We had an interesting week in the Stolze household. Last Saturday, we had a freak October snow storm which resulted in 6 inches of snow, fallen trees everywhere, and loss of electricity – for DAYS. Our town is still recuperating. Schools were closed for three days, whole sections of town were essentially boarded up due [...]
New Year’s Eve in Germany wouldn’t be the same without a large bowl of this, for even a meager gathering of 4 people. Very easy to make, and delicious. Difficulty: Easy. Preparation Time: 20 minutes. Portions: 11 cups, approximate. Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 2 cups water 750 ml bottle of dry white wine 750 ml [...]
These are traditional German Christmas cookies, but are wonderful anytime. The nice thing about these is that they are so well-known, you can find them sold through many brands right in your local grocery store. Of course, homemade is always nice – especially when giving the gift of cookies to family and friends. Difficulty: Moderate. [...]
One thing you will always find at any German bakery are butter cookies. Kids love them, and Omas always have a stash for the kiddies. They are a great staple for sweet trays around the holidays too, and can be cut into any shape you like. They are definitely one of my guilty pleasures this [...]
I just received my newsletter from German Deli advertising their Christmas in a Box Gift Boxes! It reminded me of all the wonderful items my inlaws send us around the holidays. Unfortunately, shipping things of this nature from Germany can be quite pricey for the general public. There are many things we love in our [...]
Christmas is upon us! For anyone closely linked to German culture, that means many things, but one of the top of that list is Glühwein. When we visit Germany around the holidays, everyone knows that Lisa MUST go to at least one Weihnachtsmarkt, and have at least one hot, beautiful, soulful cup of Glühwein. If [...]
Aside from being very expensive, flavored coffee creamers tend to have a lot of unpronounceable ingredients. For some, this time of year is a fine time to flavor one’s coffee. It can be comforting on a cold day, or festive with friends and family over a holiday celebration. So what to do? Make your own! [...]
This is the final installation of our Rumtopf series. The recipe is very easy, it’s the wait that is difficult! Difficulty: Easy. Preparation Time: 30 minutes. Total Time: 42 days Portions: 10. Ingredients: 2 lbs fruit (strawberries, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, raspberries, currants, blueberries, gooseberries, …) 1 lb sugar 3 cups rum
So today we are going to discuss exactly what you can place in your Rumtopf. This is a very easy lesson. You can place many fruits in there. These are the best candidates for a good Rumtopf (make sure fruits are pitted, cored, and with stems/leaves removed, if applicable): Pineapple (cut into large chunks) Cherries [...]
Rumtopf is a longstanding German tradition in which various fruits are collected and preserved in rum for months. As is the case with wines, this gets better with age if done properly. There are special pots that one can purchase to preserve and maintain the necessary conditions. Imagine my giddiness when I saw that one [...]
