BröT wein

Sitting at the American Diner in New Delhi’s India Habitat Centre last Sunday, munching my way through a hotdog as my son wolfed down an enormous hamburger, I was mulling over the usual top-of-the-mind topic this week: the World Cup in Germany. Then it struck me. Both the items we were eating in a supposedly Yankee outpost were actually German.

One was a sausage from Frankfurt, and the other a meat patty from Hamburg, both, incidentally, cities which will host key football matches. The meats were just stuck in a bun for convenience by the Americans and passed off as their own. The world thinks of them as Americana. Even the American mom’s sturdy standby, the meatloaf has Germanic origins. Not to mention crunchy pretzel twists, now an American must-have munchie.

Yet we tend to utterly disregard Germany’s culinary legacy in favour of countries like Italy, France and Spain. Time was ripe, I decided, to delve into Germany’s foodfile. Then I remembered two things.

First, the incredible sight of hefty German bakers speaking fluent Tamil as they put locals through their paces in the boulangerie in Auroville. That delicious smell of fresh bread still wafts in my nostrils. And the second was the very vociferous espousal of Riesling wines by a senior Delhi-based German diplomat over any Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc you may care to cite.

That told me reams about two very proud traditions in a country that is usually known for its Bratwurst and Beer: baking and wine. enough has been written about German sausages — Indians may have heard, for instance about dresden Stöllen, the Christmas cake that has become famous the world over.

Less well known — and perhaps less tasty for the Indian palate — is Germany’s signature rye breads like pumpernickel and Roggenbrot. The base of the bread is a kind of sour dough that’s made by fermenting rye flour in water. It’s very low in gluten and quite dense and filling so all you need is a topping (cheese or ham) and it’s a meal!

And when it comes to Reislings, well German wines have been making wines since Roman times but their whites are obviously more favoured than the reds thank to the generally cooler climes. The most famous wine growing regions are along the Rhine and the Mosel.

The favoured grape is Riesling but there are plenty like Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir), Müller-Thurgau and Elbling. The latter is also used for the sparkling wine called Sekt. A driving holiday in the region — all the wine regions and vineyards are conveniently signposted — reveals a schön Germany beyond beer!

And don’t think that’s the end of German food. No, no, I shall not launch into a peroration on sauerkraut: enough has been written about that particular cabbage concoction. Nor will I mention doner kebab, now being cited as “German” as a nod to the new multicultural entity.

Honestly, there is more. Black Forest cake, for instance! It’s called Schwarzwälderkirschtorte in German and is said to have been invented in the 16th century in the eponymous picturesque Baden-Württemberg region. This area is known for its sour cherries (Kirsch) and Kirschwasser which is a distilled cherry brandy made with Morellos, so this delicious chocolate and cherry dessert was inevitable!

And then there’s spätzle, the German version of noodles made in the southern areas. Dough (egg, flour, water) is grated into boiling water and sieved out as it cooks fast. Knöpfle are rajma-shaped, while Spätzle are more elongated. Spätzle is an accompaniment to sausages (naturally, in Germany!) or baked with fried onions and grated cheese as Kässpätzle. Tradition, however, demands that it be had with butter, bread crumbs and grated cheese. Perfect for Indians...

Asparagus, especially white asparagus, believe it or not, is another German favourite, especially in Baden. It feautres both as a side dish as well as a main meal, and in season, some restaurants even devise a whole menu around the slender shoot. Fresh asparagus is usually eaten before St John's Day (June 24), so if you’re in Germany for the World Cup, this is the perfect time to enjoy this veggie. Gimme asparagus anyday to cabbages and turnips, the other favourite German vegetables next to potatoes.

Still, I think this football fever has induced some startling insights for me. Next time I go to an American diner, I shall do an international culinary roll call. There may be more revelations!