Traditional German Christmas Food

1. Christstollen or Weihnachtsstollen  – A dry cake shaped like a loaf of bread filled with marzipan and raisins and covered with powder sugar. You can find this bread in any supermarket in Germany during the Christmas season.

2. Lebkuchen (Gingerbread) – Served in all different shapes, sizes and toppings.

3. Weihnachtsgebaeck (Christmas Cookies) – Christmas cookies are made in many different variations and flavors throughout Germany. You are sure to find some that suite your taste buds. Here are two of the more popular types:

- Zimtsterne: These are star-shaped cinnamon cookies and they are THE traditional german Christmas cookies.

- Spekulatius: Traditional spicy Christmas cookie.

4. Weihnachtsgans  (Christmas goose) – This dish traditionally consists of a stuffed goose (prepared just like a Thanksgiving Turkey,) potato dumplings, red cabbage and a wine flavored sauce. There is no special technique in preparing this dish but the sauce consists of wine, the juices produced while cooking the goose and a gravy. You can find this at many German restaurants during the Christmas season and many German families make it as well.

5. Gluehwein – Hot red wine seasoned with cloves, cinnamon sticks, peel of a lemon or orange and sugar. This is a very popular drink in Germany during the Holidays, served at all of the Christmas markets in all parts of Germany.

6. Weinachtspunsch (Christmas punch) – Hot black tea spiced with cloves, lemon juice, orange juice, sugar and red wine.

7. Fondue – Can be prepared in different ways:

- Cheese Fondue:  use forks to dip bits of food (i.e. bread) into the warm and thick liquid sauce (usually a cheese mix).

- Meat Fondue: spike raw meats (i.e. chicken, beef, pork) on a long fork and fry it into hot oil until done. Usually eaten with other dips (i.e. Garlic Sauce, Ketchup etc.)

8. Raclette – Frying slices of cheese and lunch meat on tiny pans, which sit on a small, round stove that sits in the center of the table. There are typically 6 or more of these small “pans.” Each person has their own pan. Food is cooked and eaten by each individual.

9. Rehruecken  (roast saddle of venison) – Deer meat, usually served with slices of pears, spaetzle and Brussels.

10. Kartoffelsalat mit Wurst  (Potato salad with sausage) – A classic and fast recipe for Christmas. There are many different ways to fix the potato salad. Sausage can be any kind, but usually smoked.