If March brings weeks of basketball mania to your household, prepare to feed the frenzy with a selection of quick and easy German fare. Try whole grain canapés with a variety of toppings. Serve German peanut flips (Erdnussflips) and pretzel sticklets (Salzstangen) with bite size pickles and red beets. This is a great flavor combination and healthy to boot, as pickled vegetables are known for flu-fighting properties. Or offer a Sauerkraut Pizza with Black Forest Ham. Sauerkraut combines the health benefits offered by all cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflowers and brussel sprouts as well as cabbage) with the probiotic advantages derived from the fermentation process. Plus, it’s a great way to honor our Irish friends on St. Patrick’s Day!
Savory Snacks
Try Peanut Flips. Introduced by famous cookie maker Bahlsen in 1963, these flips are made from crunchy puffed and roasted corn in a peanut cover. They quickly became a favorite during German soccer games on Saturday. In the 1990, the Bahlsen owners split the company along the salty and sweet product lines. The salty business incorporated under the Lorenz brand, which is along with Funny Frisch and XOX a market leader of salty snacks in Germany today. Serve peanut flips with pretzel sticks, Buy German snacks, kraut and pickles on TheTasteOfGermany.com
Quick and Nutritious Party Sandwiches
Whole Grain Bread, Nordic Crispbread and Zwieback canapes Vollkornbrot rounds make terrific platforms for full-fiber finger foods. Mix bit of cream cheese with horseradish, spread on Vollkornbrot rounds and top with a slice of pickle, red beet or radish. Browse a host of sandwich ideas on our Party Sandwiches page. Add Bavarian Camembert and some sliced pickles and red beets from producers like Hengstenberg or Kühne — they make terrific March Madness snacks.
Nürnberger Sausages in Pretzel Bun
The ultimate Bavarian finger food: Nuernberger sausages, which are slimmer and shorter than Bratwurst, inside a pretzel bun and a sprinkle of sauerkraut and a dollop of mustard. You can get all these ingredients at www.thetasteofgermany.com
German Gummy Variety
Haribo may be best known for their gummy bears, but the Bonn, Germany based confectioner offers 100+ different shapes, flavors and types of chewy snacks. You can find most of them at www.thetasteofgermany.com. Also try Make Your Own German Gummies which lets you customize shapes and flavors by adding juices, soda or wine.
Sauerkraut Pizza
Finally, consider serving our famous sauerkraut tray pizza, which is quick and easy to make and a perennial favorite for parties.
German-US hoopster exchange
The burgeoning transatlantic trade between Germany and the US is not restricted to cars, machines or food, but also includes basketball players. While Dirk Nowitzki is undoubtedly Germany’s most famous hoopster import, other German-born players have made their mark in college basketball and the NBA, like Uwe Blab, Detlef Schremp and Charles Wilp. However, the US has sent far more players to Germany than the reverse. According to USBasket.com, there are currently more than 140 US professional women’s basketball players in Germany, and the German national team counts 6 American-German dual nationality players among its ranks.
