What does “Frikadelle” mean, and why does it have so many names?

This trick for juicier Frikadellen only works if you know that’s the word to search for — and depending where in Germany you are, it might not be. The exact same pan-fried meat patty is Frikadelle in the west and Rhineland, Bulette in Berlin, Fleischpflanzerl in Bavaria, and Klops or Fleischküchle in other regions — one dish hiding behind at least five regional names.

Berlin’s Bulette has its own backstory: it traces to French boulette, brought by Huguenot refugees who settled in Prussia in the 17th century. So if a recipe or menu uses a word you don’t recognize, it may not be an unfamiliar dish at all — just an unfamiliar region’s word for one you already know.