German

What to drink: Georg Breuer 1999 Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Rüdesheim Berg Rottland.

Chef Ian Algerø‸en of Skadi restaurant serves this side dish with duck. It's also terrific with roast pork or Cornish game hens.

Little dumplings that are served in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Alsace, spaetzle are usually made by pushing the batter through a strainer into boiling water. The batter in this recipe is thicker and can be shaped with a small spoon.

This is a wonderful way to experience onions and it is reminiscent of the Alsatian specialty, flammekeuche. Combined with the cream, the onions (Rose de Roscoff, if you can find them) create a sweet, succulent foil for the bacon and the pizza dough. I like to serve this as a first course, with a lovely Gewurtztraminer.

Buttered potatoes accompany this simple, sophisticated dish at Gugelhof restaurant.

At The Amana Barn Restaurant, in Amana, Iowa this dish is called Rouladen; it's accompanied by potato dumplings.

My grandmother Marie "Nanney" Spivey (I am her namesake) always doubles this family favorite and uses two pie shells. She says, "Everybody loves it. You can stir it up in five minutes."

Baked in individual ring molds, these little desserts feature caramelized pears, streusel topping and sweetened cream.

This vinegary dressing reflects the tastes and traditions of the sizable German population in the Midwest.

An appealing dish from Matt's in the Market in Seattle, Washington.

Extra juicy and very crunchy, these thick-cut breaded pork chops are an impressive dinner option served with a crisp pickled-fennel salad.

You can create a variety of shapes and colors with a cookie press. We love OXO’s cookie press for this recipe since it has sturdy metal plates and all the parts unscrew easily for cleaning.