An Ex-expat's attempt to re-settle back into Germany, one cake at a time
Valentine's Day is upon us, and my social media feeds are brimming with romance-inducing recipes. From Keto to Paleo, via Vegan and Whole-30, there seems to be something for everyone. Unless ... unless, like me, you're simply looking for something un-restrictively indulgent and delicious, all rolled into one sinful dish. ...
New Year, new country, new resolutions. Having moved back to Germany after almost two decades in the UK, it feels more like a new adventure than a homecoming. The first step to getting used to a new place, I think, is to explore the local cuisine, from curry sausages, potatoes with most meals, to pickles in…
Being all health conscious and environmentally friendly – or, at least, trying to – we get a weekly fruit and veg box. The good thing is it’s seasonal and mostly locally grown, but the downside of this is that you end up getting fruit or veg you’re not too keen on. Like pears. Although I…
Sometimes you just need to have your cake and eat it.
For every festival in the German calendar, it seems, there is a specially shaped bread or cake. We have a special pretzel for the New Year, the Neujahrsbrezel, for Easter it’s a yeasted plait, Hefezopf, and in the run-up to Christmas we bake cinnamon stars, delicately carved Springerle and even gingerbread houses. And if there’s…
As the country is gripped by a Siberian cold wave (cue the muffled sound of real Siberians chuckling at the comparison), we crave calories. Ignore health warnings and a looming obesity crisis, our bodies tell us, forget your good intentions and instead have a slice of cake.
With Fat Tuesday, literally Mardi Gras, Christians all over the world realise that the good times are over: Lent is nigh. Forty days of penance and fasting beckon, to commemorate Jesus’ journey into the desert. Practices vary, but the complete cutting out of all animal products seems to have been a common feature in the…
It’s that time of the year again – Karneval, Fasnacht or Fasching, traditionally the celebration of the end of Winter. Kids (and adults) are getting dressed up to attend parades and parties, and cakes are fried to empty the cupboards for the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.
My mother-in-law finds European Christmas rather depressing. The darkness, the cold, the muted colours – it’s anything but Christmassy! In Chile, Christmas marks the height of the Summer: bright decorations, a few artificial pine trees as a reluctant nod towards its European roots, and a massive BBQ is all you need!
Swabians, the people living around Stuttgart, have a bad reputation in Germany. We speak with a ridiculous accent (and are regularly subtitled on TV) and we are known for our stinginess. When it comes to Swabian weddings, however, it seems that no expenses are spared. Fair enough, you might get a cheaper dress and opt…
