Germany world cuisine

Sales of German food and drink are booming, so it makes sense to capitalise on this by holding a special German themed event. Germany offers a vast range of food and drink products including 1,500 different sausages alone! Like Britain, Germany has its regional specialities and parts of the country are famous for producing certain foods. Authentic German products can be purchased from cash and carry depots, delivered wholesalers or direct from importers.

Sausages and sliced meats

The German buffet is a convenient and easy way of presenting German food. Slicing sausages are ideal for buffets and platters. Scalded varieties include Extrawurst (meat sausage), Bierwurst (beer sausage); Schinkenwurst (ham sausage) and garlic sausage. One of the most popular types of sausages are Cervelat and Salami. Another German speciality is Leberkase, (meat loaf) which can be served hot or cold. The Frankfurter has become a big favourite, as well as other small sausages such as Bratwurst and Bockwurst.

Fiorucci offers a range of cured and cooked hams under the Abrahams brand; sausage fingers, burgers and mini hot dogs by Stockmeyer and frozen meat products such as schnitzel, cutlets and ribs by Westfleisch.

Saarlander produces frankfurters; mini salami snacks, bockwurst sausages in an ambient vacupack, as well as sauces and toppings.

Chicken Products

German manufacturer Hanna offers a selection of chicken products which can be served at buffets or for main meals such as Chicken Breast Crunch, a juicy, seasoned breast coated in breadcrumbs and crispy cornflakes and Chicken Kebabs, pieces of lightly marinated chicken breast on a skewer.

Breads

Traditional breads are mainly made from rye flour like Vollkornebrot (full grain rye bread); Landbrot (farm bread), Schwarzbrot, and Pumpernickel.

Edna Frozen Foods produces a wide range of traditional breads including organic bread rolls and "FF Mini Pumpkin" ready baked roll, as well as tray cakes and Original German Applestrudel, ready to bake.

Snacks

Serve German-style snacks such as German Ploughman's, created by Crosse & Blackwell Branston Pickle. The taste of Branston Pickle complements pumpernickel bread, sweet Bavarian smoked cheese and pickled sauerkraut. The "Ploughman's Around the World" series also contains recipes for Ploughman's lunches inspired by cuisine from countries such as America, India, Italy and France. Branston Pickle is available in cases of 48 portion pots or 2.55kg plastic jars.

Organic produce

Germany accounts for a third of all organic meat and dairy products sales within Europe, while in Germany organic vegetables represent 18 per cent of overall vegetable sales.

Organic companies include GranoVita, offering breakfast cereals, vegetables and dairy free mayonnaise; Mestemacher organic bread by Andutra; Taifun organic tofu, Bio Verde tortellini and Oma D'Beers organic cheese by Windmill Organics.

Desserts

Traditional German desserts include Black Forest gateau, fruit strudel and Stollen, the German Christmas cake, available from companies such as Brake Bros and Sara Lee International.

Drinks

German fruit juices are very popular such as Bertrams Omega, from Dan International. This is a fruit juice blend containing added Omega-3 Fatty Acids, C, E vitamins and is made with apple, orange, grape and cherry fruit juice.

German beer is popular in Britain and if you're planning to replicate Munich's famous Oktoberfest beer festival, you'll need to get stocked up. There are around 1,300 breweries in Germany with around 4,000 different brands in Germany alone. Brews are broadly divided into two categories - bottom fermented or top fermented, which means the yeast works at the top or works from the bottom before removal, reuse or storage.

Most Germany beers are bottom fermented. These include Pilsner, a light coloured beer with a strong hoppy taste and aroma; Hell or Helles, meaning pale or light with a touch of malt sweetness; Export, which varies in malt character and Festbier, traditionally associated with Munich's Oktoberfest.

Familiar brands include Holsten Export; Lowenbrau; Beck's Pils from Scottish Courage Brands. Weissbier or wheat beer is brewed from malted wheat and malted barley in two varieties - Hefe (cloudy) for which the yeast is retained, such as Franziskaner from South West Drinks and Kirstall (clear) when the yeast is removed.

The German Wine Information Service will provide full information about classic German wines.

For more information about all aspects of German food and drink, please contact the Central Organisation of Germany Agricultural Industries (CMA).