The tradition of Kaffee and Kuchen (cake and coffee) on Sunday afternoons is wonderfully ingrained in the culture. Traditional German Cakes and Tortes, baked from Traditional Recipes, are familiar favorites. Cakes made with real cream, fruit, chocolate, nuts, and streusel make their appearance every week mid-afternoon as a nice treat after a walk or nap. They are served with a…
Author: karenanne
Some of My Favorite Things to do; Germany… What are YOURS?
)Lately people planning vacations ask me, “What are your favorite things to do? Germany is such a big place.” My smarty-pants answer is “go into a bakery, and take a big sniff, then go into a butcher shop and do the same.” But… I don’t think many people want to spend the cost of a plane ticket to smell bread…
Where did the Easter Bunny Come From? Germany, of Course!
Have you ever wondered, “Where did the Easter Bunny come from?” The whole story of rabbits bringing eggs overnight doesn’t really make sense on the face of it. After all, rabbits don’t lay eggs, so it’s not exactly logical. It turns out that there is a very sweet story, almost a Fairy Tale, associated with the origins of the…
German Breakfast Boards for Frühstück, Abendbrot or Brotzeit
It is typical in Germany to have Abendbrot on wooden boards or Resopal (Formica), which serve as plates and cutting boards. In Bavaria, they have Brotzeit, also eaten on a board. My German family eats this way… and here in the US, my mom would often do a simple Abendbrot dinner on Sunday evenings. At Oma’s house, we each had…
What is Koch Kase? A Spreadable Cheese That Makes a Perfect Snack
When someone asked about a Koch Kase recipe, I have to admit I drew a total blank. The words are straightforward… Koch Kaese = Cook Cheese… but, I have no idea what it is. To my knowledge we never had it at home. So I did a little asking around, was given a recipe (thanks Dale), compared it to other…
What is a Monchhichi?? It’s a LOVE MONKEY!
You will recognize these toys if you were a child of the 70s and early 80s. I had one as a child, as did my sister, but I have always wondered what is a Monchhichi? Obviously, they are stuffed animals, but where did they come from? And how did they become so popular? These little Love Monkeys swept across the country,…
How to Make Leberkase at HOME! Homemade Leberkase
It was a happy day at our house when Skip shared his recipe and technique for How to Make Leberkase! Of course, nothing is easier than going to a German Butcher or German Deli and buying it, but what if you are in an area where there just isn’t one? Also, buying Leberkase can get expensive. My Oma would laugh…
What Makes Germany Special to Me- And Why I Keep Going Back!
People sometimes ask, “What makes Germany special?” or “What do I love so much about Germany?” The obvious answer is family. But it’s more than that. It’s those little things that people in Germany take for granted that we just don’t have here in the US. Some of what I miss is intangible and difficult to describe. Smells are important…like…
Herrnhuter Stern aka Moravian Star- Not a Just Holiday Decoration
A trio of Herrnhuter, aka. Moravian Stars hang in my window at Christmastime. These beautiful 26-point Stars have been a popular decoration during the Christmas Season, from the beginning of Advent until the Epiphany, in parts of Germany for almost 200 years. Moravian Stars represent the Star of Bethlehem and are hung in churches and homes, in windows, or on…