Franconian cuisine is an umbrella term for all dishes that nominally belong to the region of

Franconia Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...

. It is a subtype of

German cuisine The cuisine of Germany consists of many different local or regional cuisines, reflecting the country's federal history. Germany itself is part of the larger cultural region of Central Europe, sharing many culinary traditions with neighbouring c ...

with many similarities to

Bavarian cuisine Bavarian cuisine (; ) is a style of cooking from Bavaria, Germany. More than 285 typical Bavarian products have been recorded in the Bavarian specialities databaseGenussBayern since the 1990s. Recipes and museums can also be found there. With a ...

and

Swabian cuisine Swabian cuisine is native to Swabia, a region in southwestern Germany comprising great parts of Württemberg and the Swabia (Bavaria), Bavarian part of Swabia. Swabian cuisine has a reputation for being rustic, but rich and hearty. Fresh egg pas ...

. It is often included in the Bavarian cuisine, since most parts of Franconia belong to

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

today. There are several Franconian food items that are also famous beyond the borders of Franconia, such as Nürnberger Lebkuchen,

Bratwurst ''Bratwurst'' () is a type of German sausage made from pork or, less commonly, beef or veal. The name is derived from the Old High German , from , finely chopped meat, and , sausage, although in modern German it is often associated with the ver ...

and the

wines Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

of Franconia. Franconia is also famous for its

beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

and harbours the highest density of breweries in the world.

Bratwurst

Most people think of the typical and supraregional known "Nürnberger Bratwürste" when they think of Franconian food. These small

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs, may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

s are made of

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

and originate in the city zone of

Nürnberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the largest city in Franconia, the second-largest city in the German state of Bavaria, and its 544,414 (2023) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest city in Germany. ...

(and only this area is authorized to call the sausages "Nürnberger"). They are commonly served and eaten in threes: either as "Drei im Weggla" which means three sausages served in a roll or as a dish containing six of these sausages and

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...

. But beyond the famous "Nürnberger Bratwurst" Franconia produces a variety of other

bratwurst ''Bratwurst'' () is a type of German sausage made from pork or, less commonly, beef or veal. The name is derived from the Old High German , from , finely chopped meat, and , sausage, although in modern German it is often associated with the ver ...

s, such as the bratwurst produced around

Ansbach Ansbach ( , ; ) is a city in the Germany, German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk, administrative region of Mittelfranken, Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränk ...

where the sausage is additionally flavoured with

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

pepper Pepper(s) may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plants ** Black pepper ** Long pepper ** Kampot pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanacea ...

and

marjoram Marjoram (, ''Origanum majorana'') is a cold-sensitive perennial plant, perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavours. In some Middle Eastern countries, marjoram is synonymous with oregano, and there the names sweet marjoram ...

. Other regions feature this

spice In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

as well e.g. in the region of Western Mainfranken, a thumb-thick and twelve centimeter long Bratwurst is eaten either alone or in pairs. In the area of Hof the small and much leaner "Hofer Bratwurst" is very popular and usually eaten in pairs. The city of

Kulmbach Kulmbach () is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town, once a stronghold of the Principality of Bayreuth, is renowned for its University of Life Sciences, a branch of the University of Bayreuth, the massive Plasse ...

features a similar sausage which, in comparison to the variety from Hof, contains a much higher share of

veal Veal is the meat of Calf (animal), calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any List of cattle breeds, breed; however, most veal comes from young male calves of Dairy cattle, dairy b ...

. Another specialty which is only available in the area of

Coburg Coburg ( , ) is a Town#Germany, town located on the Itz (river), Itz river in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Long part of one of the Thuringian states of the Ernestine duchies, Wettin line, it joined Bavaria by popular vote only ...

is the "Coburger Bratwurst" which is similarly thick and coarse as the "Nürnberger" but is roasted on a

pinecone A conifer cone, or in formal botany, botanical usage a strobilus, : strobili, is a seed-bearing organ on gymnosperm plants, especially in conifers and cycads. They are usually woody and variously conic, cylindrical, ovoid, to globular, and hav ...

fire and therefore acquires additional flavours through the smoke. All of these sausage varieties are commonly grilled on a barbecue or in a pan and eaten with rolls and/or

sauerkraut Sauerkraut (; , ) is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferment the sugar ...

. Sometimes they are also served with

mustard Mustard may refer to: Food and plants * Mustard (condiment), a paste or sauce made from mustard seeds used as a condiment * Mustard plant, one of several plants, having seeds that are used for the condiment ** Mustard seed, small, round seeds of ...

, either hot or medium or with

horseradish Horseradish (''Armoracia rusticana'', syn. ''Cochlearia armoracia'') is a perennial plant of the family Brassicaceae (which also includes Mustard plant, mustard, wasabi, broccoli, cabbage, and radish). It is a root vegetable, cultivated and us ...

. Though the addition of

ketchup Ketchup or catsup is a table condiment with a sweet and sour flavor. "Ketchup" now typically refers to tomato ketchup, although early recipes for different varieties contained mushrooms, oysters, mussels, egg whites, grapes, or walnuts, amon ...

is especially famous with children, it is not traditionally used in Franconian cuisine. A variation to prepare the sausages, though not so common beyond Franconia, is to stew them in

vinegar Vinegar () is an aqueous solution of diluted acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains from 5% to 18% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting ...

stock which contains

water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...

rings, sliced

carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild ...

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

leaves and

juniper berries A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales called a galbulus, which gives it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of ...

. The sausages are simmered in the broth at a low temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes and then served under the name "

Saure Zipfel Saure Zipfel (lit.: sour ends) or ''Blaue Zipfel'' (lit.: blue ends) is a typical dish of the cuisine of Franconia and Upper Palatinate. It consists of Bratwurst cooked in vinegar.Brotzeit Brotzeit (, lit. trans. ''"Bread time"'') is a traditional German savory snack native to Bavarian cuisine. Typical items consumed as part of ''Brotzeit'' include bread, butter, ham, sliced cheese, dried wurst, head cheese, hard-boiled egg, and ...

" in Bavaria) it is common to spread raw sausage meat on peasant bread and add diced onions as a topping with salt, pepper and paprika seed. In rural areas this is called ''Tartarbread'' though it has little in common with the real tartar which is made of raw

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

Other sausage types

A typical Franconian Brotzeit dish is Pressack mit Musik (

Head cheese Head cheese () or brawn is a meat jelly or terrine made of meat. Somewhat similar to a jellied meatloaf, it is made with flesh from the head of a calf or pig (less commonly a sheep or cow), typically set in aspic. It is usually eaten cold, ...

with music). "Mit Musik" means with music and refers to the onions, which are known to be flatulent. Also common are German Sülze, Blutwurst, Bierwurst,

Stadtwurst Stadtwurst (town sausage) is a type of sausage consisting of pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry da ...

, and

Leberkäse (German, literally 'liver-cheese'; sometimes also ''Leberkäs'' or ''Lebaka(a)s'') in Austria and the Swabian, Bavarian and Franconian parts of Germany, 'leverkaas' in Netherlands, the Netherlands and ''Fleischkäse'' ("meat-cheese") in Saarlan ...

Carp

In the region of

Forchheim Forchheim () is a Town#Germany, town in Upper Franconia () in northern Bavaria, and also the seat of the administrative Forchheim (district), district of Forchheim. Forchheim is a former royal city, and is sometimes called the Gateway to the Fr ...

and

Bad Windsheim Bad Windsheim (; East Franconian: ''Winsa'') is a historic town in Bavaria, Germany with a population of more than 12,000. It lies in the district Neustadt an der Aisch-Bad Windsheim, west of Nuremberg. In the Holy Roman Empire, Windsheim held t ...

the

mirror carp The common carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), also known as European carp, Eurasian carp, or simply carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Ark ...

is a native. It is traditionally cut lengthwise and deep-fried or served ''blue'' which means that it is stewed in

stock. The fried

roe Roe, ( ) or hard roe, is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooking, c ...

of the fish is considered a delicacy and known under the name "Ingreisch" which means ''innards''. As this is a very famous dish one should preorder it in most restaurants. To eat these specialities the best restaurants are those with own pools where the carp is kept and the best time is early autumn in the months September to November. After November the carp is most frequently imported from Eastern Europe and is therefore not as fresh as in the months before.

Meat

As in most of Germany's regional cuisines, many meat dishes are found in Franconia, especially from pork. Very well known are baked pork shoulders, the so-called " Schäufele" (because of the shovel-like shoulder blade) with its cross and cut rind. Also, the very popular one is the pork roast with crust and potato dumplings, which is also popular in

Upper Bavaria Upper Bavaria (, ; ) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany. Geography Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state capital and seat of the district gove ...

, where it is served with

while the Franconians serve it with

red cabbage The red cabbage (purple-leaved varieties of ''Brassica oleracea'' Capitata Cultivar group, Group) is a kind of cabbage, also known as Blaukraut after preparation. Its leaves are coloured dark red/purple. However, the plant changes its co ...

savoy cabbage Savoy cabbage (''Brassica oleracea'' var. ''sabauda'' L. or ''Brassica oleracea'' Savoy Cabbage Group) is a variety or cultivar group of the plant species ''Brassica oleracea''. Savoy cabbage is a winter vegetable and one of several cabbage vari ...

green bean Green beans are young, unripe fruits of various cultivars of the common bean ('' Phaseolus vulgaris''), although immature or young pods of the runner bean ('' Phaseolus coccineus''), yardlong bean ( ''Vigna unguiculata'' subsp. ''sesquipedali ...

s. A speciality is also the "fränkische

Sauerbraten Sauerbraten () is a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat. It is regarded as a national dish of Cuisine of Germany, Germany, and is frequently served in German-style restaurants internationally. It can be cooked from a variety of me ...

". In contrast to the "rheinische Sauerbraten" it is prepared without the use of

raisin A raisin is a Dried fruit, dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and South Afri ...

s, and the

sauce In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi- solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavour, texture, and visual appeal to a dish. ''Sauce'' is a French wor ...

is thickened with soaked and lightly sweetened ginger bread. This ingredient gives the dish its own typical flavour, which is then rounded off with

and in some regions the addition of

lingonberry ''Vaccinium vitis-idaea'' is a small evergreen shrub in the heath family, Ericaceae. It is known colloquially as the lingonberry, partridgeberry, foxberry, mountain cranberry, or cowberry. It is native to boreal forest and Arctic tundra through ...

compote. The recipe of the famous "Schweinfurter Schlachtschüssel" Is cooked pork meat served together with

, fresh

bread Bread is a baked food product made from water, flour, and often yeast. It is a staple food across the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cu ...

and ground

on table-size wood plates. Common drinks include Franconian wine, and at the end each guest gets a portion of liver and

blood sausage A blood sausage is a sausage filled with blood that is cooked or dried and mixed with a filler until it is thick enough to solidify when cooled. Most commonly, the blood of pigs, sheep, lamb, cow, chicken, or goose is used. In Europe and the ...

s to take home. Baked blood, also called "Schwaaß" is still a popular traditional dish, particularly in the area of Hof. The blood of the slaughtered animal is collected and then baked with diced

bacon Bacon is a type of Curing (food preservation), salt-cured pork made from various cuts of meat, cuts, typically the pork belly, belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central in ...

, stale

, and

. It is eaten with sauerkraut and

potato The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...

es as

side dish A side dish, sometimes referred to as a side order, side item, or simply a side, is a food item that accompanies the entrée or main course at a meal.salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...

and Klöße as a side dish to any

roast Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelizatio ...

. The special ''Rohe Klöße'' (lit. meaning ''raw Klöße'') are prepared only with grated raw

and filled with some dices of stale bread. If there are any Klöße left from the

Sunday roast A Sunday roast or roast dinner is a British dish traditionally eaten on Sunday. It consists of roast meat, roast or mash potatoes, and accompaniments such as Yorkshire pudding, gravy, and may include condiments such as apple sauce, ...

they are traditionally sliced and cooked in a pan. Another traditional side dish are "Wickelklöße". These are made out of potato dough which is rolled out, spread with melted

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...

, sprinkled with breadcrumbs and then wrapped together and sliced into Kloß-sized pieces. They are considered a speciality from the region of

Lower Franconia Lower Franconia (, ) is one of seven districts of Bavaria, Germany. The districts of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia make up the region of Franconia. It consists of nine districts and 308 municipalities (including three cities). History After ...

but eaten also in other regions. A third type of Klöße are Semmelklöße, which are made from mashed dry

roll Roll may refer to: Physics and engineering * Rolling, a motion of two objects with respect to each-other such that the two stay in contact without sliding * Roll angle (or roll rotation), one of the 3 angular degrees of freedom of any stiff bo ...

s soaked in milk and cooked. Instead of dumplings sometimes broad noodles (''Bandnudeln'') are served with roasts. Vegetables are hardly ever a main but almost always a side dish. Very common are

, white

Kohlrabi Kohlrabi (; pronounced in English; scientific name ''Brassica oleracea'' Gongylodes Group (horticulture), Group), also called German turnip or turnip cabbage, is a Biennial plant, biennial vegetable, a low, stout cultivar of wild cabbage. It is ...

and also

. Salsify is also often featured in dishes, and has been grown in

since the 17th century. In winter they are served in a

cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...

sauce with

ham Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in '' Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39. As a processed meat, the term '' ...

and

es. In summer a variation of this dish is served but with

asparagus Asparagus (''Asparagus officinalis'') is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus ''Asparagus (genus), Asparagus'' native to Eurasia. Widely cultivated as a vegetable crop, its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. Description ...

originating in the region north of

instead of the salsify. But the asparagus is also used in salads or is eaten with the famous Bratwurst. A special side dish or condiment is

which is called "Kren" in Bavaria. It is grown mainly in the areas around

Erlangen Erlangen (; , ) is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the administrative district Erlangen-Höchstadt (former administrative district Erlangen), and with 119,810 inhabitants (as of 30 September 2024), it is the smalle ...

and

Höchstadt an der Aisch Höchstadt an der Aisch, commonly known as Höchstadt (), is a town in the Erlangen-Höchstadt district, in Bavaria, Germany. Geography Höchstadt is situated on the river Aisch, 18 km northwest of Erlangen and 22 km south of Bamberg. O ...

and

Baiersdorf Baiersdorf is a town in the district of Erlangen-Höchstadt, in northern Bavaria, Germany. Geography Location The major part of Baiersdorf is idyllically situated on a terrace which preserves the town from being flooded by the close Regnitz river ...

and is commonly used as a condiment in the sauce which is served with

Tafelspitz Tafelspitz (German language, German ''Tafelspitz'', ; ''top of the table'') is boiled veal or beef in broth, served with a mix of minced Apple, apples and horseradish. It is a classic dish of the Viennese cuisine and popular in all of Austria an ...

Soups

Typical Franconian soups are

bread soup Bread soup is a simple soup that mainly consists of bread, usually staling, stale bread. Variations exist in many countries, and it is often eaten during Lent. Both brown bread, brown and white bread may be used. The basis for bread soup is tra ...

semolina Semolina is the name given to roughly milled durum wheat mainly used in making pasta and sweet puddings. The term ''semolina'' is also used to designate coarse millings of other varieties of wheat, and sometimes other grains (such as rice or ma ...

dumpling soup (German: ''Griesklöschensuppe''),

pancake A pancake, also known as a hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack, is a flat type of batter bread like cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based Batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk, and butter, and then cooked on a ...

soup (''Flädlasuppe''), and

liver The liver is a major metabolic organ (anatomy), organ exclusively found in vertebrates, which performs many essential biological Function (biology), functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the Protein biosynthesis, synthesis of var ...

dumpling soup (

Leberknödel Leberknödel () is a traditional dish of German, Austrian, and Czech cuisines. Leberknödel are usually composed of beef liver, though in the German Palatinate region pork is used as an alternative. The meat is ground and mixed with bread, e ...

suppe). Another Franconian dish is a kind of steamed

chanterelle Chanterelle is the common name of several species of fungi in the genera ''Cantharellus'', ''Craterellus'', ''Gomphus (fungus), Gomphus'', and ''Polyozellus''. They are orange, yellow or white, meaty and funnel-shaped. On the lower surface, mos ...

(''Saure Pfiffer'').

Salads

Salads, which are usually served with a main dish include Franconian

potato salad Potato salad is a salad dish made from boiled potatoes, usually containing a dressing and a variety of other ingredients such as boiled eggs and raw vegetables. It is usually served as a side dish. History and varieties Potato salad is foun ...

, which is made with

Broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups ...

, mixed salad or

Coleslaw Coleslaw or cole slaw (from the Dutch term , meaning 'cabbage salad'), also widely known within North America simply as slaw, is a side dish consisting primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage with a salad dressing or condiment, commonly eithe ...

(German: ''Krautsalat''). A Brotzeit dish is the

Wurstsalat Wurstsalat (, literally ''sausage salad'') is a tart sausage salad prepared with distilled white vinegar, Cooking oil, oil and onions. A variation of the recipe adds strips of pickled Pickled cucumber, gherkin. It is generally made from boiled sa ...

(for example ''Nürnberger Gwerch'').

Drinks

Franconia is the home of about 270, often small,

breweries A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of be ...

. In summer the cellars open their doors and many restaurants offer a small mid-afternoon snack with a litre of beer (commonly called a "Maß") or a half litre (commonly called a Seidel).

Upper Franconia Upper Franconia (, ) is a (administrative 'Regierungs''region 'bezirk'' of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia, the others being Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia, wh ...

has the highest concentration of breweries in the world. A large proportion of them are located in

Franconian Switzerland Franconian Switzerland (, ) is an upland in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany and a popular tourist retreat. Located between the River Pegnitz in the east and the south, the River Regnitz in the west and the River Main in the north, its relief ...

. A local speciality from Bamberg is the famous

Smoked beer Smoked beer () is a type of beer with a distinctive smoke flavour imparted by using malted barley dried over an open flame.''Beer'', by Michael Jackson, published 1998, pp.150-151 History Drying malt over an open flame in a smoke kiln may impart ...

(German:''Rauchbier''). The main beer types of Franconia are

dunkel Dunkel (), or Dunkles (), is a word used for several types of dark German lager. ''Dunkel'' is the German word meaning "dark", and dunkel beers typically range in color from amber to dark reddish brown. They are characterized by their smooth, ma ...

(German: ''Dunkles Bier'') and

pale lager Pale lager is a pale-to- golden lager beer with a well- attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. In the mid-19th century, Gabriel Sedlmayr took British pale ale brewing and malt making techniques back to the Spaten Bre ...

(''Helles Bier''). Other types like

wheat beer Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer which is brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. The two main varieties are German and Belgian ; other types include Lambic (made with wild yeast), Berliner Weisse (a c ...

(German: ''Hefeweizen''),

märzen ''Märzen'' () or ''Märzenbier'' () is a lager that originated in Bavaria, Germany. It has a medium to full body and may vary in colour from pale through amber to dark brown. It was the beer traditionally served at the Munich Oktoberfest. The g ...

, or

bock Bock () is a strong German beer, usually a dark lager. History The style now known as ''Bock'' was first brewed in the 14th century in the Hanseatic town of Einbeck in Lower Saxony. The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers ...

are also common. The city of

is also known as the "secret capital of beer" since one of the breweries there advertised their product with this slogan and in the city of Hof there are still 6 independent breweries in existence, while in

there are only 4. The city of

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian German, East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia district in Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main (river), Main. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in ...

tops the list with 12 breweries and only 70,000 inhabitants, and is therefore considered "Franconia's beer city", sometimes even Germany's beer city. Wine is common in

around the

River Main The Main () is the longest tributary of the Rhine, one of the major European rivers. It rises as the White Main in the Fichtel Mountains of northeastern Bavaria and flows west through central Germany for to meet the Rhine below Rüsselsheim, ...

is one of the German quality wine regions, and the wine of Franconia is typically bottled in bulbous Bocksbeutel-bottles, and the region is a wine-growing area especially famous for its white wine

Silvaner Silvaner or Sylvaner () is a variety of white wine grape grown primarily in Alsace wine, Alsace and German wine, Germany, where its official name is Grüner Silvaner. While the Alsatian versions have primarily been considered simpler wines, it ...

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ) by the Gre ...

, and

Riesling Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...

, and the dry red wine Domina. During grape harvesting the

Federweisser Federweisser (also Federweißer) is an alcoholic beverage commonly made in continental Europe. It is the product of fermented freshly pressed grape juice, known as must. The term ''Federweisser'' in principle includes all stages of fermentat ...

is another well-known regional variety. Franconian

Federweißer Federweisser (also Federweißer) is an alcoholic beverage commonly made in continental Europe. It is the product of Fermentation (food), fermented freshly pressed (wine), pressed grape juice, known as must. The term ''Federweisser'' in princip ...

is an alcoholic beverage, made of grape juice that is still in the process of fermenting. Typically it has about 4 percent alcohol by volume. (The term in principle includes all stages of fermentation from

must Must is freshly crushed Juice, fruit juice (usually grape juice) that contains the skins, seeds, and stems of the fruit. The solid portion of the must is called pomace and typically makes up 7–23% of the total weight of the must. Making must ...

to finished wine.) Typical spirits of Franconia are Obstbrände (also called ''Geist'') or

liqueur A liqueur ( , ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of Liquor, spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-age ...

s, which are made of apples, plums (''Zwetschgen'') pears, or cherries.

Bread

Similar to other German regions, Franconian bread types range from white wheat bread (Weißbrot) to grey (Graubrot) to black (Schwarzbrot), actually dark brown

rye Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is grown principally in an area from Eastern and Northern Europe into Russia. It is much more tolerant of cold weather and poor soil than o ...

bread. The typical Franconian bread (''Fränkisches Landbrot'') contains both wheat and rye flour (hence

Mischbrot Mischbrot (, ) is German bread made from the mixture of wheat and rye flour with sourdough or yeast. It is known as Graubrot () in some regions of Germany (e.g., parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Hesse) or as " Black bread" in southe ...

, mixed bread). Characteristic for this bread is a high percentage of rye flavour, usually 80% and about 20% wheat flour and an aromatic spice mixture. The shape can be longish (''Kipf'') or round (''Laib''). The weight is usually around 1 - 4,5 kg.Genussregion Oberfranken
(German)

Pretzel A pretzel ( ; from or , ) is a type of baking, baked pastry made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot. The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical form, with the ends of a long strip of dough intertwined and then twi ...

s and bread rolls are also common.

Zwiebelkuchen

Franconian

Zwiebelkuchen (, ) is a savory German onion cake made of steamed onions, diced bacon, cream, and caraway seeds on either a yeast or leavened dough. It is not to be confused with Flammkuchen, a similar dish that is dryer. History Most of Zwiebelkuchen's ...

, which literally means onion cake, is a pie made of steamed onions, diced bacon, cream, and

caraway Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin (''Carum carvi''), is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Etymology The etymology of "caraway" is unclear. Caraway has been ...

seeds on a yeast dough.

Lebkuchen

Ginger bread like Nürnberger Lebkuchen is one of the most famous delicacies of Franconian cuisine. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

Nuremberg (German: ''Nürnberg'') was a trading centre also for exotic spices and other specialities. In the forest surround the city there were many

beekeepers A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees, a profession known as beekeeping. The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees in beehives, boxes, or other receptacles. The beekeeper does not control the creatures. The beekeeper ...

which supplied the markets with

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...

and especially because of these facts the long tradition on gingerbread-making originates in this city. From the end of August until winter time the little biscuits are offered with "Christkindlesmarkt-Glühwein" (

mulled wine Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is an alcoholic drink usually made with red wine, along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins, served hot or warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas. It is ...

made with

blueberries Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' with the genus ''Vaccinium''. Commercial blueberries—both wild (lowbush) ...

). Nowadays there are only a few small manufacturers left with artisanal production and the majority of the Lebkuchen are made in industrial production. During Christmas and advent season there are also several bakeries and confectioner shops producing their own Lebkuchen and other Christmas biscuits. The most common and most famous variety is the "Elisenlebkuchen" which often has a rectangular shape (most varieties are traditionally round-shaped). Very important are also the quality levels which are determined in the "Leitsätze für feine Backwaren" (Principles for pastries and baked goods) and the sophisticated quality level for Lebkuchen requires it to be made with

wafer A wafer is a crisp, often sweet, very thin, flat, light biscuit, often used to decorate ice cream, and also used as a garnish on some sweet dishes. They frequently have a waffle surface pattern but may also be patterned with insignia of the foo ...

Küchla (Little cakes)

"Küchla" or "Küchle" (lit. meaning ''little cakes'') are a supraregional popular specialty of Franconia, and are sweet, pan-fried yeast-dough pastry which is commonly prepared fresh on festive occasions. There are several variations in existence: they may be rectangular, square, or round; the latter are most common and are also known as "Knieküchla" which means ''knee cakes''. This name derives from the original method of preparation which required the baker to draw the yeast dough over his knee to obtain the typically thin crust of the Küchla. Nowadays it is either drawn over the back of the hand, a turned doughnut stick, or even a

rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...

ball A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but sometimes ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for s ...

. With this method, the round pastry is very thin in the middle and almost translucent, and its rim is quite bulbous and has a flavour quite similar to a

doughnut A doughnut or donut () is a type of pastry made from leavened fried dough. It is popular in many countries and is prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and fran ...

. In the obtained shape, the Küchla are fried and typically served with powdered

confectioner's sugar Powdered sugar, also called confectioners' sugar and icing sugar, is a finely ground sugar produced by milling granulated sugar into a powdered state. It usually contains between 2% and 5% of an anti-caking agent—such as corn starch, potato s ...

. Rectangular Küchle, which are also called "Striezel," puff up during

frying Frying is the cooking of food in cooking oil, oil or another fat. Similar to sautéing, pan-fried foods are generally turned over once or twice during cooking to make sure that the food is evenly cooked, using tongs or a spatula, whilst sautéed ...

like a

cushion A cushion is a soft bag of some ornamental material, usually stuffed with wool, hair, feathers, polyester staple fiber, non-woven material, cotton, or even paper torn into fragments. It may be used for sitting or kneeling upon, or to soften ...

, a process which is called ''rising''. After frying, they have a thin and flat golden brown base, and a thicker, cushion-like upper part. As the Küchle are turned once during the cooking process, it is essential that the dough is without any defects; if there are only minimal ones and the dough tears during rinsing, the pastry will collapse and remain flat. These misshaped products are also called "Dutschen".

Schneeballen

Schneeballen ("snowballs") are a type of shortcrust pastry especially popular in the area of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Its name derives from its round, ball-like shape with a diameter of about eight to ten centimeters, and is traditionally decorated with confectioner's sugar.

Sources

*Ulla Jakobs (Zusammenstellung und Bearbeitung): Die besten Rezepte aus Franken, Mosaik Verlag, {{DEFAULTSORT:Franconian Cuisine Cuisine of Franconia

Cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...