Germany

Germany is a country that has been central to Europe since its foundation some hundred and thirty years ago. And central to this country's experience has been food, yet this remains one of the world's great unsung cuisines, generally condemned as stodgy or boring, but there is much more to Germany than sausages and sauerkraut. There is a large variety of rich culinary traditions which have developed in the different regions of Germany. A North/South divide is apparent when it comes to German food and culture. The North is influenced by Scandinavia and its closeness to the sea, while those in the South prefer lighter food, influenced by nearby Italy and Austria. Germany is a fertile land ideal for raising livestock, so pork, lamb, beef and dairy products are central to the German diet. In the days before modern refrigeration, Germans prolonged the shelf life of their meat by smoking, marinating and salting. And this led to the nation's predilection for sausages and preserved foods. In Planet Food: Germany, Merrilees Parker visits the world famous Oktoberfest where she discovers the best of German beers, as well as the Weisswurst - Bavaria's very own sausage! Nursing a hangover, she heads off to uncover the history of the pretzel and tries her hand at making the delicious Black Forest Gateau from one of the best bakers in the country. She discovers the two sides of the capital Berlin, sampling its new and sophisticated cuisine as well as its nostalgic produce that originated from the former GDR.