pastry classic: black forest cake

Schwarzwaelderkirschtorte Rezept

 

as we all know, black forest cake is t h e classic German pastry, and, as German bakers insist, there is only one correct way of making it: a chocolate sponge base soaked in a high percentage alcoholic beverage called kirsch, filled with tons of sweetened whipping cream and cherries, and topped off . . . → Read More: pastry classic: black forest cake

favorite rhubarb pie

 

I believe, seasonal baking is the most delicious, and rarely is a pie more seasonal than when made with rhubarb. in fact, there is only a very short window from mid-April to mid-May when the ruby red stems can be found at farmers markets or the produce section of your local grocery store. . . . → Read More: favorite rhubarb pie

classic german pastry: bienenstich

bienenstich translates into bee sting cake and i am not certain that the translation makes any sense in English at all.  however, in my German mind, the name “bienenstich” actually fits this classic German pastry in a very meaningful way: bees and particularly wasps love it! speaking for myself however, i always felt quite . . . → Read More: classic german pastry: bienenstich

bavarian yeast rolls

one of my favorite food memory from childhood are meatless friday lunches. growing up in Bavaria meant that on a friday it was either fish or a sweet, dessert like dish for lunch. “mehlspeise” as it was called, roughly translates to “flour dish”. these would be pancakes, or the scrambled version of them called . . . → Read More: bavarian yeast rolls

citrus love

 

 

smitten with the abundance of citrus varieties during the winter months, i always hang on to pastries and desserts incorporating them as long as i can. i love the citruses’ wild scent and untamed taste, never overpowering but ever so distinct. pairing the sweet and soothing orange flavors with the wild aroma . . . → Read More: citrus love

old fashioned winter tarte

 

spiking pastries or rather the fillings thereof is certainly at the heart of German pastry baking: just think about the Kirsch, so famously giving the Black Forest Cake its prime aroma, the raisins for stollen soaking in rum at least a day or two, the ambrosial red wine and glühwein coffee cakes, and . . . → Read More: old fashioned winter tarte

spiralling into summer

 

this year, i have managed to produce a very decent cordial from elderflowers. i found the elderberry bushes tucked away in the woods behind my house. three shrubs, growing inconspicuously as part of a patch of underbrush. when i discovered them last year, i felt elated at the chance to continue this beloved . . . → Read More: spiralling into summer

sweet & tart: bavarian rhubarb pie

 

it’s the season now! it’s the time of bright fresh green in the yard, of vibrant florals dotting the flower garden, and of delicate little spikes working themselves upwards to the sun through the dark and moist soil in the vegetable patch. stubbornly bavarian in heart and mind, at times striving for independence . . . → Read More: sweet & tart: bavarian rhubarb pie

twisted

in bavaria, there is no real need for homemade pretzels. almost any pretzel you buy is superior to anything you will produce at home, especially when it comes to the crisp, salty, honey colored and distinctly sweet scented crust.

however, living on the other side of the ocean, this is a totally different challenge. . . . → Read More: twisted

sharing wisdom

earlier this year, I started sharing wisdom. i pulled out the cookbook my mother had given me when i left my original home. it is the most seasoned of my travel companions, not only in appearance, but also my closet one with many of the recipes telling stories of my journey through life. it . . . → Read More: sharing wisdom