Happy Easter!

I’m just doing my annual soup fasting in Bad Orb, a pretty village east of Frankfurt, and although the homemade soups are actually quite tasty, I’m really looking forward to Sunday lunch with the family: roast lamb with mint sauce. I’ve tried really hard to persuade some German friends that mint sauce is delicious, but they mostly raised their eyebrows like I’d suggested eating dessert before the main course. Still, it’s very traditional in England. For me, though, apart from not having to cook myself, the best part is the gravy (Bratensoße) —my mum made the best gravy ever, and yes, I might just sneak an extra spoonful or two.

And I always find it interesting how English table talk is a bit different to German.

English people are masters of politeness, often phrasing things as if it’s really no big deal whether you say yes or no.

So instead of just asking for something, you’ll get: “Would you mind passing the potatoes?” or the classic “I don’t suppose there’s any more gravy, is there?” (Translation: yes, I really, really want more gravy, please.)

At the start of the meal, nobody says “Guten Appetit.” It’s more like “Enjoy!” or “Enjoy your meal”—or nothing at all. You just dive in, which somehow feels less formal and more dangerous for the gravy fans among us.

And if conversation gets awkward—which it inevitably does in families—you’ve got a few trusty tricks up your sleeve. Talk about the weather. Ask about holidays. Or, my personal favourite, lavish praise on the gravy. Guaranteed to get a smile, or at least a nod of approval from my mum’s invisible gravy ghost.