Do you know any German delicacies?!
Answers: Preferebely the extravagant food that was enjoyed in the 1940's. Yeah, I know ... kinda random, but plese help?
During the War Years, Germans produced 80% of their own food so the German diet didn't change much. Except for the addition of large amounts of foods commandeered from conquered countries---cheeses and wine from France, hams from Poland...whatever. Delicacies to the rich and the other stuff to the regular Germans. They had to. Hungry Germans would have shut the war down...
Westphalian Ham is one delicacy admired all over Europe. Still is. In the 1800's, even the French, who aren't known for conceding sovereignty on matters of food rated their own "Jambon de Bayonne" second.
Of course, German "Society" was essentially cosmopolitan and imported the best foods from all over Europe both before and during WW2. Their other smoked meats and sausages take a back seat to no other country. Eels, herring, froglegs, and pates (ala France) are prized by German "Foodies".
Speaking of the "upper crust", Germany ranks with the best when it comes to pastries. One favorite is Zweibelkuchen, a yeast tart piled with onions in an egg/bacon filling. It is traditionally served in the fall during the first white wine tastings. Quiche, essentially, but more hearty.
One of the more unique delicacies is from Heidelberg (yeah, beer capitol) "Hopfensprossen", baby hops dressed in butter or cream is said to rival their famed white asparagus in flavor.
Tiny dumplings called Spaetzle (little sparrows) are eaten by rich and poor alike and in the War were available to those with the skill to make them but there are hundreds of kinds of dumplings.
Essentially the German Elite ate whatever they wanted. They swigged Champagne and ate caviar before the War and during the war years-well-it was cheaper. They continued to spread their "Liptauer" cheese from Hungary on their canapes...enjoyed the lobster from their northern coast...stabbed the precious little meatballs in caper sauce (Konigberger Klopse) They sat down to meals of "Wienerschnitzel" (thin pounded veal cutlets) or a fine roast venison, "Rehrucken Baden-baden"-flavored with juniper sour cream and cranberries which is garnished with pears and maraschino cherries...Sides would include dishes like green beans in cream sauce (w/ bacon and nutmeg) or my favorite "Rotkohl", a red cabbage and apple dish flavored withcloves and vinegar.
The 1940s were war-time and there wasn't a lot of food to be had in Germany. You ate what you could get. People foraged for food - wild apples, etc.
Items which could today be called "delicacies" include:
Bauernschinken, air-cured and smoked beef. With its dark coffee color and rock hard texture, you'd never guess that this German delicacy has the soft, supple texture that it does. It is often sliced thinly and eaten alone, with bread, cheese, or in a sandwich, and has a subtle, warmly spiced flavor.
Blood sausage.
Bregenwurst - a specialty sausage of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt traditionally made of pork, pork belly, and pig or cattle brain. It is eaten raw or after being stewed, giving it a spreadable consistency once broken from its casing, and is served with Kale. Despite its name, the bregenwurst of today usually contains no brain.
And, of course, there's always eel.
Two dishes not mentioned are A) sauerbraten which is a roastbeef which is marinated in a bunch of ingredients which includes gingersnaps and vinegar (it is delicious!) B) Maultaschen which are a kind of pasta tube thing that involves spinach and meat and it is served in a really good broth.