My One-of-a-Kind Dirndl from Rare Dirndl My mother was visiting when the big box from Rare Dirndl arrived. She couldn’t wait to see what was inside, so we tore off the wrapping… and then I lifted the lid and pulled back the tissue. Inside was my special one-of-a-kind Dirndl from Rare Dirndl. Over the years I’ve purchased a few Dirndls,…
Category: Celebrating German Culture in America
Prime Day Deals for your German-American Home
It’s Amazon Prime Day/s, which means some interesting deals on all sorts of amazing products. I did some digging, and it turns out, Amazon has loads of Prime Day deals for your German American Home! Knives, a Spätzle maker, a Raclette oven, Brotzeit boards, language learning tools, Travel Adaptors, Puzzles, and more. Check out the assortment of goodies I found…
South Dakota Kuchen Recipe- A Volga German Legacy
The South Dakota Kuchen recipe sent me on a deep dive through two of my favorite topics… German Immigration History and Food. (I bet you can tell, I’m lots of fun at parties) I can already hear all the Germans saying… “Kuchen means Cake”! And yes, generally, when speaking German, if you say Kuchen, you mean non-specific Cake. But THIS…
What is a Volksmarsch? Walking for Fun, Friendship and Fitness
Germans love to walk. Maybe a short walk to aid digestion, or walking instead of driving to the local market to pick something up, and of course, a Sonntagsspaziergang (Sunday Walk) was a weekly thing, generally through a botanical garden or local scenic area. Germans also love to be organized. That’s why it really comes as no surprise to me…
What is a Turnverein? How do Turners fit into American History?
When I told my mother I that my latest research was a deep dive into the Turner Movement, she said “OH! Vater Jahn! Your Opa did gymnastics with the Turners!” Although Freiderich Ludwig Jahn basically invented gymnastics in Germany around 100 years before my grandfather was born he’s still spoken of with reverence by many because of his teachings- democratic…
Grünkohlsuppe Recipe from an American Kitchen- German Kale Soup
In Northern Germany Grünkohl or Kale comes to the table quite often in winter. (I was eating Kale WAY before Kale was cool). People will even make a Grünkohlfahrt (giggle), which is a strenuous hike followed by a traditional meal of Kale. My mother’s kitchen was German, that meant WE ate a lot of Kale too. But I grew up…
German Good Luck Symbols- We Could All Use a Little Luck
In Germany, especially around Christmas and the New Year you see them everywhere… Toadstool ornaments, Chimney Sweet figures, Marzipan Piggies with coins or 4 Leaf Clover in their mouths. These German good luck symbols didn’t just come out of nowhere… they all have history and legend to explain why they are lucky. Some luck charms go back to Pagan times,…
Christmas Traditions from Germany that are Celebrated in America
No one does Christmas like the Germans, so it’s no great shock that many Christmas Traditions from Germany found their way to America. You can imagine it, can’t you? Prized ornaments wrapped in paper and safely tucked into suitcases next to hand written recipes for Stollen and Lebkuchen. Memories of celebrating German Weihnachten connecting them to home. It’s interesting to…
German Side Dish Ideas for Thanksgiving Dinner
When I was growing up, my mother never made the traditional American Thanksgiving meal of big roast Turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, etc. We would have a German meal instead (which was fine by me, I’ll take a pork roast any day). Still, after being married to an American, I learned to make the American meal, and incorporate a…