Culture: a Moving Target

When one tries to describe or compare cultures, the risks arise mainly from generalizations. Generalizations almost always have exceptions, and even when general statements are nearly correct, time often changes that.

For example, one might say that Germans usually have their main meal - their dinner - at noon, and smaller lighter meal in the evening. That generalization was once nearly true - maybe a century ago, but even then there were exceptions. Now, a growing segment of the population has its main meal in the evening, but a significant percentage still has a noon dinner, so generalizations about this topic are impossible.

The generalization that most German buildings don't have circular doorknobs - having instead lever-like door handles - still holds true, but the operative word there is 'most' inasmuch as a small handful of German architects use knobs.

So cultural generalization - whether about how Germans hold knives and forks in their hand, or which types of water they drink - are ever subject to change over time, and to exceptions at any one time. Beware!

Spaghetti Eis!

Every year, people visiting Germany fall in love with Spaghetti Eis - spaghetti ice cream. What is it?

No, it doesn't taste like spaghetti, and it's not made of spaghetti. Vanilla ice cream is put through a press, an extruder, and comes out looking like spaghetti. Strawberry sauce takes the place of tomato-based marinara sauce, lumps of chocolate substitute for meatballs, and some grated white chocolate for the parmesan cheese. Yum!

Creative chefs have invented numerous variations on the theme - vanilla sauce can substitute for Alfredo sauce, bits of candy can be shaped like mushrooms, and various flavors and colors of ice cream can imitate the colors of the various types of pasta. Try it!