On December 4th, some Germans remember St. Barbara by placing a branch with buds in water. But what is St.Barbara’s Branch? And who is St Barbara? The Patron Saint of miners and explosives, she is still celebrated in Catholic areas, especially in the coal mining regions of Poland that were once Silesia. Who is St. Barbara? St Barbara was…
Author: karenanne
The German St Nicholas Tradition- What is St Nicholas Day?
On the evening of December 5th, children in Germany, especially in the Catholic regions, will clean their shoes and place them by the door or on the stairs, hoping that St Nicholas will come by and fill them with sweet treats and small gifts overnight. Years ago, before Christmas became a gift-giving holiday, December 6th was when children got their…
Losing a Language- How I Tried to Teach my Kids German and Failed
German was my first language. ( In fact, I sometimes joke that I could be an ESL, English as a Second Language Student, and apply for benefits.) You see, even though I was born in California, my parents are German… and had just recently arrived in the country. It’s only logical that they spoke German in the home, and I…
German Christmas Smokers -Räuchermännchen History & Where to Buy One!
German Christmas Smokers or Räuchermännchen may look like a toy or a simple decoration that goes on the mantle, but they do more; they are incense burners. Many people collect Räuchermännchen, and this Christmas decoration is pretty common in most German households (like Nutcrackers). What’s fun and collectible about these figures is the variety of Smokers. There are Santas, Brewers,…
Easy Blitz Torte Recipe-Lightening Fast Cake with Cream and Fruit
The Blitz Torte recipe came to me from my Tante Anne. It looks impressive, but despite looking “fancy,” it’s actually not that difficult to make. Sweet, tart fruit and a whipped cream filling are sandwiched between two layers of cake topped with meringue and almonds. It’s perfect for a Kaffeeklatsch. And it certainly lives up to its name—it’s LIGHTENING FAST…
German Green Bean Soup/ Gruene Bohneneintopf -Easy Delicious Meal
I love a good Eintopf.. one pot meal.. and my favorite would have to be German Green Bean Soup or Gruene Bohneneintopf. This easy and delicious meal satisfies even the heartiest of appetites. It’s loaded with Green Beans, potatoes and even beef (and a little bacon). Along with a few slices of bread, it’s the perfect meal for cool nights.…
Collectible Steinbach Ornaments for Your Christmas Tree
Every year for Christmas, my mother gives us each special Steinbach Christmas Tree ornaments. Sometimes it represents a hobby, other times, it’s a cute Santa. In this way we are amassing an amazing collection of Steinbach ornaments. The wood ornaments from Steinbach absolutely delight me from year to year, and since they are made of wood, they don’t shatter when…
Culinaria Germany – More than Just a Cookbook
Culinaria Germany might be stored on my cookbook shelf, but it is not a standard Cookbook. This encyclopedia of German food and food history contains more than just recipes. The book covers each German state, and the foods each region specializes in ( and why). This is the type of book you can read cover to cover, or you can…
Eierbecher German Egg Cups for a Soft Boiled Egg
We always had German Egg Cups in the house, I still do, because I love a Soft-Boiled Egg. I tried to order one in a restaurant once, but my mom stopped me, and told me her story about Eggs. When she first arrived in America, she and my father had breakfast in a restaurant. Mom ordered a soft boiled egg.…