Potatoes and dumplings have long been a staple of the German diet. Although each German region has its own way of preparing them, all of them have one thing in common: local ingredients. Some eat potatoes with pears, bacon and beans, while other regions eat potatoes with bacon and spicy sausage. Others cook up a stew called pichelsteiner, made with three kinds of meat and potatoes. Dumplings, or "knodel," are a side dish to many meals, especially in northern Germany. In the south, these dumplings are smaller and are called spatzle. These can be boiled or fried.