainly nothing like the way I make porridge. 

[mechtilde]

I think the german friend is missing the vinegar/potatoe combo

What is that?

My DH puts vinegar and black pepper in his potato soup. He picked that up from his father, who came from Silesia in what is now Poland. His mother was from the Pfaltz, near the French border, and always had hers with fried onions.

[Sophia]

I think the german friend is missing the vinegar/potatoe combo

What is that?

Vinegar seems to be in many German potato dishes. 

[Amava]

My new German friend has been with us for a couple of weeks now and it going really well. She, in the most part, seems happy with the food.  I have learned that she likes things much saltier than we do but that's been pretty easy to accommodate.

My one question is around potatoes.  Is there a typical way to prepare them?  I made mashed potato which was something she had never had before and didn't enjoy.  I asked her how they were normally cooked in Germany but between her inexperience in cooking and the language challenges, I couldn't figure it out.  I have tried baked and roasted without success.  Both my kids like potatoes in all forms so I would rather not throw them out altogether for the 6 months.

BTW she has said she does like potato!

Actually... if you want, ask her to write down in German how she likes her potatoes. I'll translate for you.

[Sharnita]

It sounds like maybe she doesn't cook herself?

[Amava]

It sounds like maybe she doesn't cook herself?

Indeed but I was sort of hoping that perhaps if she described the sort of "potato" she liked, what they look like, taste like, etc, that I could figure it out.

Another idea would be to have her google for pics of the way she likes her potatoes.

[camlan]

Or have her ask her mother or whoever cooks in her family for the names of the potato dishes she likes. It should be possible to find the recipes in English somewhere on the web.

[marcel]

As a Dutch person, I am very much used to just boiled potatoes,  I believe this is quite common in Germany as well.

I learned from my American ex that plain boiled potaoes are much less common, and that these are usually mashed in the US.

I don't add spices, just butter, milk, and salt.  Consistency was creamy - no lumps - more whipped than mashed. They were certainly nothing like the way I make porridge. 

This could be the issue why she didn't recognize it. If here mother makes mashed potatoes thick and lumpy, this may be all the mashed potatoes she has ever seen, and she may therefore not recognize them.

[WestAussieGirl]

My new German friend has been with us for a couple of weeks now and it going really well. She, in the most part, seems happy with the food.  I have learned that she likes things much saltier than we do but that's been pretty easy to accommodate.

My one question is around potatoes.  Is there a typical way to prepare them?  I made mashed potato which was something she had never had before and didn't enjoy.  I asked her how they were normally cooked in Germany but between her inexperience in cooking and the language challenges, I couldn't figure it out.  I have tried baked and roasted without success.  Both my kids like potatoes in all forms so I would rather not throw them out altogether for the 6 months.

BTW she has said she does like potato!

Actually... if you want, ask her to write down in German how she likes her potatoes. I'll translate for you.

Thank you, that is very kind of you.  I will ask her to do that.  I don't think she has cooked a lot herself but she is certainly old enough to know exactly what goes into a dish and I am sure she must help her mother.

We are doing very well in communicating but food and kitchen terminology seems our biggest challenge in terms of language. 

[Hmmmmm]

I used to do a lot of German cooking. 

Hot German Potato salad is really popular in my family.  Much preferred over American mustard or mayo style potato salad. 

My GM used to make plain boiled potatos.  Use waxy style potatoes.  Cut in half if really large.  Place in a pot and boil with skins on till tender.  Drain and put back in the pot to dry off.  Cool a little bit and remove the skins.  Add salt, pepper, and melted butter if you like.  (This is not a favorite of mine, just too plain for me)  Occasionally she'd smash them up a litte to make putting a gravy over easier for the diner.

Potatoe cakes are very good.

My kids like the pan fried potatos cooked in oil with onions are nice and probably familiar to her.  Look on Food.com and there are several references.  I always start them with already cooked potatos that I've baked in the oven or microwave and then peel, slice and pan fry. 

[Sophia]

She'll recognize HashBrowns.

Another idea.  Do you have a German Restaurant nearby?  I live in an area which had heavy German immigration, so I have several nearby.  Might help with translating what she is used to into something you can understand.  Another idea would be a German cookbook with lots of pictures.

Translating food is tricky.  I used to work for a German company and spent some time in a non-tourist area, therefore menus were in German.  Even after my menu-translating got very good, I still only had a 95% chance of knowing what I just ordered. 

[Airelenaren]

Mashed potatoes with only milk and salt are quite common and popular in my area of Germany, but I find it possible that other regions don't agree with our preferances. It's also possible that she only knows instant mashed potatoes, which taste completely different but are somewhat popular.

[WestAussieGirl]

She'll recognize HashBrowns.

Another idea.  Do you have a German Restaurant nearby?  I live in an area which had heavy German immigration, so I have several nearby.  Might help with translating what she is used to into something you can understand.  Another idea would be a German cookbook with lots of pictures.

I was going to say no but I did a quick google and there are a few that, while not exactly close by, might be nice for a Sunday lunch.  Something new to try.  Yay!