Category: Northern Europe

Ulm Crooked House“ (Schiefes Haus) Sticky post
Desserts, European Cuisine, Germany, Northern Europe

A Crooked or “Schiefes Haus” in Ulm

Last September I stopped at an Italian Eiscafé at the Fishermen’s Quarter in Ulm. I was sitting there enjoying my Cherry Amaretto Ice Cream cup (scroll down for recipe) with an excellent view to the „Crooked House“ or in German “Schiefes Haus”. Besides this precarious building, I visited the Ulm Cathedral that has the highest church tower in the world! The original half-timbered house from … Continue reading A Crooked or “Schiefes Haus” in Ulm

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Halsbandsittich or Rose-Ringed Parakeet 
European Travel, General, Germany, Northern Europe

A strange sight, Parakeets make their home in German trees!

An unusual sight indeed, and that in Germany! The mild climate makes it possible that you will see little Parrots/Parakeets sitting on trees in Northern Rhineland. On the Königsallee in Düsseldorf, for example, the “Halsbandsittich” or Rose-Ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) has now become a part of everyday life. The bright green birds can be seen at feeding stations, parks and balconies and sleep on trees in … Continue reading A strange sight, Parakeets make their home in German trees!

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Apfelstrudel with vanilla ice cream Sticky post
Breads and Pastry, Cake and Torte, Desserts, European Cuisine, Germany, Northern Europe, Recipes, Vegetarian

Anneliese’s scrumptious “Apfelstrudel” or Apple Strudel

Anneliese, a former Chef at Hotel Stadt Mainz in Würzburg has given me over time some of her family recipes, this time the Apfelstrudel, which I like to present today. Whenever in Würzburg I visit my friends, the Schwarzmann girls. The sisters Margarete and Anneliese Schwarzmann and their parents (RIP) have a 100 year history in the hospitality field. They owned the Hotel and Restaurant … Continue reading Anneliese’s scrumptious “Apfelstrudel” or Apple Strudel

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

“Haushaltsschule” or Home Economics in 1900’s Germany

  In the so-called “Haushaltsschulen”, young, middle-class women were taught household skills, such as cooking, baking, sewing, handicrafts, gardening and cleaning to prepare them to be good housewives and wives. In connection with the women’s movement, 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 … Continue reading “Haushaltsschule” or Home Economics in 1900’s Germany

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Osterbrunnen, decorated Easter fountain
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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