You walk into a German Gasthaus, Wirtschaft, Restaurant, or Biergarten, and you see it! The perfect table! Close to the Bar, the proper distance from the bandstand, and the perfect conversation spot. You make a beeline, delighted to rest your legs after a long day of touring. Then you see it: the sign above the table, “Stammtisch.” You know that…
Author: karenanne
German Cuckoo Clocks- A Symbol of the Black Forest
German Cuckoo Clocks are a symbol of the Black Forest. We had a small one in our hallway when I was a child… and I remember watching it closely to see when it would open up to “Cuckoo!” (I’d giggle EVERY TIME!) And who can forget the Von Trapp children singing, “Up in the Nursery, an absurd little bird is…
German False Friends List- German words that SOUND like English
Sometimes, you hear a word in German, and you are certain that you know the meaning, even if you’ve never heard the word before. It makes perfect sense that the word Banane means Banana. And then, sometimes, you hear a German word that sounds English, but the meaning couldn’t be more different. The most obvious of these “False Friends” is…
How to Make Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce/Jägersoße
This post for Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce (Huhnerschnitzel mit Jägersoße) was written by my daughter Katy who is following the Stay at Home order alone in the Bay Area. Luckily, she inherited her Oma’s ability to cook! She also knows how to use what she already has in her kitchen to make a delicious meal. As I have been…
Heidi Girl of the Alps- From Switzerland to Japan to Germany
Was that the sound of an Alpenhorn? And a trilling flute! Time for Heidi Girl of the Alps! For many of us in the 1970s, those sounds pulled us away from play time, and we raced to the TV room ready to watch Heidi, Peter, Clara, the goats, and of course Grandfather. It wasn’t until years later that I made…
What is the Vogelhochzeit? It’s a song to Welcome Spring!
Germans love to sing, and they especially love their folk songs. One of my favorite German Folk Songs is the Vogelhochzeit. In German School, I loved singing the fi-de-ralala part over and over. And with so many verses, the song can go on longer than the Twelve Days of Christmas! (I have a feeling that’s why my German School teacher…
German Girl in America Book Corner- Books about Germany
The first printed book was in German, and Germany publishes about 94,000 titles per year. It’s no wonder I love to read! It’s in the genes! And I love recommending books. (I should have become a librarian.) Since getting all of you in my house for Book Club could be tricky, I created the German Girl in America Book Corner.…
German Easter Nest Tradition- From Germany to Texas
My friend Chuck grew up in Yorktown, Texas, about an 1 ½ hours south of New Braunfels (the heart of German Texas), where his great great grandfather Johann Jost settled in 1848 after leaving Womelsdorf, Germany. Much of his family is still there. Because of the pandemic stay-at-home order, his sister is sorting through Afflerbach family history, and recently came…
How to Watch German Movies and German TV in the US
I‘m frequently asked how to watch German movies or TV shows here in the US. Generally, I turn to MHz or slip a German DVD into my multi-region player. But that’s just a tiny percentage of the German Programming available to us here. YouTube, apps, and certain websites make watching German TV easier than ever. (Even Tatort!) The availability is…
Saxon Prasselkuchen with Puff Pastry- A Simple and Sweet Treat
I love Streusel, so I spent much of my childhood devising ways to snitch Streusel off of the Apfel Kuchen/Kirsch Kuchen/Mohn Kuchen that my mother baked for Sunday Kaffee. I also love Blatterteig (Puff Pastry), which is flaky, buttery, and crisp, so good. So a few days ago, I came across a recipe for Prasselkuchen, and I had to…