The life and times of the German sausage Quiz

Answer: Frankfurt

Of course, the most famous German sausage of them all is the hot dog roll's filling of Frankfurters. Made traditionally from pork in a sheep's intestine, they must be cooked in hot water. In Germany they have had protected status since 1860 but are generic when sold elsewhere.

Answer: Saffron

The actual sausage is a pale beige colour, the yellow title is actually from the colour of the wrapping which was created by adding saffron. They originally also containing brains as hirnwurst, and is made from veal and pork and spiced with nutmeg, white pepper and ginger, and sliced like salami.

Answer: Chopped meat sausage

There are a few similar meanings attributed to brat, but the accepted origin is from "Brät", finely chopped meat, although it is often now associated with the similar word braten, which means fry or roast, which it also is. There was also a theory it may have come from its Old German 9th-11th century meaning 'without waste' as it uses almost everything edible from the animal in it. Bratwurst is not a specific sausage but a generic type, the main distinction being it is grilled or fried, while many others are steamed or boiled.

There are no limits on the types of meat they contain and there are currently at least 40 different varieties.

Answer: Cracking

The word is onomatopoeic and relates to the cracking sound from biting into the crisp skin after it swells in cooking. Unlike in Turkish cuisine, no knackers are involved in any known varieties of German sausage, and they are generally short plump types made with various meats and spices.

Answer: Veal

Bockwurst was created as a sausage to be eaten during the Bock beer season, going back to the early 19th century, and probably made from the usual pork. In 1889 a new recipe was made of mainly veal with added beef by restaurant owner Robert Scholtz and butcher Benjamin Lowenthal of Berlin in 1889 which became the primary version at the time.

This would also allow them to be made as kosher as containing no pork. Since then the types of meat have extended to pretty much anything, including horse, and is usually simmered or grilled and can also be smoked as well, and eaten with mustard.

It is usually spiced with chives and parsley.

Answer: Climate

The cooler climate of Germany, especially in the mountain areas, was ideal for the process of curing so led to the successful creation of all types of sausage, and as a result became a national tradition ever since, selling variations made or exported around the world.

They also lasted longer in the long cold winters before refrigeration existed. Before nitrates were used as antiseptic curing agents, warmer climates in the south of Europe made it harder to cure the meat quickly and could lead to botulism as a result, (named after the Latin word for sausage) so were not as easy to make safely there.

The introduction of nitrates led to a far wider creation of other national types across Europe but none as prolific and long standing as Germany's.

Answer: Nürnberg

The reason for the size goes back to a story from medieval times, where Judge Hans Cromer was allegedly imprisoned for giving away political secrets. Back then people tended to remain for life, and his family were said to have made three inch long sausages as they were small enough to put through the keyhole of the cell door to feed him with. Either way, the size and ingredients are now protected by law so your Nürnberg (Nuremberg) Wurst will always be the same wherever you buy it.

They are normally served three to a roll when sold from stalls.

Answer: Steamed

Due to its recipe, weisswurst is similar to both Frankfurters and the neigbouring Wieners (from Vienna) in that it needs to be cooked in water. But even when you prick the skin the weisswurst is likely to burst so is recommended to be steamed instead to keep it intact.

The locals like to peel the skin off and suck out the meat but outside Bavaria, it is accepted to use a knife and fork (a no-no in Munich). Made of mixed meat including veal and pork they are almost white and should be eaten quickly as they can go off within a few hours of cooking.

Answer: Frankische Wurst

Coming from the region of Franconia, Frankische Wurst is a type of bratwurst made from coarsely chopped meat and often spiced with marjoram. When pan roasted in vinegar, wine, spices and onions in their broth in the dish blaue zipfel (blue tips or ends) the sausage takes on a bluish tinge.

They are usually eaten with more onions and pretzel rolls, and can be additionally spiced with the Sauerbraten recipe mixture while cooking.

Answer: False

Like many pseudo-Indian dishes, such as balti and chicken tikka masala, these were developed in western countries as variations on either Indian dishes or Indian versions of local ones. Currywurst is a simple addition of curry sauce to wurst, made from Worcester sauce, spices and ketchup blended with cooked tomatoes and onions, created in 1949 by Herta Heuwer, an assistant in the biggest shop in Berlin, KaDeWe.

The original complete recipe was kept a secret so only the basic ingredients are known, and when she died in 1999 even her husband didn't know it. I hope you're now feeling hungry after playing the quiz, I was after writing it and must go out and buy some wurst style sausages for myself.