Category: Northern Europe

Haushaltsschule 1900's Sticky post
General, Germany, Northern Europe

“Haushaltsschule” or Home Economics in 1900’s Germany

  In connection with the women’s movement – the so-called “Haushaltsschulen”, in which young, middle-class women learned household skills, such as cooking, baking, sewing, handicrafts and cleaning as later housewives and wives. Around 1900 the first textbooks for home economics were also developed. Initially, however, household training was not viewed as a profession, but rather as a preparation for marriage. But despite all reform efforts, … Continue reading “Haushaltsschule” or Home Economics in 1900’s Germany

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Osterbrunnen, decorated Easter fountain Sticky post
European Cuisine, General, Germany, Northern Europe

“Osterbrunnen”, the decorated Easter Fountains in Franconia

Decorating an “Osterbrunnen” is a German tradition of sprucing up public fountains with garlands and painted eggs for Easter. It began in the early 20th century in the Upper Franconia (Fränkische Schweiz) but also has spread to other regions. The decoration is usually kept from Good Friday until two weeks after Easter The tradition of decorating an Easter fountain is still relatively young. A little … Continue reading “Osterbrunnen”, the decorated Easter Fountains in Franconia

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Potato Mushroom soup
Austria, Germany, Northern Europe, Recipes, Soups

A Potato Soup I remember eating in Vienna

There are many versions of Potato soups, I like the one I ate in Vienna, it had “Steinpilze”, a mushroom that grows in the Forests of Europe. I wanted to re-create this soup once at home. A similar mushroom I could find were the brown Baby Bella mushrooms. Continue reading A Potato Soup I remember eating in Vienna

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Bauernkalender, German Almanac 1847 Sticky post
General, Germany, Northern Europe

A German Farmers Almanac or Bauernkalender

In a Bauernkalender weather rules, farmer’s rules, farmer’s wisdom, annual rules, daily rules, wisdom rules, animal rules, plant rules, harvesting rules, lost days, name days includes a farmer’s calendar! Experience and knowledge are handed down in the old peasant rules that are part of our cultural history! Generations of farmers and gardeners have gathered an immense amount of knowledge through expert observation of nature, which … Continue reading A German Farmers Almanac or Bauernkalender

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Forest Kindergarten, Waldkindergarten Sticky post
General, Germany, Northern Europe

A Kindergarten in the Forest

The idea of ​​the first Forest Kindergarten or Daycare in the woods comes from Scandinavia. In the mid-1950’s, a Danish woman name Ella Flatau founded the first outdoor Kindergarten. From there it spread quickly in the 1990s. There are now around 2,000 “Waldkindergarten” of this sort in Germany. These are mostly state-approved daycares, and only trained educators work here. The groups have names such as Forest Spirits, Tree Frogs or Ladybugs. Continue reading A Kindergarten in the Forest

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Ludwig II of Bavaria sleigh
General, Germany, Northern Europe

King Ludwig’s magnificent Royal Sleigh

King Ludwig II, the Bavarian king who also built the Neuschwanstein castle, was an enthusiast about sophisticated technology. A unique collection of Royal sleighs, the most important of its kind, is in the Marstall museum at the Nymphenburg castle in Munich. There you can see several Gala Carriages of the Bavarian King and the Wittelsbacher family. Ludwig was born in 1845 at the Nymphenburg castle … Continue reading King Ludwig’s magnificent Royal Sleigh

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Faschingskrapfen, German Mardi Gras donut
Austria, Breads and Pastry, Desserts, Germany, Northern Europe, Recipes

Faschingskrapfen – German Carnival Donuts

Faschingskrapfen or German Donuts are baked customarily at Fasching which is end of February. It’s the time of Carnival, and similar like Mardi Gras. The fist-sized pastries are not only found all year round in Franconia, but also in Southwest Germany, where they are called “Fastnachtsküchle”, and in Germany’s capital Berlin, the “Berliner”. The Krapfen are typically filled or injected with Hagebutte or Rose Hip … Continue reading Faschingskrapfen – German Carnival Donuts

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Pretzel sandwich
Austria, Breads and Pastry, Germany, Northern Europe, Recipes

Pretzels, almost like from the Bakery

So I’m a little proud. I can’t stop looking at the pictures of my Pretzels. Aren’t they beautiful? And they taste almost like from the bakery. Who would have thought that? Years ago, I tried to bake Pretzels and I failed miserably. Baking Pretzels, or in German “Laugenbrezel” or in Bavaria “Brezn”, seemed so complicated to me at the time that I preferred to leave … Continue reading Pretzels, almost like from the Bakery

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