It has taken a little convincing, but I finally convinced my American guy that he should wear German house shoes in the house and not just socks. Growing up in a German household, we always had house shoes that we slipped into when we came inside. These weren’t just slippers (although he got slippers, too). House Shoes have a sole…
Author: karenanne
Is Kindergarten German? Learn all about Kindergarten History!
Is Kindergarten German? YES! The “Garden of Children,” or Kindergarten, sprung from the mind of Friedrich Fröbel, based on the idea that young children are like flowers or small plants, and with the right nurturing and care, they can grow to be productive adults. His education system for young people spread worldwide, and most countries today have some form of…
The German Cookbook by Alfons Schuhbeck- My Review
The German Cookbook Recently the people at Phaidon Publishing asked me to take a look at The German Cookbook… and wow, I’m impressed. Alfons Schubeck’s collection of over 500 authentic German recipes brings together all the different regional dishes in one (heavy) comprehensive book. You won’t just find the standard Rouladen, Sauerbraten, Schnitzel Recipes that are on most German menus.…
All About Oktoberfest-Oktoberfest History,Traditions, Food & More
When summer draws to an end, it’s time to think about Fall Festivals in Germany. And the BIGGEST Fall Festival is, Oktoberfest. People from all over the world descend on Munich to celebrate this crazy fun event! And… these days, Oktoberfest celebrations are popping up all over the world. Rather than have people searching for any information they need about…
Soft German Pretzel Recipe (without Lye)
While I’ve always known that German pretzels exist, I had them at Fairs or Karneval and such; it wasn’t until I went to Munich that I discovered just how central soft German pretzels are in daily life in Bavaria. They aren’t just Oktoberfest Food. Soft Pretzels are found in the Bread Basket beside the Brötchen and Roggenbrot! BAM! That was…
D’lustig’n Wendlstoana Tanzgruppe- Keeping up Tradition with Dance
The night before GermanFest Milwaukee, we headed to the Bavarian Bierhaus to meet friends and eat delicious food. Little did we know that we would have a lovely surprise… D’lustig’n Wendlstoana Tanzgruppe was holding their dance practice in the basement, preparing for their GermanFest performance! And because my friends Rosie and Bob Forster (who is also a singer for the Freistadt…
Water Castles or Wasserschlösser in the Münsterland
As a child, I always drew my castles the same way. A medium large building with a turret on each side, completely surrounded by water. I wasn’t drawing Neuschwannstein or Burg Eltz… I was drawing the Wasserschlösser or Water Castles I remembered seeing in the Münsterland. You see, whenever we visited my Oma and Opa, we always visited their Castle,…
When is the Oktoberfest in Munich? It’s in September!!
Germans are notoriously precise with their speech, after all, this is the language that gave us words like Schwangerschaftverhütungsmittel (Pregnancy Preventing Remedy) and Dudelsack (A bag that makes a doodling sound, aka Bagpipes), so it’s incredibly confusing to so many people OUTSIDE Germany that Oktoberfest does not start in October. So, when is the Oktoberfest in Munich? It’s in September!…
German Sour Cherry, Chocolate, and Cognac Gugelhupf Cake
This Sour Cherry, Chocolate, and Asbach cake deserves a spot on your dessert table. It’s moist and sweet, with a bit of a bite from the sour cherries and richness from chocolate. And the Asbach? The cognac adds flavor without an overwhelming alcoholic taste. (For those of you worried about serving alcohol … it should bake off in the oven.)…