One of the most enduring stereotypes about Germany is the “Traditional German Lederhosen” is that ALL Germans wear leather shorts or leather knee length pants. (I blame Clark Griswald for this). While men and women have worn Lederhosen (leather pants) in Germany throughout history, it’s mainly considered a part of the Tracht (traditional dress) in Bavaria. The history of how…
Author: karenanne
West Germany’s Economic Miracle -Wirtschaftswunder
Cover image- Wirtschaftswunder Deutschland nach dem Krieg -Josef Heinrich Darchinger After spending a few semesters in mandatory Economics classes at University, I am certain of three things: 1. It’s virtually impossible to get more than two economists to agree on anything. 2. Guns and Butter are almost impossible to balance. 3. Taking a 7:00 a.m. Economics class might be the…
Raspberry Streusel Cheesecake Recipe- Himbeer Käse Streuselkuchen
After tasting an amazing Himbeer Käse Streuselkuchen in Berlin, I spent three years working on the exact recipe for this German Raspberry Cheesecake with Streusel Recipe. For a while, I felt like Captain Ahab, certain that the White Whale could be found in fresh berries and streusel. Why did it take so long? Well, I certainly wasn’t baking this cake…
Eisheiligen in Germany – The German Ice Saints of May
There’s a good reason all Germans carry an Allwetterjacke (all-weather jacket): German weather can fool you. One moment, you bask under a warm sun in the local Biergarten, and the next, you need to pull on your sweater. Especially in May, when after a long Winter of cold, dreary weather, everyone seeks the sun. But, just because the sun is…
German Celery Root Salad Recipe- Selleriesalat
The first time I went through the supermarket checkout with a Celeriac knob, a celery root, the cashier looked at it in horror. WHAT IS THAT? To be fair, you won’t find Celery Root gracing the cover of “Beautiful Vegetable Monthly”. Frankly, the thing looks like a Turnip’s ugly cousin. Still, when prepared properly, like in this German Celery Root…
German Beer Day- Celebrating the Reinheitsgebot of 1516
April 23 is German Beer Day! (Isn’t every day German Beer Day?) This auspicious date celebrates the signing of the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot (Beer Purity Law) of 1516. Bavarian Duke William IV decreed that beer could only contain Barley, Hops, and Water (the importance of yeast still hadn’t been worked out). Now over 500 years old, it’s one of the oldest…
German Green Bean Salad Recipe – Grüner Bohnensalat
My mother must have prepared this German Green Bean Salad Recipe (Grüner Bohnensalat) at least a few times a month and maybe even weekly during the summer. Come to think of it, these green beans arrived on the table at Oma’s house quite often, too. Why? It’s a simple recipe that tastes good. Better yet, you can easily adjust depending…
German Beet Salad – Rote Beete Salat for your Salatteller
As a child, I considered beets to be incredibly deceptive. The color of my mother’s Rote Beete Salat looked like garnets, and edible jewels should taste of magic. But instead, German Beet Salad tasted like, well… beets. Still, like I always told my kids, when you grow up, your tongue changes, and things you once ran from now taste delicious.…
Oma’s Simple Salad with Creamy German Salad Dressing
My Oma often served a side salad of Feld Salat with her Creamy German Salad Dressing as a side dish to the warm midday meal. The dressing may seem unusual since it contains heavy cream and sugar, but adding oil, vinegar, and diced onion somehow works. When I was a rotten child, I picked out the onions and tried to…