German appetizers, or vorspeise, are served before soup and the main course. Classic starters include cheese, meat, vegetables, potatoes, and fish. German potato salad, herring with beets, rollmops, bierkase, aufschnitt platte, and kartoffelknodel are popular appetizers. Regional variations exist.
German appetizers, or vorspeise as they are known in Germany, are typically served before a plate of soup and the main course. It is not uncommon for German appetizers to be served as side dishes in restaurants or as pre-dinner snacks in German households. The range of German starters is large, but a classic German starter will often include ingredients such as cheese, meat, vegetables, potatoes and fish. The different types of appetizers can be classified according to which of these ingredients is the main one, such as meat, potatoes or fish. While some of the more traditional starters are served in restaurants throughout Germany, there can be regional variations in terms of the preparation of the dishes.
German potato salad, or kartoffelsalat, originated in the southern regions of Germany, where the dish is served hot. This appetizer is quite tart to taste, because the salad is served with vinegar and finely chopped onions, bacon or pork. In the northern regions of Germany, however, potato salad is served with mayonnaise instead of vinegar.
One of the most common appetizers in German restaurants is herring with beets. Usually, this fish and vegetable combination is served with carrots, mayonnaise, onions, black pepper and dill. There are also regional variations of how this dish is served, and some restaurants will serve herring and beets with rye bread.
A specialty in Berlin, rollmops are a popular appetizer in many German restaurants. Pickled herring slices are layered with onion and gherkins, then rolled to form cylindrical parcels. Usually served cold, rollmops can be served with or without bread.
Bierkase is a German white cheese and a specialty in the southern regions of Germany. This particular cheese is often referred to as beer cheese because it is typically eaten with beer. Generally, bierkase is served with sliced onion on small slices of rye bread as a finger food. Bierkase is renowned for its pungent aroma and intense flavour.
Aufschnitt platte is an appetizer platter that consists of a range of meats. Various types of sausages, hams, and other cooked meats are included in the dish, but are often served cold. Rye bread, butter, pickles, onions, and tomatoes are often served as accompaniments to German appetizers that feature cold cuts.
Kartoffelknodel is a form of potato dumpling that could be served as an appetizer or side dish. In Bavaria, kartoffelknodel is made using raw and cooked potatoes. As a starter, potato dumplings are usually served without accompaniments.
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