<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<> GERMAN GOODIES <>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>
December 14, 2008

Discover German-American heritage, recipes and culture .
http://www.kitchenproject.com/german/
Stephen Block
stephen@kitchenproject.com


Springerle

(Anise Cookies)

MohnPilen

a special Christmas Tradition in remembrance of my Margrit's mother




other recent newsletters
Nov 5 | Nov 6 | Nov 13 | Nov 19

Nov 26 | Dec 5 | Dec 9

Dec 11



 


Kitchen Projects     Recipes From a German Grandma    Do you have a German Name?      German Music      German Online Shop


 


Guten Tag,
I am your host
Stephen Block

Our Family
Cookbook

Recipes
from a
German Grandma

read more here



 

 

German Music
Listen to the Chicken Dance
and more!

 

 

Do you have a German Name?

How did German  folks get their names?

Plenty of time still....

Our Gift Wrapped Cookbook
with
Special Goodies
Package
3 Vanilla beans, Vanilla sugar, 5 vintage 1920's
German postcards, Bonus CD with step by step
recipes with pictures.

More Information and Pictures of this Special

We send it out priority mail
same day you order to get there for before Christmas.

Order Here
Same Day Shipping Priority Mail

Ohh yes plenty of time still

To order just the cookbook go here

___________________________________________________________

Christmas Sale!
Save shopping online at the German Deli
View the Christmas Specials

 

I thought this was a nice video of the
Christkindlesmarkt in Nürnberg 2007

___________________________________________________________

 

Guten Tag!

 

 

Springerle

Go to recipe
with step by step pictures

A Short History of Springerle

The word springerle, comes from the old German dialect meaning "little knight." Springerle cookies were made for hundreds of years and some of the earliest molds found in Switzerland date back as far as the 14th century. The molds used to make springerle were usually carved from wood or made of clay or metal.

Biblical scenes were some of the earliest images portrayed in springerle and were used to educate those who couldn't read or write.

Eventually, other scenes were carved and the cookies soon reflected images of holidays, events and scenes from every day life.

The cookies were also used to celebrate births, weddings and used as betrothal tokens. Exchanging springerle during the holidays was a common practice very much like we exchange cards today.

These are cookie molds from Germany over 100 years old. They belonged to my grandmother. I keep up the tradition of making springerle now.

Go here to make Springerle with me with step by step pictures.

 

_________________________
To order a Springerle Rolling Pin

_______________________________________________________

Christmas in Australia
with the Cleall's

was touched by this story from Margrit in Australia,

 

Margrit's family still has a real Tannenbaum, with traditional white candles.

My beautiful Mum, Gitti, made this every Christmas
for the past 55 years. She sadly passed away on 16th April this year (2008) and it will be our first Christmas Eve without her.

My sister, brother and I were all born in Australia, but our German traditions
are very strong - we always have a fresh pine Christmas tree with proper, original German clip-on candle holders with white candles on the tree, and real Lametta. We still have some of my Mum's original German Christmas Tree decorations that she brought out from Germany, 55 years ago.

Here is the recipe for this wonderful dessert their grandmother made called Mohnpilen

Berliner Mohnpilen

.

(This is my Mum's version that I jotted down ages ago,


1 lb finely ground poppy seed
Cover completely with water and boil
Add water & 1 litre milk & 1 cup sugar
200g almond slivers (chopped almonds) – NOT ground
1 lb sultanas or raisins and stir whilst boiling
1 ½ pkts morning coffee biscuits (crushed)
Add extra milk if dry – (boiled milk)
Cool and refrigerate

My mother also lived in Berlin and the Berliner Mohnpilen are a favourite there. It doesn't feel like Christmas without my Mum's chilled Mohnpilen topped with a dash of brandy.

Mohnpilen is "an acquired taste" kind of recipe as the little poppy seeds can get caught in your teeth, but its worth it! We buy our poppyseeds already ground -
but you do have to hunt for them in specialty delicatessens.

We dish out the Mohnpilen into smallish bowls and add a dash of brandy and eat with a spoon! The Mohn
is cold and refreshing and the brandy adds a little kick. We serve our Mohnpilen with coffee and with
our Stollen and all our other German sweets, after our main Christmas Eve dinner of roast duck, roast
turkey, red cabbage, green beans and roast potatoes and pumpkin.



Thank you to Margrit for granting me permission to add this to the newsletter.

 

 

 

Recipe Requests

Date Cookie and Neeselrode

Hi Stephen,

There was a particular cookie (I think German) that I would like to find though. It was a large chewy cookie, with dates as I recall, and a simple vanilla type frosting on the top. Does it sound familiar? Also, lost my nestlerode?? recipe if you have one.

Ann in cold upstate NY!!

AnnYMoot@aol.com

__________________________________________________

 

Fierdin

Hey Stephen ..
Have you ever seen a recipe for Fierdin, or heard anything about it? I have
no idea if that's how it's spelt, but that is how my grandmother pronounced
it. I've done numerous searches on google with multiple spellings tring to
find any info on it. It's very similar to the Dutch aebelskivers, made in
the cast iron pan, but the fierdin has yeast in it whereas the aebelskivers
don't. I've belonged to many German clubs & genealogy groups, but have
never run across anyone who is familiar with the fierdin, made typically at
Christmas. Just curious.
many thanks..

Heide

heidej@goetsch.com

___________________________________________________

Rutebega Soup

Guten Tag Steven
Ich suche nach einem recept fuer rudebager suppe meine Grossmuter machte diese suppe im winter.

Im voraus herzlichen Dank
Karl Heinz Schulz
janiceschulz@bellsouth.net

___________________________________________________

A Ffruit Pastry?

Years ago I had a german recipe
you made the pastry
and then rolled the pastry out on the board and left it flat
and filled it with mixed fruit sprinkled it with sugar
i dont know what it was called i have lost the recipe for it
i am going back about 32years ago
and i have just misplaced it -it was the best sweet pastry i ever tasted after it was cooked
could you help me with this recipe or if you know any one that might be able to help me
oh, i.forgot to put in that when i finished making it
you leave it flat then you.turn the two sides over and the top and bottom of the pastry over as well and put it in the oven for about i.hour or until cooked
could you email me back

Joan Dodd

joandodd1@bigpond.com

___________________________________________________

Lima Bean Recipe

Several months ago I wrote requesting a baked lima bean recipe from anyone who was or is located in the Ostfriesland area of Germany from which my Mother came from. I am assuming that her recipe may be one commonly used in that area. I have tried various recipes using dried limas (which she started with) but nothing approaches the fantastic flavor she had in her baked beans. I am repeating my request hoping that someone may recall a particular recipe which I might try. Thank you.

William Morell

onyxm7051@verizon.net


___________________________________________________

herring salad

Hello,

I am looking for a herring salad recipe that probably originated in Swabia, near the little mountain town of Markgroeningen; it was given to me by Ilse Berta Mechtling, who went to the university in Stuttgart and came to this country as a Fulbright scholar in the late 1950s or early 1960s.

The recipe from Ils does not call for veal, as does Irma Rombauer in her 1950 Joy of Cooking. Beets are optional, as I recall. I would appreciate any help you can give.

Kyle Noble
Independence, VA

geronimo@sitestar.net

___________________________________________________

oxtail soup


When I was stationed in Germany with the British army I became very fond of the oxtail soup served in many of the local gasthof. Could you tell me where I can get the recipe.

I have now tried all the schnitzels in your newsletter, they are really tasty.

best regards

David Hughes

Dhughes42@aol.com

___________________________________________________

Almond Paste

Hi Stephen, I would like to try some recipes that have Almond Paste in them.
Thank you, Linda
auntlin@mts.net
auntlin@mts.net

___________________________________________________
black forest cake

i'd like a recipe for a black forest cake. can you help?

emily ellia

emilyandsammy@yahoo.com

___________________________________________________

Herring Salad

I would dearly love a recipe for Herring Salad as my Mom made it for
years. She is now deceased and I never asked for the recipe. Got all the
others, Springerle, Hefekranz, Spritzgebak, Roladen, Sauerbraten ohne
Gingersnaps. I do remember something about Milch Herring. Where do I
find that and what is it? She also added pickles, left over roast veal
(?), potatoes, apples, onions und was noch? We always had this for New
Years Eve. Frohliche Weihnachten und Danke Schon.

Heidi Franklin

Heidi.Franklin@comcast.net

___________________________________________________

Bami

When I lived in Germany I had a little take-out restaurant called frittenbude, where people get home cooked fast food meals. There I served also the Schnitzels which you had in your last newsletter.
But now my question is I served a dish there called BAMI and it is a Holland dish not a German one. I try to buy them over the Internet but either it is to expensive or they don't ship it to the UNITED STATES.
here is what I can tell you about it and I tried to make my own but it didn't worked out so far.
it is a slice looking breaded thing with noodles and beef and vegetables inside.you deep fry them and then you can eat it.If you have an idea how to make them and get the recipe for it that would be great.

This is a challenge,

love your work
thanks a lot

Sabina
SabinaB102468@aol.com

___________________________________________________

Sauerkraut with Pineapple


Recently my husband and I had dinner at our local German Restaurant during Octoberfest. The kraut they prepared was made with pineapple as an ingredient. Can you reproduce such a recipe.

Jean,
Dje3113@aol.comDje3113@aol.com



______________________________________________

 

Some Nice German Music
I really have come to enjoy youtube.
You can find all kinds of German music there.


My German Music Page

 

Some of my Favorite German Christmas songs,,

Click on to only one video at a time...
Or they all play

Ursprung Buam -
A urige Weihnacht

 

 

Hansi Hinterseer
Winterwunderland 2008

 

Heintje -
Meddley of Christmas songs

Nena singt Weihnachtslieder  

 

 

Here is a medley of all these songs

stille nacht

oh du fröhliche

oh tannenbaum

weihnachtslieder

Artist unkown.

 

Classical Christmas

________________________________________

 

Helmut Lotti -

 

Oh Tannenbaum 2007

 

Gloria In Excelsis Deo 2007

The First Noel

____________________________________________

 

 

Declan Galbraith

German Christmas song ARD 2007.12.01

Anna Maria Kaufmann Singt Emme

_____________________________________________  

Anna Maria Kaufmann

Sings White Christmas in German

Weisse Weihnacht, White Christmas 2008

 

- Süßer die Glocken nie klingen 2007

 

_______________________________________________

 

The Hubn Bubn Polka Band

I LOVE these guys!!!
Schmect gut!

The Line Dance Polka


This song isn't Christmasy but it is just pure fun and footstompin.

Thank you Renate

Bayernhymne

the Bavarian National Anthem

With pictures of Bavaria
(Thank you Renate)

 

English Translation

Bayernhymne

God be with you, land of the Bavarians,
German soil, fatherland!
Over your wide area
Rest His merciful hand!
He shall protect your meadows,
Shield the buildings of your towns
And preserve you the colours
of His sky, white and blue!
God be with you, people of Bavaria,
that we, to our fathers' worth,
fixed in harmony and peace
build our own fortunes!
That with bonds of German brotherhood
Everyone may see us united
And the old splendour stands the test
our Banner, white and blue!

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of my Favorite German Chirstmas songs that I grew up with.

Hansi Hinterseer

Kling Glöckchen klingeling

at the
Lieder zur Weihnacht 2007

 


Julie Andrews
sings from the "Sound of Music"

My Favorite Things
in English

The Sound of Music in German
(Meine Lieder, Meine Träume)
Price $11.00



Roland Kaiser sings

Manchmal möchte ich schon mit dir

Roland Kaiser

Carol Kupser wrote me and asked if I had heard of Roland Kaiser.

What a wonderful voice reminds me a bit of Englebert Humperdink

Order CD here

Es Hatten drei gesellen
Hear Erich Sing this song

Erich Kunz

Order CD

is a wonderful singer with a deep beautiful voice that makes the German language so beautiful.

I grew up listening to these wonderful songs

Shop for German Music

Fun tools to help you with making sauerkraut

Weston Brand Cabbage Slicer

This is great way to make quick work out of lots of cabbage.

I use a smaller one called a Mandoline

 

Here is what I use a lot. It is called a Mandoline
Oxo products are always good!

Oxo Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer 

 

J.A. Henckels Four Star 2-Piece Chef's Set

J.A. Henckels International Classic Forged 7-Piece Stainless-Steel Knife Set with Hardwood Block

 

Oktoberfest Time
Einz..Zwei....Zuffa!!!!

Oktoberfest CD

This is a nice CD for that Oom Pah fun German party music. An excellent choice for a German party or to get that Gemütlichkeit spirit goin!

More Links and Recipes

Sauerbraten
How to make this classic dish, from our cookbook

Bratwurst
How to cook bratwurst, recipes with bratwurst, mustards, relishes, side dishes and it's history.

Kuchen
Apfelkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen and others that use the sweet dough crust. A true German favorite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to receive our
German Goodies Newsletter?

Name :
Email :

We Keep your email address private
 

Alles Gute!

Stephen Block

 

 

 


 

E-Mail The Webmaster stephen@kitchenproject.com
© 1998-04The Kitchen Project 

Last updated December 14, 2008