Deutsche Weinstraße (German Wine Road)

With Spring officially here, it has me thinking of long drives in the countryside… enjoying fresh air, sunshine and flowers...and wine!

If we were in Germany, I would be planning a weekend trip along the famous Deutsche Weinstraße – an 85km stretch of road that runs through the foothills of the Palatinate forest in southwestern Germany. The Deutsche Weinstraße is famous for its many wine festivals, and Mandelblütenfest (Almond Blossom Festival) starts this month marking the first festival of the year as the almond blossoms paint the whole region in pink and white colors.

I am already driving the route in my mind…

Starting in the southernmost town of Schweigen-Rechtenbach at the Deutsches Weintor (German Wine Gate), the ceremonial sandstone gatehouse to the route (built in 1936). Traveling northward, we would stop in Dörrenbach and admire the half-timbered houses. We would revel in the beauty of Spring at the Almond Blossom Festival in Gimmeldingen (Neustadt). As we close out our weekend, we would relax in the spas of Bad Dürkheim and walk around the castle of Neuleiningen before finally arriving back in the big city Bockenheim, Frankfurt.

(sigh)…and oh yes…there would be much wine tasting the entire way!

Let me know when you are ready to leave…

Prosit Neujahr!

Happy New Year!

Sorry we missed you for Christmas - as with everyone else, this time of year kind of takes our breath (and time) away. So Merry (belated) Christmas: Fröhliche Weihnachten!

On New Year's Eve (Silvesterabend), we will practice the German tradition of Bleigießen (BLYE-ghee-sen). If you buy a Bleigießen kit (which we do), it includes pre-molded shapes of lead and a melting spoon. The practice is to melt the pieces of lead and drop the molten lead into a bowl of cold water. The resulting shape is your fortune for the upcoming year; different shapes mean different fortunes - here are a few examples:

Fish - luck; fortune
Flower - new friendship
Eyeglasses - wisdom
Heart - fall in love
Ladder - promotion; transition
Mouse - secret love
Snake - others are jealous of you
Ship, airplane, rocket - unexpected journey / trip

Yes, there are some bad fortunes, but I didn't include those. Truth be told - you can see whatever you want in your lump of lead! Make up something new...we do!

Hope your holidays have been special - filled with family, friends and memories. See you next year!

Oktoberfest!

Ah...
Fall...
and Fall (Herbst) in Germany makes us think of Oktoberfest. You can just imagine the crisp, Fall air carrying whiffs of warm gingerbread and sausages, and swarms of smiling, laughing people, with rosy cheeks and beer breath.

This Sunday (October 4th) marks the end of Germany's Oktoberfest in Munich, where over 6 million people will have consumed 1.5 million gallons of beer, 200,000 pairs of pork sausage, and 480,000 spit-roasted chickens (Hendl). Gulp!

That's not even taking into account all the potato dumplings, red cabbage and apples (Blaukohl), steamed white veal sausages with sweet mustard, sauerkraut, the ever-so-yummy warm pretzels or bread rolls (Brötchen), potato salads (hot or cold), potato soups and cheese plates that will be consumed. And don't forget desserts: steamed honey-dumplings served with vanilla sauce (Dampfnudel), apple strudel, gingerbread and sugared pancakes with raisins (Kaiserschmarrn).

You won't find many places in Texas that can offer what the 200-year old festival offers in Munich, but Fredericksburg is closer than Munich and their annual Oktoberfest STARTS this Friday (October 2nd) and runs through Sunday. (Tickets for adults are $6 and kids are only $1!). http://www.oktoberfestinfbg.com/

And next year, you won't have to travel far at all for a little taste of Oktoberfest...we'll just see you at the deli.

Schmeckt gut (and easy to make!)

Want a quick end-of-summer desert recipe? This desert is good all-year round but the sour cherries always remind me of summer.

Just mix up some Dr. Oetker's Organic Vanilla Pudding and spoon some Bende's sour cherries (with Rum!) on top and yum! You'll be saying 'Schmeckt gut' too!

What do YOU crave?

We want to know about your favorite German food(s). Was it something you grew up eating? Maybe it was something Oma used to make for special occasions or during the holidays? Or was it something you ate on a trip to Germany and haven't been able to find again?

Tell us! We'd love to hear what German foods really get your tummy rumbling...