My mother loves sweet bread made with yeast dough, especially during Easter. This year (after watching far too many episodes of the British Baking Challenge), I decided to step outside my comfort zone with a Hefezopf. Don’t be intimidated by the yeast or kneading. The dough comes together beautifully in the mixer. As for the kneading, I usually have around…
Category: German Holidays and Festivals
Playmobil for Easter- Fill the Easter Basket with Bunnies & Eggs that Last!
Playmobil 4450 Bunny Spring Workshop When filling Easter Baskets for kids, it’s nice to include something that they can enjoy playing with for a long time. Why not add a set from Playmobil for Easter? I’ve written before about my love for the high quality Playmobil toys that encourage children to use their imagination–>Playmobil Toys. Not only are they well made, and…
Steinbach Company in Germany- Still Making Erzgebirge Magic for the World
“We want to bring the Erzgebirge magic into peoples homes all over the world.” While scrolling through Facebook recently, I came across an interesting comment on the Steinbach Nutcracker fan page… it said that the Steinbach Company in Germany had been purchased, and the factory was up and running again. WHAT! I did some digging, and couldn’t find much……
What is a Zuckerhase? Learn More about these Nostalgic Easter Treats!
Every Easter, someone asks me if I remember the Rote Zuckerhase (Red Sugar Rabbit). The truth is, a Zuckerhase is new to me. I’m a child of chocolate bunnies. And I first saw one of these nostalgic treats in Berlin when I visited Germany at Easter. I did some digging since so many people have fond memories of them. There’s…
The Maschkera… Behind the German Fasching Masks
Cover photo- photo by F Delventhal courtesy flickr creative commons The Rhineland may be known for its Karneval / Fasching parades and celebrations, but go further south, to the Alpine area of Baden Württemberg, and you will find a different sort of Fasching Reveler. The Maschkera hide behind heavy carved wooden German Fasching Masks and parade through towns, making noise…
What is Oktoberfest Beer? And what makes it Special?
During the Fall months, with the arrival of pumpkin spice comes Oktoberfest beers. While they are exceedingly delicious beers, the question remains: What is Oktoberfest Beer? And what makes one beer an Oktoberfest beer and another a seasonal ale? Is it the flavor or is it the Season? And is there a special way to brew Oktoberfest Beer? It turns out…
Celebrate Karneval/Fasching with a Karneval Party at Home!
Can’t get to one of the big Karneval Fasching Celebrations? No problem! Have a Karneval Party at home! All you need is a few things to turn a regular Saturday get-together into a fun party! Since this sort of party is more common in Germany, you may have to do a bit of explaining; tell your American friends it’s a…
German Hand Blown Glass Ornaments-Delicate Christmas Gems on Your Tree
My heart broke a little bit last night when I heard the crash… a glass VW Bug ornament slipped from my hand and shattered on the wooden floor. I know, I know, they are only things… but some things have so much more value… both in emotional attachment and dollar signs. Luckily, it wasn’t one of the vintage German Hand-Blown…
Who is Knecht Ruprecht? St Nicholas’s Christmas-time Companion
So much attention is showered on Krampus this time of year that it’s surprising for many to learn that most Germans aren’t familiar with the Krampus Legend. More common throughout Germany is the Knecht Ruprecht figure. But who is Knecht Ruprecht? Is he a helper? Or a demon? And how does he fit into the St Nicholas tradition? While the…
German Straw Christmas Ornaments -To Buy or Make
German Straw Christmas ornaments have been used in Germany and Scandinavia for years. They are fairly easy and inexpensive to make, and since most people had some access to straw, they became quite common. But it’s more than that. Straw is closely tied to the symbolism of the Christ Child being born into a bed of straw. The legend of…