Regional cuisine

German food remains relatively undiscovered in Britain, partly because it's seen as ingredient-led, with fantastic produce such as bread, cheese, ham or pickles used as part of a meal, but rarely to make a stand-alone dish.

Up until the revolution in the mid 19th Century, Germany was a divided country, split into a number of different states. This has led to a dramatic variety in cooking styles from region to region.

The north is generally considered to have a healthier lifestyle, with emphasis on fish from both the Baltic and North Sea. This includes both fresh herrings, cooked whole and served with bacon dip and potatoes, as well as pickled roll mop herrings. Other northern specialties include Hamburg labskaus ('sailor's hash'), made with potatoes, corned beef and gherkins, and Leipziger allerlei (a vegetable stew with crayfish) served with cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat.

The diet in the south tends to be higher in carbohydrates - potatoes, dumplings, spätzle (a thick German noodle), meat and creamy sauces feature heavily, along with the country's favourite meat: pork. You're likely to try succulent roast pork with crackling, roast knuckle of veal, pfälzer saumagen (stuffed pig's stomach) or saddle of venison.

Street food

Visiting Germany you will soon stumble upon a street vendor frying a sausage or baking fresh pretzels. Germany has a rich culture of street food, and it's not unusual to see smartly dressed business men perched outside Bavarian-style wooden cabins, tucking into large frankfurters in bread rolls; the air filled with the roasting of sausages or the sweet smells of liquorice, aniseed or the frying of doughnuts.

Street food is also regional: in some areas you'll be served sauerkraut with your sausages, otherwise they come with sweet grainy mustard or onions.