German Regional Cookery is, as the succeeding entry makes clear, the essence of the national kitchen. Germany unified late and its food remains intensely regional: there is no national food. Certain elements, however, create the Teutonic nuance: rye bread, sour and skimmed milk cheeses, sausages and ham from the ubiquitous pig. Certain prejudices are as good as myths: you will see more sauerkraut in France.
Germans observe the seasons. They consume asparagus from 1 May to 24 June; strawberries in May, followed by ceps and chanterelles. In the autumn come game and geese. They are not generally eaten before or after.
