The German Kitchen

A second variation of milchreis which is has slightly less fat than Milchreis I.

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 45 minutes.
Portions: 3.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/3 cup long white rice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup raisins

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This is a great comfort food for breakfast or dessert.  You will find this on German menus quite often, and kids love it. There are many slight variations, but this recipe is a good start.

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 45 minutes.
Portions: 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup short grain white rice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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OKTOBERFEST – PUBLIC INVITED.  Saturday, October 9, 2010 from 12:00pm – 5:00pm. Join us at FOREST LODGE, 11 Reinman Road,  Warren, NJ 07059, (908) 754-7300.  There’s Bernie’s Orchestra, German/American Foods, Special Performance by The Sängerchor of Clark.  The Kids will keep busy with Carnival Booths, Inflatables, and Amusement Rides.   There’s a Vendor Fair too!   Bring your family and friends!   It’s going to be a great day!!   This event will happen RAIN or SHINE!   There’s plenty of covered seating under the Pavilions throughout the park.   Admission $6.00 per person. Children under 10 years old – FREE Admission!  VENDORS WANTED! Email; Oktoberfest2010@aol.com for details.

Title: Frühlingsfest/Spring Festival
Location: Clark, NJ
Link out: Click here
Description: A day of live music, food, beer, and fun! Open to the public. Featuring the Bud Gramer Band.
Start Time: 12:00
Date: 2010-05-30

Title: Maibock Festival
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Link out: Click here
Description: The May Bock beers from Germany are in! Come in Saturday to hear live Oom-pa music, and drink the beers of the season. Begins Friday, and ends on Sunday at Zeppelin Hall in Jersey City.
Start Date: 2010-05-21
Start Time: 17:00
End Date: 2010-05-23

Also called Berliner in Northern Germany, these are tasty jelly-filled doughnuts or rounds, that are not only a staple of Faschings (Carneval), but also Silvester (New Years Eve).  While many Germans will pop into their local bakery for a fresh batch the morning of the festive day, these can also be made by hand within a few hours.

Difficulty: Moderate.
Preparation Time: 2 hours.
Portions: 2.5 dozen.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 – 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package fresh yeast
• 1 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
• 3 Tbs. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 1/2 Tbs. butter, softened
• 4 egg yolks (reserve whites, see Step 8 )
• canola oil for frying

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German restaurants typically serve various salads with a meal.  It could be as simple as Weisskraut and Mohrrüben, but there is always some colorful arrangement of vegetables to accompany the dish.  One such salad is cucumber salad.  This is a nice salad anytime of year, but would be especially nice on a warm, Spring day.

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes.
Portions: 3 – 4.

Ingredients:

• 2 large salad cucumbers (English cucumbers would work nicely)
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 2 tbs. white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbs. sugar
• salt, to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• fresh parsley
• tarragon
• fresh dill

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TEEKANNE is a brand of herbal teas from Germany.  They have a wonderful selection of unique combinations, which are hard for the tea connoisseur to resist.  My personal favorite is the Honey Vanilla Bliss.  The best thing is, you can order the teas via their US site, so no specialty shopping needed! If you haven’t tried their teas before, I highly recommend you take advantage of their free sample offer.  Simply sign up at the TEEKANNE website as a member of their Wellness Community, and enter WELLNESS as the promo code.  They will mail you a sample of your requested flavor.  Hurry though – while supplies last!

Well, 2010 is here, and it’s time to try our hand at some more German foods!  In proper Southern Germany and Austrian fashion, I cooked Schweinebraten, Kartoffelbrei, and Erbsen for New Year’s dinner.  For those of you playing catch-up, that’s pork roast, mashed potatoes and peas. The pig is considered good luck for the new year because they burrow forward in the dirt – advancing and never looking back.  The peas are symbolic of money.  I’m not sure how well it works, but we will see!

We are already planning our Summer Germany trip, which will take place the end of July, into August.  This year we are staying at a lake cabin with my in-laws for a few days.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

As always, if you have any recipes to recommend, please send them to us.  You will be credited in the post, so let’s get cooking!

Happy New Year!  Ich wünsche Ihnen ein gutes neues Jahr!

~Lisa

This is a festive holiday drink, made to serve family and friends to celebrate Christmas and New Years (Silvester).  You may also substitute the wine with a non-alcoholic version.

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes.
Portions: 2 – 3.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of red wine (750 ml)
• 4 eggs (or 8 egg yolks)
• 5 tablespoons of sugar
• one packet of vanilla sugar
• dash of cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• splash of lemon or lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Whisk the sugar into the eggs (or egg yolks) and add a little cold red wine, and then beat vigorously.
2. Add the vanilla sugar, mixing in thoroughly.
3. Add the remainder of the red wine and heat with some cinnamon, cloves, and lemon juice.
4. Just before it comes to a boil, remove the pot from the heat. Strain and let cool a bit.
5. Serve hot and foamy.

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