Celebrate German American Day with Sourdough

National #GermanAmericanDay is celebrated in the United States on October 6th each year. It is a day to honor the contributions of German-Americans to the United States.

German-Americans are the largest ethnic group in the United States, with nearly 50 million people claiming German ancestry. German immigrants began arriving in the United States in the 17th century, when 13 German Mennonite families from Krefeld, Germany, settled Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 6, 1683.

And in 1983, in Bonn Germany, the then President Ronald Reagan "proclaimed October 6 as German-American Day to celebrate and honor the 300th anniversary of German American immigration and culture to the United States.

These families established the first German settlement in the original thirteen colonies, which they named Germantown. Since then German Americans have have played a significant role in American history, culture, and business.

German-Americans Contributions to the United States

National German-American Day is a time to celebrate the rich heritage and culture of German-Americans. It is also a time to learn about the many contributions that German-Americans have made to the United States.

• Helping to settle the American frontier
• Founding many of America's major cities
• Establishing businesses and industries
• Serving in the military and defending the country
• Contributing to the arts, sciences, and literature

Ways to Celebrate National German-American Day

• Learn about German-American history and culture.
• Visit a German-American museum or cultural center.
• Listen to German music.
• Watch a German movie or TV show.
• Read a book by a German-American author.
• Learn a few German phrases.
• Talk to a German-American friend or family member about their heritage.
• Cook or eat German food.

Sourdough Food is Always a Good Way to Celebrate

Living in Germany 50 years ago, buttered bread is the first thing that comes to my mind, but there is much more to German sourdough cuisine. Happily on Abigail's Oven Blog you will find several handy recipes:

• German Rye Bread: Roggenbrot, Graubrot, Mischbrot—its all German Rye Bread. Living in Germany for a couple of years, this was the bread we purchased hot from the bakery nearly every day. However, the bakers always warned use to let it cool before eating it. The reason this bread is better the second day, so let this cool for a day to develop its full flavor… Read More
• Marbled Rye Bread: I seldom make a loaf of bread that doesn’t have half a cup of rye flour in it, but this one is 67% rye. It seems to deepen the flavor, especially the second day
  
  , so be sure you give this bread a day after baking to develop its full flavor. Especially if you complement rye’s mild, nutty flavor with caraway, fennel, and/or anise seeds, which will give it the traditional deli flavor most of us associate with rye bread…Read More
• A German sourdough potato pancake, also known as a Kartoffelpuffer, is a savory pancake made with grated potatoes, eggs, sourdough discard, and onions. It is a popular dish in Germany and other German-speaking countries, and is often served as a side dish or appetizer with sour cream and applesauce.
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• German sourdough Christmas stollen is a traditional German Christmas bread made with sourdough starter, dried fruits, nuts, and spices. It is a rich and flavorful bread that is often dusted with powdered sugar and served with coffee or tea.
• Sourdough lebkuchen is a traditional German Christmas cookie made with sourdough starter, honey, nuts, and spices. It is a dense and flavorful cookie with a slightly chewy texture. Sourdough lebkuchen is often decorated with candied fruits, nuts, and chocolate. 

Of course, other blog sites have many English translations for yummy German food recipes using sourdough:

• Authentic German Bread (Bauernbrot) Recipe

• German Sourdough No Knead Bread Recipe

• Sourdough Rye Bread

• Easy Whole Grain Sourdough Bread | Vollkornbrot

No matter how you choose to celebrate, National German-American Day is a time to honor the contributions of German-Americans to the United States and bake some REAL™ Sourdough Bread.