When I was growing up, my mother never made the traditional American Thanksgiving meal of big roast Turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, etc. We would have a German meal instead (which was fine by me; I’ll take a pork roast any day). Still, after being married to an American, I learned to make the American meal and incorporated a…
Author: karenanne
Schwibbogen German Christmas Light Arch from the Erzgebirge
Like many German Christmas decorations, the Schwibbogen came from the Erzgebirge. Beginning in the Middle Ages, the “Mettenschicht” was the traditional last work shift before Christmas in the Ore Mountains. In these deep, dark mines, a miner’s light kept the darkness at bay, and hanging them together along an arch would light up the cavern. The tradition of Schwibbogen, or…
Great Gifts for People Who Miss Germany
This is the time of year I get a lot of emails and messages looking for gift ideas. They go something like this: “My husband is German, and misses home”, “My daughter was an exchange student in Heidelberg, and I want to get her something to remind her,” “My wife’s Oma passed away, so the packages aren’t coming anymore”. We…
What is a Schnitzelbank- A Bench and a Funny Song
It was another one of those moments where I wondered if my family was German. But, it was yet another case of family from North Rhine Westphalia vs Midwest German-Americans. While in Wisconsin, I kept seeing a poster for the Schnitzelbank, so I asked, “What is a Schnitzelbank?“. I understand what a Schnitzelbank is. It’s a carving bench, but…
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…