Vegetables and Pickles

Germans are big fans of Spargel (asparagus). However, they eat mostly white asparagus, which is similar to the green variety eaten in North America. Spargel is considered to be the "King of Vegetables" in Germany and during the season known as Spargelzeit, which is the main harvest season from May - June, you'll find asparagus on every menu in every restaurant.

Baby pickled gherkins are suitable for a host of meal occasions.

Senfgurken (gherkin pickled with mustard seeds) are peeled gherkins placed in a jar with grains of mustard seeds and other spices. It takes fully developed cucumbers to produce Senfgurken, which are slightly more yellow in color.

Germany is famous for a wide variety of pickled vegetables and relishes which include gherkins, silver skin onions, red pepper, baby corn, grated carrot and celery salad, red beets and a range of mixed pickles. Gherkins and cucumbers pickled in vinegar are very popular in Germany and have a lot of different tastes. For example there are sweet and sour gherkins, gherkins with dill, spices or mustard seeds. They also come in different shapes and sizes. Most German pickles have a sweet-sour flavor because a little sugar is added in the pickling juice.

Unlike Sauerkraut, red cabbage is not fermented but cooked. German pickled red cabbage is high in nutrition and low in calories. It goes well on sandwiches, soups and salads. Sometimes it comes pickled with apples for some extra sweetness. In northern Germany this dish is called Rotkraut or Rotkohl. In southern Germany it is called Blaukraut (blue cabbage) because it has a bluish color when cooked without the addition of wine or vinegar.

Although Sauerkraut is thought to be a very German dish, it actually comes from China where it was first made in 215 BC. Today, Sauerkraut is eaten all over the world. Sauerkraut is made with finely shredded white cabbage which is mixed in large vats with layers of salt. It is very healthy since it contains vitamin C, lactic acid, calcium, iron and other minerals.

Gewürzgurken (spiced gherkins) are premature, small cucumbers that are doused in a boiling herbed vinegar brine which pasteurizes the fresh vegetables. Most of the time, the brew includes dill, grains of mustard seeds, pepper, onions, either sugar or salt, or sugar and salt and the mixture varies strongly among manufacturers. In the South and West of Germany the Gewürzgurke is also called Saure Gurke ("sour cucumber"). In the East and North it is known as Salzgurke ("salt cucumber"). Lower Bavaria is the largest producing area for Gewürzgurken.