When Aldi German Week rolls around, my mom stocks up on Stollen Bites. But this year, someone got there before her, and there just weren’t any on the shelves when I found a recipe I had torn out of a magazine years ago I decided it was time to bake them for her (does anyone else have a file folder…
Author: karenanne
What is German Marzipan? All about this Sweet Treat
Every Christmas, a tray of Marzipan fruits that looked like miniature oranges and strawberries would arrive from Germany, and on the holiday cookie plate would be bars of German marzipan, and there were cubes of Domino Steine (square confections made from layers of Marzipan, Lebkuchen, and Jam). But marzipan is more than a Christmas treat! Germans enjoy eating marzipan year-round…
What is Schuhplattler -All About this Bavarian Cultural Tradition
Slap the Shoes and then Smack the knees with Flat Hands… Men jumping around, stomping their feet, and slapping their knees and shoes, sometimes alone, sometimes in a circle with ladies who twirl as if ignoring them. From the outside, the Schuhplattler looks like a version of crazy dance moves you might see on a street corner. However, the dance…
Smashing a few German Stereotypes – Or Just Clearing them Up
I’ve come out from behind my computer keyboard a few times lately to promote various projects, and because of this, I’m being asked some strange questions. Now, I realize that stereotypes come from somewhere… but you would think that a few of these stereotypes about German people would vanish because of their ridiculousness. Someone actually asked me if I play…
White Glühwein Recipe – Citrus and Spice and everything nice!
While on a Christmas Market Tour, I tried all sorts of warm drinks… there was Red Glühwein, Feuerzangenbowle, Punsch, Eierpunsch, and WHITE Glühwein. White Glühwein? I’d never seen that before! This mulled white wine is warm and flavorful with the addition of Cinnamon, Anise, and Allspice. And that citrus kick appeals to my Southern California upbringing. I experimented with…
A Day in Rüdesheim Germany- A Gondola Ride and Wine on the Rhine
While traveling with my daughter, she insisted we go to Ruedesheim, Germany. I had been there before on a Rhine Cruise, so I knew what to expect. Why Not? Unfortunately, we only had one whole afternoon and overnight, but we would squeeze in as much as we could. This town along the Rhein River is known for winemaking and is…
Brotzeit- The delicious Bavarian Snack and Meal
In Bavaria, as in the rest of Germany, food is essential. You need fuel to put in a hard day’s work. And it would help if you had something to soak up the alcohol in the beer (which is legally bread in Germany, but that’s another story). Grabbing a slice of toast on your way out the door will not…
German Oktoberfest Words To Help You Enjoy the Fest
Want to fit in at Oktoberfest? Use these German Oktoberfest Words, and you will sound like a local! Sure, you may not be able to manage the Bavarian accent right away. (I think that requires you to drink two or three Maß first…) But you WILL be able to order food and drink, find the bathroom, and basically navigate the…
Kaiserschmarrn Recipe – How to Make the Kaiser’s Favorite Dessert
Legend says that years ago when the Austrian Kaiser was touring the countryside, he was invited to dine with a farmer’s family. The farmer and his wife didn’t have much to feed him, so they served him this scrambled-looking pancake and named it Kaiserschmarrn. Can you just imagine the scene? I’m sure that the Austrian farmwife was planning to make…
Rübezahl! The legendary Silesian Lord of the Mountains!
I strolled down memory lane, sorting through a box of my old childhood Story Albums sent to America by my Opa. Max und Moritz, Kinder Märchen, and then a brown album with a scary brown giant on the cover, Rübezahl! I loved listening to this one as a child. (Records or vinyl, for those of you too young to remember,…