One of my favorite candy treats is Erfrischungsstäbchen, Orange Lemon Filled Chocolates. They aren’t as well known as many German Chocolates, but I always made it a point to bring home a few boxes when I went to Germany. Luckily, the world keeps getting smaller, and now Erfrischungsstaebchen are available in America! ErfrischungsstäbchenGermanShop24 For those of you who’ve never…
Author: karenanne
German Shield Charms – Collect Memories on a Bracelet
Some people collect spoons, other collect patches or post cards; still other people collect beer steins. I don’t know when it began, but somewhere in my childhood I started collecting German Shield Charms for a charm bracelet. These special little charms are all painted with a place name, and then enameled. I fasten mine on to a silver bracelet that I…
German Unity Day Movies- Remembering The Berlin Wall in Film on Oct. 3
We do love Movie Night in our home. I was thinking, since October 3rd is German Unity Day, why not watch movies that show what it was like before the Wall came down and after of German Unification? These German Unity Day Movies are a fascinating time capsule of sets and clothing. And they also give a little insight into…
Sandwiches in Waxed Paper-German School Lunch in an American Cafeteria
In the school cafeteria in the 1970s, I always felt different from everyone else. Mom packed my school lunch for me almost every day, and I loved these lunches, but it’s amazing how different mine were from the kids around me. You see, although I had a Scooby Doo lunchbox like the other kids, the contents were worlds apart. The…
German Restaurants in America- Also Bakeries, Delis and Online Sources
Ever wonder “Are there any German Restaurants near Me?” Readers have kindly sent me the names of their favorite German Restaurants in America, as well as German Bakeries, Delis and Online Sources. It looks like we will all be able to eat Rouladen, Bratwurst, Brötchen and Torte as we make our way across America. And now we’ve even added German…
Growing Up a German Girl in America
Eating Salami in a Peanut Butter World… Hi, I’m Karen, the voice behind German Girl in America, I was born in California, but my heart has always been in Germany. You see, my parents are German, and emigrated to the US in the 60’s to start a new life. Fortunately for me, much of the life they thought they’d left…
Gulaschsuppe- My Mother’s Authentic German Goulash Soup Recipe
My mom used to make this authentic German Goulash Soup Recipe in Winter when things cooled off. Her savory soup is perfect with a slice of rye bread and butter. It’s not as thick and hearty as regular Goulash but warms you to your bones. Of course, Mom used the “pinch of this” and “palm full of that” method of…
Nutella, My Opa and the Care Packages
Nutella and Opa – One quick glance at my backside, and you will see that my love affair with that sinfully, chocolatey, delicious hazelnut spread has gone on for a long time. REALLY long time. My parents emigrated to America from Germany in the 1960’s, shortly before I was born. They left everyone behind, and headed for the promised land…
East German Sweets… A Trip Down Memory Lane?
East Germany Sweets Box GDR with licorice Most of my family was lucky enough to escape the East before it was closed off. We heard stories about how difficult it was to get things. My Opa would send packages to those stuck behind… packages filled with luxuries like coffee and tea that couldn’t always be found there. So when I…
Where to Order Your Favorite German Christmas Chocolates
I grew up with German Christmas Chocolates. That smooth, rich, delicious taste that melts on my tongue. Mmmmmmmm. When I was a child, my opa would send care packages from Germany at Christmas and again on our Birthdays—large packages wrapped in brown paper tied with string. When you opened the packages, the smell… I still remember the smell… it smelled…