Culinaria Germany invites the reader to venture a look into the cooking pots from Frankfurt to Berlin and from Hamburg to Munich. Whether freshly caught Matjes from the North, or original Swabian Maultaschen, this book’s authentic recipes, covering the full range of regional and national specialties, and its wealth of background information, can stir the heart of even the most culinary-spoiled reader. Take a look at just how hearty, sophisticated, or sweet German cuisine can be.
A wonderful read. Not just a cookbook, but an account (by region) of all aspects of food in Germany: recipes, history, dining, culture, agriculture, food production, hunting/fishing and even the politics of food. Also useful as a travel guide for foodies. The recipes do presuppose a certain amount of cooking knowledge on the part of the reader. On a second reading, I would emphasize this last observation - in most cases, the recipes are largely a list of ingredients followed by a paragraph or two on cooking procedures, so I should probably change my statement to "mostly not a cookbook." Still great, just buyer beware if you're primarily looking for an introduction to German cooking. 4 stars.
This is my favorite set of cookbooks. These are like travel guides. Each region is carefully explained, and the food that region is known for is detailed. The pictures are exquisite. The books are so heavy that I have to get them down off the shelf for my mom and put her at the dining room table (as she's too little to hold these in her lap)! In rating this, I realized I have not made any of the recipes in the Germany book, so I will have to give one a try soon. In general, I have much better places for recipes. These are places for ideas. For looking at food and being consumed with the culture behind it.
This book is to die for. Not just the food or the fabulous mouth-watering photogaphy, it is a travelogue by food of Germany. Even if you aren't a cook (I'm not) you will be totally absorbed by this amazing book.
This book is impressive in its scope. It covers all regions of Germany and their highlighted foods. But not all of the foods they talk about have recipes in here. The font is extremely small, so it was difficult to read. The recipes are so region-specific that there are many ingredients I would not have access to in the US, so it’s not really meant to be a cookbook. It’s more like a history book than a cookbook, I would say. Kind of disappointment that it’s not more useable and its density.
The Culinaria series is well worth having, from both a recipe point of view and from the cultural perspective. The book takes you through distinctive regional styles and popular local dishes. Good eats. Check it out.
This book is REALLY great for learning about the regional variations of food in Germany. The stories about the foods, their origins, and how they are served are really well done, along with the photos. I consider this a cultural tour of Germany's food. However, the recipes aren't very detailed and don't work very well (and I live in Germany, so it's not a problem of getting the ingredients). For this reason, I use this as a reference only, and refer to other cookbooks for recipes.
Arrived... it's a big hardback coffee table style book
Beautiful photography, colorful insights, and mouth-watering recipes of one of my favorite cuisines. Something wonderful on every page. I will refer to this book frequently. I hope to find a good German Deli close by. My favorite Old Country deli in Palo Alto closed a few years back. =(.
Great cookbook! Each region of Germany has its own chapter including history, culture, and recipes that are central to that area. Great photographs too. I love it when a cookbook is more than just a dry compilation of recipes!