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…
Author: karenanne
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…
German Pickle Ornament Story- How did the Green Pickle Ornament Tradition Start?
It’s time to discuss the German Pickle Ornament Story and shatter the myth once and for all. Germans Don’t Hang Pickles in their Christmas Tree. I know, I know… someone told you it’s a REAL GERMAN TRADITION And maybe your Oma hung a pickle on her Christmas Tree… But the truth is, the Christmas Pickle Ornament Tradition is no more…
Libby, a Second Generation German American
Last night I got an email from Heidi, who passed along this wonderful essay by her daughter Libby, on what it means to grow up a second generation German-American. I loved it so much, I had to share (thanks for the permission Libby!!). I know that my kids have had so many of the same experiences. It’s my…
Escape from GDR / Flucht aus der DDR- The History of the Berlin Wall
On August 13, 1961, construction began on the Berlin Wall. For too many years East and West were divided by a Wall that surrounded East Berlin. The Wall separated families and friends, and kept people essentially locked up. Granted, not everyone hated being in the East, but many wanted to escape what they considered to be a prison. The…