Competition from rolls, toast, or baguettes is fierce, but the typical German 'Butterbrot' is still very popular
Martin Luther described it in 1525 as 'good children's food', and Goethe's Werther, some 200 years later, shares 'butterbrot and sour milk' with other children.
But what exactly is the German butterbrot? And why is it so popular in Germany?
Originally, the butterbrot was just a slice of bread with butter spread on it. Today, a butterbrot is considered a slice of bread with ham, sausage, or cheese, and buttering it is not mandatory; sometimes butter is replaced by margarine, fresh cheese, mustard, or tomato paste. Health-conscious eaters add fresh tomato, cucumber, or lettuce leaves to their butterbrots and experiment with vegetarian and vegan spreads, which have become a staple in many supermarkets.
Today spelt bread, tomorrow rye. One day a hearty butterbrot, another day a sweet one. No dish can vary as much as the butterbrot. And because it is so easy to prepare, nutritious, and tasty, and can be eaten on the go, both young and old take it to work or school to have a snack during break.
Why exactly Germans have a particular fondness for the butterbrot is easy to explain. Thanks to a variety of breads that includes about 300 different types, Germany ranks first in the world in this regard. And those who have such a choice of bread eat a lot of it – about 80 kg per capita per year. It is therefore not surprising that the butterbrot is still highly valued culinarily among Germans.
By the way, according to Deutschland.de, Germans celebrate German Butterbrot Day on September 25, 2015.