Culinary journey through time: GDR restaurants that bring back memories!

Culinary journey through time: GDR restaurants that bring back memories!

In the iconic city of Dresden there is a return to the hearty cuisine of the former GDR. Five senior women talk about their favorite restaurants and bars from this special time and provide insights into the gastronomic culture that was very different back then than it is today. Oft musste man Geduld mitbringen, denn der Restaurantbesuch war geprägt von Warten und wartenden Gästen. The motto back then was simply: come, sit, eat, pay, go. Today the ladies come to peel asparagus together for the neighbors and there is a lively discussion about the old days.

The neighborhood help association in Gorbitz organizes monthly meetings at which these senior women, aged between 64 and 82, not only demonstrate their skills in peeling asparagus, but also share memories of the GDR's culinary glory days. At the same time, there was a special culinary event in October to celebrate the 71st birthday of the former GDR. Chef Thomas Bräunig from the “Palastecke” served jazzed up GDR classics that show how vivid the memories of the cuisine of that time still are.

Ostalgie on the plate

Many of the classic dishes that come to the table today are true witnesses of our time - such as the sour eggs, potatoes with quark, grits sausage with sauerkraut and the popular macaroni with sausage goulash. With prices ranging from 6.90 euros for a small solyanka to 12.50 euros for a gold broiler, guests can be transported back to the time when these dishes were on the table, perhaps to the chagrin of rationing.

GDR cuisine was formed from the traditions of the 1920s and 1930s and was strongly influenced by the availability of food. Rationing and shortages meant that cooking in the GDR was often improvised. Things like bread and milk were subsidized and available at fair prices, but many of the other ingredients were scarce. Against this background, GDR cuisine continues to develop and has managed to establish itself in its own right.

A look into the past

The desire for traditional food is so strong that many former GDR residents now long for an “Ostalgie”. In this wave of nostalgia, many GDR cookbooks that were once published, such as “Schmalhans still cooks well” or “Schmalhans ade!”, are back on the table. These cookbooks often did not provide precise temperature information and stuck to general terms. They reflect the need to adapt to the realities of the times.

Popular dishes such as bockwurst, currywurst and solyanka were widespread not only in households, but also in canteens and dining establishments in the GDR. Even on festive occasions, the Dresden Christmas Stollen was a must, the ingredients of which were often only available for foreign currency. This makes it clear that GDR cuisine consisted not only of the best knowledge and conscience, but also of creativity in difficult times.

This is why remembering and enjoying the cuisine from the GDR is not only a trendy sport, but also a part of the cultural heritage that many people in Dresden and beyond still value. When are we next going to peel asparagus? Maybe there will be another meal together soon with old GDR specialties.

For more information about GDR cuisine and its traditions, read Sächsische.de or Day24 as well as in Wikimedia Read articles about GDR cuisine.