• Eggs are a common ingredient in German Easter dishes.easter eggs image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
  
  Easter is celebrated in many countries of the world with the preparation and consumption of traditional recipes. Meals served during the holy week are often symbolic, and German Easter cuisine is no exception. If you have German heritage or are looking for new holiday traditions, consider celebrating the resurrection with traditional German recipes.
  
  

Maundy Thursday

• The Thursday during Holy Week is often called Maundy Thursday. This day is a symbolic anniversary of the Last Supper. In Germany, this day is called Gründonnerstag, with a literal translation of "Green Thursday." Traditionally German families serve green dishes in celebration of this feast day. A common dish is soup made from a variety of green vegetables or herbs. Kerbelsuppe, a chervil soup, includes chervil, leeks and spices in a chicken broth. Krautlsuppe, a seven-herb soup, is another common dish, containing spinach, parsley, sorrel, leeks, chives and dandelion greens. Eier in grüner sosse, or eggs in green sauce, is another green-colored dish common on Gründonnerstag. Cut hard-boiled eggs in half and top them with an herb sauce.
  
  

Good Friday

• The German observance of Karfreitag, or Sorrowful Friday, is similar to Good Friday customs in the United States. Fish is the main course in this day's meals, as families traditionally abstain from meat. Fischfrikadellen mit Grüner Sauce, or fish cakes with green sauce, is a classic recipe for a Karfreitag meal. Chop a combination of smoked and fresh white fish and mix with onion and potato, then form into patties and deep fry. Top the dish with an herb sauce that includes sweet mustard, hard-boiled eggs and sour cream. Serve a tomato salad on the side.
  
  

Easter Sunday

• Lamb is a traditional Easter meat in many European countries, including Germany. Try Lammkeule mit Wacholderbeerensauce, a roast lamb leg with juniper berry sauce. Rub the leg of lamb with salt, pepper, thyme and juniper berries and allow the meat to rest in the refrigerator while the flavors infiltrate the meat. Brown the leg in a frying pan before roasting it with carrots and onions, basting occasionally with red wine. When the leg is finished, prepare a sauce from sour cream and pan drippings. Serve this dish with potatoes and fresh vegetables. For dessert, serve a variety of cakes and brioches, such as Bienenstich, a honey cake with custard, or Osterhasenbrioches, a decorated "Easter Bunny" brioche.