“The basis of every good cuisine is to be found in its regions,” declares Christian Scharrer, head chef at the Bühlerhöhe hotel, where the England football team is staying. There are historical reasons why. Before Bismarck unified Germany in 1871, there had been a large patchwork of principalities and kingdoms, with their own languages, currencies and dishes. Now there are 16 Länder (states or citystates, such as Hamburg). Yet even today, regional pride is very evident, from Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration of beer to the wine festivals (Winzerfeste) of the Moselle and the Rhine. Landscapes and climate are other factors. The warm terroir of the Southwest has much in common with France’s Burgundy, hence its production of Spätburgunder Pinot Noir, whereas Hamburg’s most typical dish is Labskaus, or “Sailor’s Hash”, reflecting proximity to the cold Baltic and North Sea.