Summer is here, so it’s time for “lighter” cakes that show off summer fruits. In Germany, I’ve enjoyed the Erdbeer Biskuitrolle mostly with süße Sahne (sweetened whipped cream), some homemade Erdbeermarmelade (strawberry jam), and fresh berries rolled up inside. The vanilla cake gets its lift from eggs so that you can feel less guilty about all that cream! Fresh strawberries…
Author: karenanne
Petals of Home: Flowers in German and American Life
Flowers carry the heart of Germany and America, from Bavarian meadows to US gardens. See how they ground an expat’s life and how international flower delivery shares the love. Thanks to Rachelle for sharing this sponsored post about how important flowers are in German life. Petals of Home: Flowers in German and American Life Moving from Germany to America was…
Travel Accessories for a Trip to Germany- What I Take Along
Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy several trips to Germany for vacations, family visits, research trips, weddings, and even for business. Over time, I’ve created a list of travel accessories for a trip to Germany that I always pack. Some may seem obvious, and you probably already have them on your packing list. Others might be “extra,”…
The Legend of the Wolpertinger – Bavaria’s Horned Hare
Suppose you’re a young Bavarian man in the 1800s. You see a beautiful young woman, and you want to get to know her a little better. How do you get her to take a walk in the woods with you? You could tell her, “Let me show you my Wolpertinger.” I admit, it’s a poor pick-up line. So, what is…
German Easter Traditions, Facts and Customs- Easter in Germany!
Celebrating Easter in Germany is much more than a trip to church, an Easter Egg hunt, brunch, and a nice hat. Easter is a major holiday in Germany, and the events go beyond home and church. Preparations start well before Easter Sunday! and don’t end there. Many Easter traditions we follow here in the US and elsewhere stem from German customs.…
German Potato Soup with Smoked Sausage- Kartoffelsuppe
My mother cooked German soups and Eintopfe (One-pot meals) all winter. Soups transform simple ingredients into flavorful and filling meals. German Potato Soup with Smoked Sausage is the perfect example of this. The humble potato, the Erd-Apfel, was a side dish at almost every meal. (Boiled, fried, mashed, Klöße…) We were the only ones in our neighborhood with a special…
Karneval or Fasching- Here’s how they celebrate the 5th Season!
What is Fasching? And is it the same thing as Karneval? YES! Karneval / Fasching / Fastnacht all refer to the pre-Lent Season, the Fifth Season in German-speaking countries. Think of this time as the German version of Mardi Gras. The celebrations date back hundreds of years, rooted in Catholic and early Germanic traditions. It’s a time to let go of inhibitions…
Belsnickel A Pennsylvania German Christmas Tradition
Since the 1700s, children in Pennsylvania German country waited with anticipation for a scratching at the window to announce the arrival of Belznickl on Christmas Eve. A big man, dressed all in furs, maybe with marks of dirt or coal on his cheeks. He carried a switch and had sweets and nuts in his pockets. The children would get sweets…
Spices, Elves, and a bit of Old Magic with author Linda Raedisch
A few years ago, while researching German Christmas practices, I picked up “The Old Magic of Christmas” by Linda Raedisch. The book covers many Northern European pagan customs, so you’ll find plenty of our German Christmas customs, like Krampus, the Perchten, Frau Holle, and Knecht Ruprecht. Christmas figures I’ve gotten to know better over the years. And then I discovered…