Product Description
A complete cookbook, from the most elegant to the most basic, with every recipe tested for the American kitchen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

The German Cookbook
I love this book!!! This book offers detailed information about the German culture, tools, etc. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in German cooking. I use this book not only for myself but also for my students.

German Cookbook
This cookbook is full of authentic old fashioned German recipes. I gave it to a german lady aged 91 and she is thrilled with it and is using it at least 3 times per week.

A 50 50 Chance
This cook book had some really great things to make in. The recipes are very traditional and written well for Americans. However some recipes were just terrible. They lacked a lot of flavor and needed some supplemental seasonings. If you are an experienced cook and know your way around the kitchen. This might be a great book to get some started ideas from. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend it.

Great!
Have only made one meal out of this book and plan on one tonight. But the recipe for Schnitzel was great! I thought this was a great purchase and would highly recommend it!

German cooking
I borrowed this book from a neighbor, fell in love with it then bought it. Just like my gradma's cooking, and she came from Bavaria... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great Book. Real German food!
As a German myself and having the memories of the great food made by my Oma, I am always searching for German cookbooks that have the food that I enjoyed as a child and into adulthood. As many of you know since you are looking for e true German cookbook, they are few and far in between or impossible to find.

This one has some of the exact recipes that my Oma used to make as her normal and daily meals. Being form the North in Germany, I have found this to be one of the few and most accurate books out in the market today. And for all those who believe we just eat Brats and Beer, you will be pleasantly surprised.

If you are looking for a good German Recipe for their pancakes, I will gladly email that to those who want it, that is one that is hard to find still. An they do put the French Crepe' to shame....

Great for Cooks!
I teach German baking and cooking classes to Americans living in Germany and I just love this book.Wonderful resource and it contains a wide variety of traditional German foods.Definitely recommend!

Some of Oma's old recipes, and some new ones
Like many immigrant descended 1st or 2nd generation Americans, I grew up eating dishes that existed in a kind of "ethnic food time warp"--the ethnic foods and recipes that my grandparents knew and brought with them when they left their countries of origin. So it was the German recipes of the mid-1920s that my Oma passed on to my mother, and my mother to us.

Thus, I can verify that some of the recipes in this cookbook are classic, old German recipes. Whether or not the other recipes are "modern" German cooking, I'm not sure. Also, as with all ethnic cooking, many recipes passed down in families have regional variations. This cookbook lists many variations on common dishes, and I've often been able to find my grandmother's version of a dish in one of the variations listed for a particular recipe.

Virtually all of the recipes for roasted, stuffed poultries (duck, chicken, goose) are the same as my grandmother made them, or have variations listed that are the same. The pork, beef (Rouladen!), and organ recipes (tongue!) are also mainly as my grandmother made them. Even the recipes I hated as a child--or still hate!-- such as Eintopf (all the vegetables you hate in one watery soup!), are here in all their authentically horrible glory.

Some of the recipes in this book call for prepared packets such as the Dr. Oetker prepared mixes or packets. My grandmother used some of Dr. Oetker's prepared mixes (such as the Rote Gruetze, Vanilla Sugar, Sahnesteif). However, the overwhelming majority of the recipes -- I'd say 98-99% -- in here call for nothing but good quality meat and produce.

Most or all of the traditional meat recipes and sauces (gravies made from various broths or roast drippings) have some or all ingredients in common with our German family recipes. Same with dumplings, pancakes, noodles (Spaetzle!), and many of the different ways of preparing potatoes and other vegetables (such as cabbage, red cabbage, cucumbers, or leeks).

If you're REALLY into authentic cuisine, you might want to check old copies of the magazine "Meine Familie und Ich" for German recipes. My grandmother subscribed to that magazine for various years in the late 60s and 70s (and to Amerika Woche, of course). Not sure where you'd get them if they aren't already in your family, but libraries might have them. (Of course, the magazine and its recipes are in German, so it helps if you know a little German...)

A couple things to note: this cookbook is in British English, not American English. There are translation tables for some US versions of British terms on the insides of the front and back covers. There are also metric to imperial standard conversion tables as well (unless you are lucky enough to have cups with metric AND imperial measures, which I have and inherited from my German grandmother!).

Another great thing about this cookbook are the many tips and tricks listed about cooking, mixing, whipping, browning, larding, and food/produce quality-- for example, how to tell if eggs are fresh, a few days old, or a few *weeks* old. The method described on page 260 (floating the eggs in a bowl of water and seeing how they float -- or don't) is exactly how my grandmother taught my mother, and how my mother taught us.

You'll also find valuable tidbits on making sauces, reductions, gravies, drippings, jus, or even how to make your own mayonnaise. If you didn't grow up learning these from your own mother, the methods listed may seem like too much work. But if you love good food, the time and effort involved can make the difference between a good-tasting dish and a GREAT-tasting dish. Schmeckt!

well worth the money
If you're a believer in the saying that "you get what you pay for," and love German food, this cookbook may be the answer for you.Included areexellent photographs of different cuts of meats, vegetables, and preparation techniques.Also included is storage information, metric/american standards of measurements, and easy-to-understand methods for preparing the dishes.The photographs alone make this cookbook stand head and shoulders above others.Did I mention the recipes are restaurant quality?Being an American of German descent, and having eaten out at many German restaurants, I can now gladly say thanks to this cookbook, I will be spending more time preparing these delicious meals at home.Thank you, Dr. Oetker!

Very Good!
Another German here...
If you are intrested in german food, get this book. As already mentioned we do eat more than Bratwurst, so give it a try. The recipes are delicious (personal favorite is the cauliflower sauce).
Most recipes are easy to follow, but there are more complicated ones in there as well. I am sure that anyone will find the right dish in this book.
Take half a star off, because it is very expensive. I mean, its not like its imported from Germany. ... Read more

Product Description
A combination of traditional recipes with lighter, contemporary German dishes--from soups and salads to entrees and desserts--this cookbook is filled with more than two hundred easy-to-follow German recipes adapted for the American kitchen. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Wonderful cookbook
We lived in Germany and loved to travel and try foods from all over Europe.My husband loves to cook so I bought this cookbook for him. We have all loved every recipe he has made from this book.Every one has turned out and has tasted as authentic as possible when you can't get every ingredient from Germany (it's hard to find quark in the States).

Delicious German Recipes
I highly recommend this book because of the excellent recipe choices.This book is very well done and the ingredients are easily found. I am just as impressed with this book as I was with "The New German Cookbook" by Jean Anderson.You will not regret purchasing this book.

German Cookbook
I purchased this book so that I could learn about my hertiage in cooking.I am culinary student and wanted to know more about German cooking.This book is wonderful. Thanks

Gemixte pickles
The recipes are not bad, but using German "translations" of English food names, obviously with no assistance from Germans, has simply hilarious results. Someone didn't know that the word PATE, as in LIVER PATE, is not the same as PATE, meaning skull. And that is just one example of a lack of attention to detail.......I'll keep the book in my collection, but cataloged in the Humor section.

Authentic recipes from Germany
I absolutely loved this book, as does my mother who is originally from Silesia, Germany (now Poland).The recipes use authentic ingredients, are easy to follow, and are indicative of the foods from all regions of Germany, not just East, West, South, North like so many other cookbooks.My father was stationed throughout Germany, so we are familiar with the different flavors of Germany and appreciated the author's broad reach so that we could sample our many favorites, and we found new ones, to.My mother is very critical (no surprise!) about German cookbooks and asked me to order this one for her birthday since she's enjoyed the recipes we've prepared. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Emmmm, Emmmm Good, the Recipes in this Book are
I stumbled across this book at a Salvation Army store in Portland and knew right away that I'd come upon a rare find. I sat right down on the cold and dusty floor and started right in reading "A Few Words About Bavaria," the two page intro to Bavaria, then I opened the full color fold out and got an immediate sense of place, then read, "A Few Words about the Bavarians," moved onto how they use spices and herbs, then went to the recipes. I knew I was going to be cooking something up from this book this night.

Our meal started with the Asparagus Salad, prepared exactly ad the book says on page 90. Then onto the Creamed Asparagus Soup (we really like asparagus in our house) on page 36, which was to die for. The main course was the Old Bavarian recipe for Roast Pork on page 53. The dark beer really set that off. Who would have thought of brushing the pork with that. Emmmm, Emmmm good.

Of course, there are some recipes here I'll never try, like the Fried Calf's Brains, for example, but for the most part, most of the recipes here look like they're finger lickin' good. If you see this book somewhere, snatch it up. You won't be sorry.

Great book with lots of ideas
That book is great if you are open for Bavarian specialties, easy to follow instructions and what a surprise if it turns out perfectly so you can have a feed with traditional food. Highly recommended for the amateur cook who wants to try things.

Good cookbook, but not for general German foods
Having lived three years in Bavaria while in the US Army, I was looking for a cookbook that would hopefully have all of the great recipes we enjoyed at various German Gasthouses (restaurants).Schnitzel, Cordon Bleu, Jager Schnitzel, Zeguener Schnitzel, Gulash Soup, etc.Unfortunately this is not the right cookbook for these recipes.They are not even mentioned.If, however, you want home cooked German foods, then this book works.

The only cook book I own
I am very fond of this book, it is simple to use and has real recipies and interesting information about the recipes and how they originated.

Ach du Lieber!
I bought several copies of this book for relatives while I was over there. But you don't have to go all the way to Bayern! Just to the Amazon! Among this fine book's extra features are: concise but splendid explanations of some key differences between Old Bavarians, Schwabians, and Franconians, and their cooking traditions; and a nice colorful foldout map showing their respective regions; and a Bavarian calendar; and some helpful words about beer, wine, Radlermass, Russenmass, Schorle, Gschwemm, Leberkase, the different kinds of Wurst, and more! Now, if only Amazon had a way of shipping fresh Bavarian beer with this book! ... Read more

Product Description
German Home Cooking is not just an ordinary cookbook. It is a wonderful collection of authentic recipes in old-fashioned German cooking such as: Sauerbraten and Spaetzle, or Bavarian Schweinebraten with Potato-Dumplings, Pancake Soup, Cheese Torte, Butter-Cream Cakes, Ice Coffee, Elderberry Juice Grandmother's Rum Pot, and many more. Most of the recipes include beneficial notes, very important for the success of a perfect meal. In addition, German Home Cooking contains true short stories following some recipes such as gleaning wheat, the elderberry juice on a fresh painted ceiling, the celebration of Mother's birthday and Mother's Day, a German plane crashing in front of our home, and others. This unique cookbook heralds over 240 recipes, ready to try and enjoy.German Home Cooking is not only a treasure for U.S. travelers who have visited Germany, tasted and raved over some of the German food, but also for readers of German origin; this book may truly become a cherished gift to their family members as a Memoir of the Old Country. Inside, one will also find information about the Munich Octoberfest, Mardi Gras, as well as many little known facts of Germany and living through WW II. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Excellent
The author not only tells her story of growing up in Germany but gives great recipes. This is one of my great reference German cookbooks.

Poor concept
Being of German heritage and never being taught any German recipes by my grandmother I was thrilled to see this cookbook listed.But it is woefully lacking in many ways.There are printing errors (missing page numbers in referrals), misspellings and other errors.Many of the recipes are too similar to each other.I made one cake recipe and spent a lot of money on ingredients and it was the most tasteless thing I've ever baked; extremely disappointed.I realize the author states somewhat of a disclaimer telling us she's an amateur but this is still poorly done and her editors really let her down.I cannot recommend it.

Well rounded recipes
I found some of the recipes to be very good and some of her stories rather comical as well!

Excellent
The item came quickly and is in excellent condition, better than I would have expected for a second-hand item. It's as if the book had never been used and still in its wrapper. I will definitely shop again with this company.

Just like Grandma used to make
Definitely these recipes are from the "homeland." These bring me back to days when my Grandmother loving cooked dinner. Delicious and very, very comforting.Highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces the history, land, and food of Germany and includes recipes for such dishes as potato dumplings, noodle salad, and Black Forest torte. ... Read more

Product Description
Pickled Herring and Pumpkin Pie is the reprint of a best-selling nineteenth-century German cookbook that was adapted for Germans living in America. As several German-language editions were published in Milwaukee, the recipes and other information evolved considerably, and the book was eventually translated into English with the title Practical Cookbook.

The result is a fascinating mix of recipes from Old and New Worlds, ranging from traditional German fare (see the Beef Rouladen) to very American dishes (try the version of Strawberry Shortcake) to frontier cuisine-how about some roasted beaver tails? In addition to such culinary delights, Pickled Herring and Pumpkin Pie offers a glimpse into life in a nineteenth-century immigrant household and how immigrants tried to preserve the old ways while adapting to a new environment. Features of the cookbook include advice on how to use such "new" ingredients as corn or equipment like the Dutch oven, and how to shop in America, grow a proper kitchen garden, preserve food, cook medicinal dishes, and entertain properly.

Pickled Herring and Pumpkin Pie offers authentic immigrant recipes in their cultural, social, and historical context. It is a delightful resource for epicures with a historical bent as well as for those who enjoy learning more about the day-to-day life of their ancestors.

Distributed for the Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A nineteenth-century immigrant's way of life
Pickled Herring And Pumpkin Pie is a reprint of a best-selling nineteenth-century German cookbook by Henriette Davidis which was adapted for Germans living in America. From Milk Soup to Colored Sugar to Meat Pie, this outstanding culinary compendium blends recipes from both the Old and New Worlds, and presents a unique glimpse into a nineteenth-century immigrant's way of life. Pickled Herring And Pumpkin Pie is an superbly presented and mouth-watering repository of classic cultural recipes that have survived the test of time. ... Read more

Product Description
Here are notable dishes and specialties that have given German cooking a renowned reputation in worldwide culinary circles.Included in this complete collection are authentic recipes for soups; meat, poultry, game and fish; vegetables; breads, dumplings and spaetzle; cookies, desserts and cakes; luncheon dishes; and salads.This is a book of good, plain, dependable German cooking.It is also a book of sophisticated and elegant German cooking.All foods are easily prepared, robust in flavor, filling and not generally expensive.The pictures accompanying the recipes are presented in beautiful full color.The comprehensive Introduction goes into minute detail on such subjects as kinds of food used in German cooking; cuisines of France vs. Germany; Grman influences on American fare; description of courses; regional cooking; and German food customs. ... Read more

Product Description
This "quick-flip" spiral bound recipe book is the exact sizeof your recipe cards! A great gift or "stocking stuffer" forGerman-American friends and relatives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

No Table of Contents, No Index, Buy Something Else
I should have read previous reviews and publisher's notes to see this WAS NOT A BOOK but rather a stocking stuffer index card set of only a very limited amount of recipes.They aren't organized in any particular order and there is NO TABLE OF CONTENTS or INDEX.You are obliged to flip through the entire card set each time you want to find anything.This wastes time and makes looking for anything a real chore.I have three other German cookbooks and was looking for a another book to supplement some of the recipes I already have.This was a waste of money if you already have good sources for German recipes.If this is your first book, you might think about purchasing another book that would provide you with a better idea of German cuisine.

compact booklet!
this recipe book is compact and easy to use.we haven't tried all of them yet but are working our way through the book!

Great German Recipes
Just about every recipe is from the states. I miss lot's of main course dishes, soupes and desserts.
I feel the price is way to high.
There are many lands in Germany who have different Recipes and I couldn't find any that where from Hessen.

Excellent authentic recipes
The recipes are authentic and represent a concise collection of dishes one can actually prepare with relative ease. I have a few other books about German cooking, some of which with several hundred pages, but I always go back to this one when I'm in the mood to try preparing something new.

The section on German culture is of the same quality as the recipes.Concise, helpful, no fluff.

Good recipes - a few errors
I really enjoy this cookbook and for the price it can't be beat. Some of the dishes (carrots and peas) were too salty for my taste. But I have enjoyed most of the recipes overall. One of the recipes, Bavarian Sweet Rolls, has a misprint in the ingredient amounts - missing liquid of some sort. ... Read more

Product Description
Authentic German Home Style Recipes has over 280 recipes found in German kitchens. Additionally the cookbook has the history of the city of Heidelberg, Germany as well as common German sayings translated into English, many helpful hints and German traditions. All ingredients can be found in U.S. food stores and measurements are in the English system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

This is Authentic?
This cookbook is going straight to Goodwill.Cabbage with Italian seasoning? Yogurt, canned tuna, canned carrots?Here's the basic soup recipe-

meat and/or vegetables
water
bouillion cubes
Cook until tender.

Actually I think half the recipes had boullion cubes. Yuk.

If you want a GOOD introduction to German cooking try GERMAN COOKING by Ruth Malinowski, Patricia Sinclair, and Alinda Nelson.I'm pretty sure it't out of print but I was able to find a used copy.

Simply wonderful!
Finally a cookbook from the region of Germany where I was born.So many of the recipes, especially their German names bring back memories of my mother cooking.I guess you could call it "German comfort food."The information on various holidays brought a smile to my face and wonderful memories of years gone by.My children always enjoyed Oma's cooking and now will be able to cook, just like Oma.Thank you Gini for bringing a small part of Germany to America.

One of my most used/best loved cookbooks
I bought this book just before ETSing from the Army in 1999.After three years in Bavaria, I knew that one of the things I would miss most was the wonderful food.

Mrs. Youngkrantz does a fantastic job translating traditional German dishes for the American cook.She avoids hard-to-find ingredients.Everything in the book can be prepared with items you can buy in any supermarket, yet it all tastes completely authentic.I pull this one out for special occasion baking and for everyday suppers (I particularly love the Sauerbraten, prepared with a side of homemade Spaetzle).Anytime I get homesick for Germany, I know that I can turn to this book for, at least, a taste of what I miss.

The book is well organized and the recipes are set up in an easy to read format. They are usually contained to one page, so there's no flipping back and forth.The occasional anecdotes about German folklife are charming. I enjoy this cookbook so much that I have given copies as gifts.

It's Pretty Good
I like the home publishing and the really good home cooking.I DON'T like the plastic comb binding as they deteriorate and break too fast.I bought mine at a winery in north central Arkansas and paid too much there.But I am a sucker for German home cooking.

Excellent Book if you like German food
I bought an earlier edition of this book when I was stationed in Berlin back in the 80's. It was written by a German Woman who had moved to the US and could not easily find the ingredients her original German cookbooks called for. The goulash soup in this book is the closest I've ever come to the restaurants in Germany. This is not a professional chefs book. It was made for the home cook who wants to make dishes like they've had in Germany. ... Read more

Product Description
Full of hearty and nourishing recipes brimming with variety and flavour, this evocative and inspirational cookbook will delight all those new to the traditional cooking of Germany and Central Europe and introduce surprising new recipes to those who have already enjoyed the richness of this classic cuisine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great traditional German food
If you are looking to cook traditional German food, this is the cookbook for you. Great recipes, great food.

great book
Many of the recipes are very similar to my nana's.This was a great purchase.

Nice Coverage of the Basics
This book is well-illustrated, and provides a point of departure for learning the basic techniques and taste profiles typical of eastern European cooking. Geared toward the novice cook, the book primarily relies on ingredients that can be easily found in local markets and is a great confidence-builder. Having mastered the basic techniques, it is easy to apply them to more complex dishes. ... Read more

Product Description
Spoonfuls of Germany offers an in-depth look at the surprisingly diverse German regional cuisine. Stretching from the shores of the North and Baltic Seas to the Alps, Germany has a large number of distinctive regional dishes that encompass a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and much more. The country's position in the heart of Europe, bordering on nine nations, has also greatly influenced German food and cooking. The regional specialties in this book present the full spectrum of German food. Spoonfuls of Germany goes beyond the saurkraut and knackwurst stereotype to unveil the often-overlooked diversity of German cuisine. The 170 regional recipes range from classic dishes such as spaetzle and sauerbraten, to forgotten delicacies like Westphalian pumpernickel pudding. Numerous profiles, anecdotes, and food lore complete the book. Complete with b/w photos and maps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Real and Wonderful Recipes. Real German Food with alot of Variety.
As a German myself and having the memories of the great food made by my Oma, I am always searching for German cookbooks that have the food that I enjoyed as a child and into adulthood. As many of you know since you are looking for e true German cookbook, they are few and far in between or impossible to find.

This one has some of the exact recipes that my Oma used to make as her normal and daily meals. Being form the North in Germany, I have found this to be one of the few and most accurate books out in the market today. And for all those who believe we just eat Brats and Beer, you will be pleasantly surprised.

If you are looking for a good German Recipe for their pancakes, I will gladly email that to those who want it, that is one that is hard to find still. An they do put the French Crepe' to shame....

Not quite what I expected
There are some good recipes and they are created regionally but I had hoped for typical menu suggestions.

German cookbook
The cookbook has most of the favorite German recipes, but misses many of the best.It is a good start.

Good, basic, authentic recipes.
I own just about every German cookbook I can get my hands on, including a couple of them written in German. Spoonfuls of Germany has become among my favorites.

First of all, the 170 recipes really do reflect the cuisine from all over the country. (In the U.S., most of our knowledge of German food is Bavarian; my theory is that it's because most American servicemen were stationed in the southeast.) The author breaks down her regions into northern lights; eastern roots; western crossroads; and southern peaks. This sometimes is a little confusing (where would you look for recipes from the Rhine?), and it means you have to look in four places if you're in search of, say, salads, but it works out okay.

What makes it all worthwhile is that these recipes are _good_. They're simple enough for you to make for a weeknight dinner, too. Plus, they're decidedly German: her recipe for Rote Grütze (red berry pudding) tasted exactly the way I remembered from my travels. These are all very comfortable on an American table, however; her beet salad with horseradish vinaigrette got rave reviews on my Thanksgiving table. No leftovers whatsoever.

While you'll find recipes for all the traditional heavy German dishes, such as saurbraten or stuffed potato dumplings, you'll also learn that a lot of German food is delicate -- you won't always need a nap after lunch. From shrimp soup with white asparagus to sauteed sole with remoulade, you'll find something delicious to try for dinner.

Great book. Recommended.

Showcases the breadth and diversity of German cooking
There is more to authentic German cuisine than sauerkraut and knackwust! Spoonfuls Of Germany: Culinary Delights Of The German Regions In 170 Recipes, showcases the breadth and diversity of German cooking from the shores of the North and Baltic Seas to the Alps. There are regional recipes for appetizers, main course, side dishes, desserts, sweets, and drinks. Encompassing a wide variety of vegetables, as well as showcasing savory dishes of meat, poultry, seafood, diary products, and more, the regional specialities combine under one cover to present the full spectrum of fine German dining. Of special note is the "Sources for German Mail-Order Food" and a bibliography for further study of authentic German cuisine. From Blueberry Soup with Caramelized Croutons; Bratwurst with Curry Ketchup; Pickled Pumpkin; and Potato Pancakes with Applesauce; to Chicken in Riesling with White Grapes; Pork Roast with Beer Glaze; German Ravioli with Meat or Spinach Filling; and Bavarian Cream with Raspberry Coulis, Spoonfuls Of Germany would make an impressive and welcome addition to any kitchen cookbook collection.
... Read more

Product Description
Contemporary German cooking couples hearty regional traditions with the subtle, light, and more sophisticated tastes of the modern palate. Jean Anderson and Hedy Würz lead readers from the back roads of Bavaria to the vineyards on the Moselle, from a quaint subterranean tavern in Lübeck to the three-star restaurants of Munich, opening kitchen doors and kettle lids to reveal modern Germany's gastronomic triumphs.

With explanations of ingredients, clear instructions, and evocative introductions to the recipes, the cooking of today's Germany is illuminated for American cooks. All the traditional dishes are here, many in their original robust versions and others cleverly lightened by German's new generation of chefs and home cooks. Potato salad, barely glossed with dressing, then greened with fresh chevil; sauerkraut teamed with cod; and pumpernickel reduced to crumbs and folded into an airy Bavarian cream are just a few of the creative new German dishes that nevertheless bow to tradition. A chapter on wine and beer by Lamart Elmore, former executive director of the German Wine Information Bureau, completes the picture of Germany's total gastronomic experience.

Germany today is a land of contradictions, a land where meandering rivers run alongside autobahns, where castles and cuckoo clocks coexist easily with high tech, high fashion, and haute cuisine. German food reflects this rich tapestry, and in The New German Cookbook, Jean Anderson and Hedy Würz import and interpret the traditional and the subtle, flavorful, and sophisticated dishes of modern Germany for American cooks. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

German Food
This is the best German cookbook ever!Easy to read, recipes are very easy to follow - if only the chef came with it, it would be perfect!

I am a fan of this cookbook.
I have borrowed this cookbook from my local library several times and finally decided to break down and buy it.I have traveled to Germany on a couple of different occasions and truly enjoy their culture and cuisine.A couple of favorite recipes in this book are the pancake soup and a recipe for marzipan ice cream that doesn't require an ice cream maker.Fantastic!

Two German Cookbooks Compared. This one is weaker.
`The New German Cookbook' by Jean Anderson and Hedy Wurz and `The German Cookbook' by Mimi Sheraton are both written by leading American culinary writers. Although their publication dates are separated by thirty years, Ms. Sheraton's earlier book has been brought up to date at almost exactly the same time the newer book was published by Ms. Anderson and her co-author.

The raw numbers put Ms. Anderson at about 390 pages of recipes for a list price of $30 and Ms. Sheraton at about 500 pages of recipes for a list price of $35. Ms. Anderson includes an excellent bibliography of both English and German sources, including a reference to Ms. Sheraton's book. Ms. Sheraton has no bibliography, but includes the excellent feature of an English and a German index. Ms. Anderson includes a very nice glossary of German culinary terms. Ms. Sheraton's list of terms is much shorter, at the end of a short chapter on cooking utensils, which looks almost identical to such a section you would find in a good book on French recipes. In fact, it has a lot of similarities to a much more complete section in Julia Child's landmark `Mastering the Art of French Cooking' which appeared just a few years before Ms. Sheraton's book. While my primary objective is to compare the two German books, I will say at this point that neither comes close to matching the quality of Ms. Child's classic.

Ms. Sheraton, with the longer book, is claiming to be a complete guide to mastering authentic German cooking while Ms. Anderson specifically aims her book at `new' German cooking and avoids any claim to being a survey of all German cuisine (Ms. Sheraton does say, here and there, that there are some typical recipes which are simply so starchy and plain that she thinks they will be of no interest to American cooks, so she leaves them out). A quick look at the first few chapters confirms this assessment. In appetizers, Ms. Sheraton has 18 recipes while Ms. Anderson has but 10. In the next chapter on soups, Ms. Sheraton has 38 recipes while Ms. Anderson has but 25. And, Ms. Sheraton follows her soup chapter with a chapter on soup garnishes.

Which of these two books one may wish to buy has a lot to do with what you want from a `German cookbook'. I happen to be from a German and Pennsylvania German background, so I am looking for a wide variety of recipes for classic German and Austrian dishes. For this, I certainly prefer Ms. Sheraton's more complete coverage. I think the most typical buyer may be interested in a few famous German / Austrian recipes such as Sauerbraten, Sauerkraut, Spatzle, Wiener Schnitzel, Sausage dishes, and Strudel (It is entirely coincidental that all of these dishes start with an `S'). A comparison of all these dishes in both books shows that in every case, not only does Ms. Sheraton have more recipes, her recipes are also more complete.

One place where this is most dramatic is in the recipes for strudel. Ms. Anderson gives but one recipe for strudel, calling it a `Bavarian Strudel', and accurately stating that it is less like the classic Austro-Hungarian dish than like a cobbler. And, rather than giving a homemade recipe for the dough, Ms. Anderson's recipe uses frozen filo dough. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, as long as you are not buying her book to get a good classic strudel dough recipe. Ms. Sheraton does give us a full recipe for the classic Austrian strudel dough plus recipes for apple, cheese, cherry, plum, poppy seed, rhubarb, and Tyrolean strudel. Everything but cabbage strudel (however, there is a sauerkraut strudel recipe under sauerkraut recipes)! With sausage dishes, the picture is similar. Ms. Anderson has but three sausage dishes while Ms. Sheraton gives us ten.

Ms. Sheraton's recipes do tend to be just a bit more concise than those in Ms. Anderson's book. This is understandable since Ms. Sheraton says at the outset that her book assumes you know your way around the kitchen and know in practical terms, the difference between blanch and poach, for example. And yet, with very important recipes such as with sauerbraten and spatzle, two dishes which require considerably more than the average amount of technique, Ms. Sheraton's recipes are more descriptive than those from Ms. Anderson.

It is entirely appropriate that Ms. Anderson's co-author is a German travel writer, as one of the things in `The New German Cookbook' which is missing from `The German Cookbook' are sidebar stories describing the origins of most recipes.

The bottom line for all of this for Ms. Anderson's book is that it is very similar to a cookbook of recipes from a popular modern German restaurant. And, restaurant cookbooks are bought primarily to supply the reader with new ways of doing classic dishes and cute stories of how the executive chef came by the recipes. The main difference is that unlike recipes from great French and Italian restaurants, the recipes in Anderson's book are primarily simplified versions of the classics rather than fancy new twists.

Really want good recipes from the authentic, traditional German cuisine, get Ms. Sheraton's book. If you are so devoted to German recipes that Sheraton's book simply does not supply enough variety, get both books. Both books give good sketches of wine and beer production in Germany and there is little redundancy. Ms. Sheraton adds the extra touches of recipes for wine and beer based drinks and punches.

Ms. Sheraton's book is a reasonable addition for German cuisine to the great one volume treatments of ethnic cuisines done by Diane Kochilas on Greece, Diana Kennedy or Rick Bayless on Mexico, Penelope Casas on Spain, Barbara Tropp or Virginia Lee on China, Shizuo Tsuji on Japan, and Jean Anderson on Portugal!

This book is a decent supplement to information on its subject.

I cook from this book all the time
I live in Germany and experience true "German" cooking.In comparing this book to several other German cookbooks I own, this one is by far the best (and easiest).I am truly impressed.

Different from most German Cookbooks
Light, contemporary revisions of many (almost 230 recipes included) German traditional recipes are here.

My favorites include an unbelievably great "BlackForest Trout Soup"; "Rhineland-Style Sauerbraten with Raisin Gravy" "Schnitzel Pot" and the humorous "Rat Tails" or "Green Beans, Pears and Bacon."

For dessert, try the german "quark" which is like ricotta cheese, and can be substituted for easily with products available in most locals.

This is welldone work, but lacks any photos, which would add greatly to the motivation to try more recipes, and also provide serving suggestions.

All in all, though a great one to try, given it modifys the traditional heavy rather bland style that permeates so much of what most know as German cooking.This is light, contemporary and easy to secure ingredients and techniques cookbook. ... Read more

Product Description
From the Crown Classic Cookbook series--which features a collection of the world's best-loved international cookbooks, specially adapted for use in American kitchens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Its a good book
I enjoy this book. It does have some mistakes. The recipes are simple and short. I always read through the recipes before I start cooking. I use my common sense as well to tell me if it is going right. After all cooking is a series of adjustments in my view, turn heat up or down, add more of this, not to much of that. Thats what cooking is to me.I enjoy all the simple lunch recipes.If you know how to cook this book is good. Maybe not for the beginner.

Had no problems using the recipes and this book is thrifty
I've cooked several recipes from the German Cookery cookbook. Yes, some of the writing is not as clear as it should be, but an experienced cook should be able to use the recipes without too many problems.

I've made the Tomato Sauce (Tomatensauce #284) and was wondering about the water to thin the sauce. I finally figured it out but the recipe was not clear.

The Onion Butter (Zweibelbutter #296) is excellent over mashed potatoes.

The Stuffed Peppers (Gefulter Paprika) are excellent and one of the tastiest recipes for Stuffed Peppers I've ever made.

And the Young Vegetables (Junges Gemuse #215) are excellent.

No complaints and the recipes are tasty.

I can find better recipes on the internet
this book is lacking in so many ways. my husband is half german (he grew up in germany) and this book does NOT have half of the things that he loves (which was why i bought it). i STRONGLY do not recommend this book!

Not as bad as others make it out to be.
I am less suspect of this book now that I live in Germany. The recipes are very good and quite authentic; however you MUST read them all the way through BEFORE beginning the cooking process! The translation is faulty in regards to the wording and order in which the cooking of items should be completed.

Substitutions are easily found in America for listed items, but you must have a previous knowledge of what the item actually IS in Germany, and a fairly good common sense knowledge of the kitchen to follow the "out of order" instructions.

If you want truly authentic recipies though, it is a good book.

Ich verstehe nicht.
This cookbook is not fully translated.There are ingredients and measurements that are nearly impossible for Americans to find or understand.Some recipes I tried did not even turn out right or if theydid, it was a shame because they were terrible.This cookbook is good forreference and maybe comparisons with other recipes, but that is all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Cook Book
I ordered this cookbook for someone else because I had one and she really wanted one also.Not only did you have it in stock, but it coast less than the one I had originally purchased.The delivery time was very good too.

Awesome Recipes!
I bought this book at a reduced price from a book store.My absolute favorite recipe in this book is the one for apple pancakes.While there is some food history listed here, the standout for this book is the step-by-step instructions with photographs.This cookbook can be enjoyed by everyone from the novice to the professional. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

When "authentic" matters
I'm sorry to see that this cookbook has gone out of print, because it's a really excellent book... that is, it does an excellent job of fulfilling its promise. I have had this cookbook for upwards of ten years, and when I prepare a German meal, this book rarely stays on the shelf. If you're at all serious about cooking German food, you should own this book.

Unlike a lot of other cookbooks, this isn't just a collection of recipes with a few perky paragraphs introducing each one. It's as much a course in "food history in Germany" as it is a cookbook. You don't just learn how to make dumplings; you get a detailed study of regional versions in a whole chapter on the subject (I lost count after 14 dumpling recipes). The emphasis is on the traditional dishes -- some of which date from the 1700s -- and the author prints the original "mix some this with some that" version as well as a modern detailed recipe. It's wonderful reading, at least assuming that you're a foodie of any merit.

This sometimes means that you get a very long essay on technique. But, gosh-durnit, at the end of reading the essay, you'll know exactly how to make the food come out the right way. Scharfenberg's spaetzle recipe is 2.5 closely written pages of instructions, but you'll feel like he's standing at your elbow, helping you to get the dough to the exact right consistency and to set the water to the right simmer (it shouldn't boil).

After 75 pages about regional foods and food history, the chapters cover soups; salads and appetizers; cheese, eggs, and breakfast cakes; fish; poultry; beef, veal, and pork (50 pages, right there!); game; sauces; dumplings, spaetzle, and other side dishes; pickles, relishes, and preserves; desserts; pastries and other baked goods; drinks.

And, fortunately, it's a *great* cookbook, particularly for those who want to make food the way Grandma did. The first way I check out a German cookbook is to examine its recipe for saurbraten; does it use wine, or just vinegar? What's the ratio of meat to vegetables? For how long do you marinate? This is the saurbraten recipe that sets the standard for us. The marinade has 1.5 cups of red wine and 1/4 cup of vinegar; it also has juniper berries, which make quite a difference; and you soak the roast for 3-5 days in the fridge. It makes even the cheapest cut of meat taste wonderful, and incidentally it goes well with the aforementioned spaetzle.

What this book is *not* is modern. You won't find recipes for light meals, you won't find a lot of vegetables (other than potatoes and cabbage), and you will almost certainly want a good long nap after eating one of these meals. Instead, you'll find recipes that are hard to locate elsewhere, from "handkase mit musik," a cheese appetizer found around Frankfurt, to several stollen recipes, to dandelion salad.

The definitive English-language cookbook of German cuisine.
This book deserves a reprint. The author and his translator have done a superb job of capturing both the haute cuisine and the more humble home cooking of Germany.The book is exceptionally well organized and accessible.Originally published in 1980 by Hallwag in German, it appeared in a limited print run in English in the late 1980's.The accuracy, clarity of style and common-sense approach to preparing German food will be of great help to the home preparer.Marked contrast to the more sophisticated and less well organized tomes on German cooking by the current doyen of English language German cookery, Mimi Sheraton.This is a 5-STAR work.

all my favorites
this book includes some of the dishes that have nearly been lost in time.My mother-in-law uses it all the time.Everything is authentic and wonderful.

Excellent Information and Recipes
I have twice checked out this book from the library, now I'm buying it!This is not just a book of recipes, the author puts every recipe in the context of regional and historical provenence--very important when you aredealing with German anything.There are recipes from all of the morecommonly recognized regions (Bavaria, Prussia, Hesse,etc), as well as thehistorically less well known regions such as Pomerania, Silesia andFriesland.The recipes are doable and good (if you like Central Europeanfood, as I do).Plenty of herring and cabbage, yum!Whole chapters ondumplings and potatoes.This is a great book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Attractive cooking book
Spotted this on a friends' shelf and thought it would make a nice gift for my wife. We've not tried any of the recipes within yet, but the book is very nicely presented and covers most of Central Europe too, which is a boon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Absolutely Wonderful
This is not the ordinary German Cookbook. This book contains recipes that go back before baking in an oven. The Steamed Puddings vary from savory to sweet. The meat puddings are those that my grandmother made as a child. I am a grandmother now, and can appreciate how serving a steamed pudding to my grandchildren can give them a history lesson into our families heritage. ... Read more