The wonder of the Internet is that it allows us to connect with friends that we ordinarily might never have met. I got to know Nadia, the author of Spoonfuls of Germany. It’s easy to imagine the two of us enjoying a coffee together and talking about life and family, even though we live on opposite sides of the country.…
Author: karenanne
My Oma’s German Lemon Cake Recipe
Winter is citrus season, so the produce bins are overflowing with lemons. I love baking with citrus since the tart flavor adds a zip to the recipes, creating a nice balance with the sweetness. The best way to show it off? My Oma’s German Lemon Cake Recipe. I inherited the recipe from my mom, who got it from her mom.…
The Tale of Kunigunde von Kynast- a Silesian Folk Tale
Love this story I got from Paul Von Stache. It’s a fairy tale or folk story from Silesia (Schelsien). I had never heard it before. It sounds like an original Grimm tale, and definitely not a Disney-Happy-Ending-with-singing-Animals Story. The tale is about Kunigunde von Kynast. It took place in Kynast Castle (a/k/a Burg Kynast) in Schlesien. Here’s the story- …
The Black Forest Lodge- A Slice of Germany in America
In the 1970s travel to Germany was expensive, but my parents still wanted that German Vacation experience. So, instead of hopping on a cheap flight to Germany on Condor, they packed up the family’s green 1970 Monte Carlo with supplies and headed north to Chester, California near Lassen National Park where we would stay at a German run hotel…
German House Windows – The Finest Example of German Engineering
For the finest example of German Engineering, look no further than German House Windows. Truly, what other innovation so closely embodies German love for form, function, and cultural norms than those shiny clean windows? Think about it. German windows are designed to open inward, which means you can clean them without a ladder. This also gives you a great spot…
What is Maifest? What is a Maibaum? Germany Celebrates May Day!
Maifest celebrates the end of the long, dark winter and the beginning of warm weather and light. It’s a time of reawakening and joy! Celebrating the end of winter dates back to the Pagan times, and while the celebrations have changed a bit, there is still dancing. Cities and small villages across Germany, but primarily in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, set…
What to Bring Back from Germany or How I Overfill My Suitcase Every Time
There is a rule in my family; when you travel to Germany, you must take along a list of what to bring back from Germany for yourself, and for everyone else. Each of us has special items that we can’t live without. My mother loves her instant Schweizer Krautertee (so we always pack along 3 extra cans), and my daughter…
The Osterbaum / German Easter Tree- Make Your OWN Easter Tree
Every year during the Easter season, my mother would place a few budding branches in a vase and hang colorfully painted eggs from them. This was an Osterbaum, an Easter Tree. Some call it an Osterstrauss or Easter Bouquet since it’s in a vase. But what is an Osterbaum? Osterbaum, in German, means Easter Tree. This pretty decoration brightens the…
The Elves of Cologne -The story of the Heinzelmännchen of Köln
Once upon a time, as the legend goes, the city of Cologne was helped by a little race of creatures called Heinzelmännchen. It began simply enough; when the humans went to bed, the Heinzelmännchen came along and finished all the work left undone. The idea of Elves or Gnomes doing work while humans sleep has a long history in German…
Spoonfuls of Germany Cookbook Review- German Cooking in an American Kitchen
Spoonfuls of Germany: German Regional Cuisine To me, the title of Nadia Hassani’s cookbook, “Spoonfuls of Germany”, has two meanings. When I think of food that you eat with a spoon, I imagine comfort foods, foods your mother or Oma would make to nourish you with love; foods that fill you up and keep you warm and safe. But…