"Germans only eat sauerkraut."; Don't worry, it isn't true! However, cabbage is certainly popular. This fact also gave Germans the nickname "Kraut". That's what some British and US soldiers called their German counterparts in World War II. The name is still sometimes used for Germans abroad as a joke – and it's not entirely off the mark. Whether it's curly kale, brussels sprouts, red cabbage, cauliflower or kohlrabi (turnip cabbage), cabbage does play a big role in German cuisine.

Kohlrabi is so very German that the German name is often used in other countries, like England, the United States, the Netherlands, Russia and Japan. But sauerkraut is the most famous of all abroad. Healthy and tasty, it is a main ingredient in Bavarian cuisine, but is common all over Germany. "Krauts", however, did not invent it. It was actually invented in France. And surprisingly, a lot more sauerkraut is consumed in France and the United States than in Germany.