New Year's Eve Tradition: Dinner for One

Dinner for One is a New Year's Eve tradition in Germany. It is actually from British TV, but it is played on several German TV stations at different times during the evening. This video has a 2 minute introduction in German, before the actual show begins.

Signs of Weihnachten: Weihnachtsbaum

According to the custom of Magda's family, we decorated our Christmas tree the morning of Christmas Eve. Once again we went with the straw ornaments, some of which Magda and her sister made as kids. Plus a few Santa Claus ornaments made of oyster shells by friends from Hilton Head. The lights are real beeswax candles. Of course this was on a real tree. Artificial trees are not unknown here, but there use seems restricted to businesses and not in the homes.

While a few people put up their Christmas trees earlier in the month, a most seem to wait like we do. In fact many of the stands that sell Christmas trees didn't even open until the beginning or middle of last week. Often these stands are run by a family that grows the trees on their farm in the Eiffel. They cut their crop of 50 or 100 trees, bring it into town and sell it out in a couple of days.

The tree stays up at least until after Jan. 6th, the "Tag der Heiligen Drei Könige"(day of the three kings). Some will keep them until Lichtmess on Feb. 3rd. Traditionally in addition the Christmas tree, "Krippen" (nativity scenes) are also taken down on this day.

Signs of Weihnachten: Weihnachtsmarkt

We lit candle number four on the advents wreath on Sunday. That means there won't be any more Sundays before Christmas.

We did take a little time out on Saturday to visit a Weihnachtsmarkt. Last year, we had heard from a neighbor that Ahrweiler had a pretty and pleasant market that was worth a visit. Ahrweiler is a small town on the Ahr river about 30-45 minutes from us. The Ahr river is Germany's northern most wine  region. It is know for it's red wines that rarely get exported, being mostly bought up by folks from Bonn or Cologne that visit on week-ends. We use to hike here quite a bit, but it had been several years since we were here. And I don't recall spending much time exploring Ahrweiler.

So it was with some surprise that we discovered this well-persevered town. There is still a defensive wall around the town, a legacy of medieval times that has been restored and/or rebuilt. Inside the wall are pedestrian only streets with half-timbered houses on either side.

The main part of the market was in the marktplatz with Ahrweiler's the Gothic church St. Laurentius providing a backdrop.

The Ahrweiler Weihnachtsmarkt is a week-end only market, so it does attract the kinds of crowds that markets in the larger cities attract. This was locals and people on a week-end getaway enjoying the day shopping the stores in the town, checking out the booths in the market, and having a glass of glüwein while standing by a fire and chatting with friends. It was a pleasant atmosphere.

The other nice thing about this market is that a number of the booths were selling local or handcrafted products. So often, Weihnachtsmarkts are filled with people selling the same products that you can buy in the store, and often without much of a discount. There just are not enough handcrafters to handle all of the Weihnachtsmarkts that have sprung up in the last few years. Ahrweiler had enough to be interesting.

Signs of Weihnachten: Getting in the Mood

Last Sunday we lit the third candle on our Advent wreath. One more candle to go. I suppose that should be a pretty good hint that Christmas is comming.

We also brought out the Christmas pyramid this week and got some candles. That are a couple of videos of the pyramid in action that I've attached to the end of the blog entry.

Magda's tradition is to put up the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. That is not a problem this year since her school doesn't let out until the 23rd this year. I can't imagine that we would try to put one up much before then anyway.

But I have to say that the thing that has done the most to make me become aware of the upcoming holidays was the purchase of some tea last week. Of course, we are not talking just any tea here. We talking about Weihnachts tea. This is a black tea (Ceylon) with cinnamon, orange peel and almonds added to give the taste and smell of the season. Weihnachts tea is a long-standing tradition here in Germany and also in Great Britain this time of year. It is funny how the taste or smell of something can make you more aware of an event than all the things you see around you.

 

 

Signs of Weihnachten: Starting the Countdown

This year the real countdown to Weihnachten started on November 28, the 4th Sunday before Christmas. The custom is to set up a wreath with four candles. Each Sunday leading up to Christmas, a new candle is lit. This picture was taken last Sunday, the second Sunday of Advent.

This is also the week-end that the house exteriors were decorated. Since this is a neighborhood with a lot of apartment buildings, mostly this involved placing lights in the windows. But some people do go a bit further that that. But by comparison to the US, the decorations are pretty tame.

December 1 begins another count down. That is for the advents calendar. Typical Advents calendars involve a narrow cardboard box that can be hung on a wall. There are 24 numbered doors in the box. Each day, one of the doors are opened to reveal a treat. Once all the doors are opened, it is Christmas Eve.

Our Advents calendar this year is a little different. We slide out a piece of marzipan each day from the bottom, revealing a new fact about Weihnachten printed on the inside of the box. And, oh yeah, leaving us with a piece of marzipan to enjoy.

December 6 was Saint Nicholas Day. Saint Nicholas lived during the 3rd century in present day Turkey. A child of wealthy parents who died while Saint Nicholas was still quite young, he used his wealth in secret gift-giving to deserving people. So today, kids in Germany wake up on December 6th to find small gifts (typically sweets) at their front door. Actually not just kids find gifts. People will door small gifts at the door of friends that have helped them through the year. We actually took a Saint Nicholas run the evening of December 5th to drop off some bags of cookies at the door of 3 such friends.

Signs of Weihnachten: September thru middle of November

Thought it might be interesting to take a look at the build up to Weihnachten (Christmas) that we are experiencing here. To do that though, it is necessary to go back a couple of months. The first signs of Weihnachten started showing up in early September this year. That was when the grocery stores here put up big displays of Christmas cookies, candies and cakes. Lebkuchen (Germany's gingerbread), zimtsterne (cinimmon stars). spritz cookies, and, of course, stollen began filling the shopping carts of Germany.

Groceries followed in early October with displays of baking goods. This was combined with advertisements about the importance of starting your Weihnachten baking early. The things offered for baking are truly amazing, and they are in even the cheapest of grocery stores. Hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, blocks of marzipan, melting chocolate, pre-made spice mixes for lebkuchen and spekulatius, hirschhorn (an ingredient for springerle), pre-made marzipan cookie decorations to made just a few of the items.

The department stores got into the act in mid-October putting up their displays of Weihnacten decorations.

Mid-November, began the big push of table decorations. Holiday themed table clothes, napkins and other decorations hit the market, as well and opportunities to buy new vine glasses, tableware, and dishes for the holiday table.

Five weekends before Weihnachten, the Weihnachtmarkts opened. In Koblenz, the Weihnachtmarkt is located in three marketplaces in the Altstadt (old part of town). It seems more about food and the sale of manufactured items, than about individuals selling handmade items that was the basis for the tradition. But still it brings some light and fun to the town in the evening at a time when it is getting dark at 4:00 pm. Plus there are an occasional shop that offering the kind of handmade items that you expect to find.

Germany's November Bird

Although it is a relative recent addition to the German menu, Germans do like turkey. It is however not often roasted as a whole bird. Happily, we are able to buy whole turkeys in the groceries this time of year. Also everything that is needed for the trimmings, including the dreaded cranberry. But I think this is because there are enough Americans (and curious Germans) living here to create a market at this time of year.

For Germans when it comes to roasted poultry in November, the bird of choice is goose. From the end of October you see frozen goose being offered in the grocery stores. Butcher shops ofter the ability to order a fresh goose. Restaurants have been advertising goose dinners. This reaches a climax each year on November 11th, put does continue through the end of the month.

One reason for this tradition dates back to the 4th century B.C. St. Martin day is November 11th. Legend has it, that upon hearing that he was to become the Bishop of Tours, St. Martin hid in a goose barn because he felt himself unworthy of the honor. However the honking of the geese gave St. Martin away. So the goose has been associated with St. Martin. There is an alternate legend to explain the association of the goose to St. Martin. According to this legend, a goose made so much noise during a service that St. Martin held that it annoyed the saint. As a result, that goose ended up on the table that evening.

In the 6th century, several things came together to secure the goose a place on the table for November 11. First it had become the beginning of 7 weeks of fasting between St.Martins day and Christmas. So a good meal was important. Second and perhaps related, November 11th had become the end of both the financial and farming year. So at this time of year, livestock that would not make it through the year was slaughtered and preserved. Geese would never be so plump as at this time of year. Peasants had to pay 10% of their production to the landlord. What they ate beforehand would not be counted. Still the landlords were receiving an abundance of geese that would not survive the winter. But as it was the end of the financial year as well, the laborers and handmaidens were dismissed on this day and new ones hired for the next year. Landlords would give the dismissed employees a goose as a gift. All this conspired to make a lot of geese available for the November 11th table.

We did have goose one evening at a restaurant in Badenweiler. The traditional trimmings served in Germany with the goose are rotkohl (red cabbage). klöse (potato dumplings), apple sauce and roasted chestnuts. The spätburgunder (pinot noir) was a nice accompaniment.

First Time in Germany

Emily, a friend and former colleague, was on a business trip to Frankfurt last week. Her meetings took place over two days in the hotel at the Frankfurt airport. She didn't even leave the hotel/airport over those two days. But thanks to the cancellation of a third day of meetings and the OK to stay an extra day before heading home, she had two days for an introduction to Germany. What to do?

Day 1 started with the train trip from Frankfurt airport to Koblenz where I met her at the train station. Emily arrived early enough that we could come back to the apartment for a German breakfast (see previous post).

About 10am we headed south for a tour of the "Upper Middle Rhine Valley", a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We began a Braubach with a tour of the Marksburg castle. This castle, built in the 12th century, is one of the few that have never been destroyed. Upstream we stopped at the Loreley. The story of the Loreley distracting the ship captains with her song and her beauty and causing them to wreck their boat brought on the observation, "It just like men to find a woman to blame their mistakes on." Later, we crossed the river using the auto ferry at Kaub, during which we could get some good view of the toll castle, Burg Pfalzgrafenstein. Next we spent a couple of hours exploring Bacharach, a village with a fantastic collection of half-timbered houses and great wines, and its Burg Stahleck. Finally we drove back to Koblenz to explore St Kastor (we were lucky to find the door open so we could see the interior of this Romanesque church that dates back to the 800-900 BC) and Deutsches Eck.

Day 1 finished with dinner at home consisting of very German menu of roast venison, apple sauce, rotkohl, potatoes, rote grutze and a Bacharach wine. Of course that also meant a conversation around the table until jet lag got too much about 11pm.

Day 2 involved a tip to Cologne to see the Cathedral, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, lunch in a traditional Kölsch pub, a bumble through the Altstadt, finishing at the Chocolate Museum. The last stop was to the sake of Emily's two boys.

Day 2 ended in the Koblenz Altstadt walking trough the stalls of the Christmas Market and having a pizza at a small Italian restaurant.

5am the next morning, we drove to Frankfurt to catch the 8:00 flight.

Well I realize, we only glimpsed a small part of what is Germany. Given the time available, I think we did a pretty good job putting together an introduction. Time will tell if it was enough to simulate the wanderlust for some follow-up trips.

German Breakfast

Magda has been home from her school's exchange for about a week. Although the German students are getting together later this week to discuss there experiences, I've heard a few of the things that the German students thought about their stay in the Chillicothe, Illinois. One oft-commented impression was that their American families rarely took time to lay out a breakfast. Everyone seemed to be on their own to grab something quick, or to skip breakfast entirely. It is not that the German students expected the family to sit down together every morning to eat. What was generally surprising was that no one took the time to lay out the meal, if for no other reason than to make sure the kids are eating something and eating healthy.

The picture here gives an idea of a typical breakfast for these German students. There is usually some sort of meat or cheese. In this case, there are cheese slices, two types of salami and some schinken (smoked ham). Just about any kind of sliced meat is possible, but the meat is thinly sliced. Germans will talk about a "window pane" slice especially with highly flavored meats like schinken. This refers slicing of meat that is thin enough that you can see through it. This way, you really don't eat much meat or cheese.

The meat, cheese or jam is placed on a slice of bread or a half of bread roll, often buttered, to make an open faced sandwich. There are so many bread choices in Germany that it is hard to fathom. In this picture are a couple of rye rolls and a pumpkin seed roll. Darker breads based on rye are more traditional, but white rolls, which use to be reserved for special occasions, have become more common.

This picture also shows yogurt and quark. Quark is a bit like cottage cheese, but it is in the form of a single cake, rather than small curds. For breakfast, it is used like yogurt, mixed with jam. But quark is also used to make cheese cake, dips, fillings for pasta or sweet rolls. It is really an inexpensive staple of the German pantry.

Finally there is some sort of fresh fruit available.

There are some variations possible. For instance, a lot of people like to mix muesli with yogurt or milk for breakfast. Milk and corn flakes (or some other breakfast cereal) is an American contribution to a "typical" German breakfast. And yes, sometimes a sweet roll can be found, although donuts are very rare.

But that leads to another surprise for the German students. Things like sweet rolls, cakes, cookies and other pastries were too sweet in the USA for them to enjoy. Certainly we have found that in adapting a American recipe for use here, we often cut out at least half the sugar (and often two thirds) to get something that our German friends and family can enjoy.

Rite of Fall: Collecting Walnuts

One of the rites of fall here is collecting walnuts. Usually we will do this on our hikes around Badenweiler in southern Germany. In this area, there are many walnut and fruit trees that are left unharvested. We actually end up returning with heavier packs than we started with, plus our pockets are full as well.

Unfortunately Magda was forced in participating in the exchange between her school and the high school in Chillicothe, Illinois, due to the "illness" of one of the teachers who had originally signed on for the exchange (excuse my skepticism, but it is hard to understand why the success of an English language exchange depends on a part-time teacher who only part-time teaches English. Where are the teachers who teach English full-time?). So I have been picking up some walnuts under a couple of trees in the park that Frannie and I often walk. Usually we find a handful of nuts on each walk, but over time, as you can see, that can grow to a reasonable amount.

The walnut trees here are not the black walnuts that we typically see in Columbus, Ohio. Rather they are English walnut trees. One big difference is that as the nut ripen, they separate from their green cover. Sometimes they seem to spring from their covering and landing a fair distance from the tree. This makes them much easier to collect and make use of.

Around Koblenz, the walnut trees seem to grow best in the micro-climate of Rhine and Moselle valleys. It is usually just too cold and windy in the fields of the Eifel and Hunsruck (there is often a 5-8 degree C difference between Koblenz and the Eifel). The occasional tree that you find there are mostly in the villages where they are protected some from the climate. Further south, around Badenweiler, they can be found every where.

A couple of weeks ago, when the nuts started to ripen, there was quite a bit of competition for them. Every day there would be older couples and younger families out collecting the nuts from the trees in the park. Some would just pick up the nuts from the ground, but others were impatient and threw prices of wood into the the trees to try to knock the nut down. Now that we are at the end of the harvest, the competition has lessened. But still there are enough that I'm able to collect a new handful with each walk.

By the way, the green decoration on the nuts are hops. Hops grow wild here as well. I have noticed them on the banks of the Rhine and along the trail in the Eifel.

Walking Frannie - Her Boyfriend, Ike

Frannie has herself a boyfriend. His name is Ike and he is a Belgium Shepherd. Every time that Frannie sees him, She becomes very excited, running up to him and trying to entice him to play. She use to bark quite a bit, but I think she has figured out that doesn't work and may in fact be considered bad manners. Now she just follows Ike around, sometimes getting into play stance in front of him. Ike is the only dog that I have ever seen Frannie greet this way

Ike is pretty cool about the whole thing. I expect that Frannie is not his only girlfriend. His owner tells me that there are other dogs that, like Frannie, will only play with Ike. Not sure why this is. Certainly Ike is a handsome dog. And his is well behaved as well. Ike's owner does spend a lot of time training him. What every it is, Frannie seems quite happy with him.

Matthias Chapel

One of the advantages of living in Germany is the opportunity to explore "little Germany". That is to say, discover some smaller attraction that is a bit off the typical tourist path, but is itself a little gem. Matthias Chapel situated above the Moselle wine village of Kobern-Gondorf is one such gem.



The chapel was built between 1220 and 1240 by Heinrich II. von Isenburg on his return from the crusades. The story goes that Heinrich II searched for and found the head of the apostle Matthias in the Nile delta. He brought it back to his home and built the chapel to attract pilgrims. The relic was removed from the chapel in 1347, eventually ending up at the cathedral in Trier in 1420 and then in 1927 in Trier's St. Matthias Abbey.

The hexagon shape of the chapel is a bit unusual and reminiscent of the architecture Heinrich II would have seen on the crusade. And there is some really fine stone carvings decorating the entry way. But it is the interior that is what makes this chapel special. The delicate columns that support the roof, the historically accurate colors, the unusually shaped windows, and most especially the mosaic floor combine to make a memorable experience. Some scholars find hidden meaning in the number of hexagons and triangles in the floor.

As I understand, the chapel is open Sundays and holidays, 11:00 to 17:00, from Easter to November 1st. Also for special occations. I was lucky to be there with a group of teachers on an outing that had arranged for it to be open.

Jam from Red Vineyard Peaches

One of the unusual fruits that ripen this time of year is the "roter Weinbergpfirsich" or red vineyard peach. This is a red flesh peach that is grown in vineyards along the Moselle. It is not a particularly sweet peach, but is highly prized  by some for its use in jams, liqueurs and compotes. We picked up a couple of kilo and made a really tasty jam with them and in the process learned a thing or two.

First is the juice from these peaches is a really intense red. Peeling these peaches results in red hands, and if not careful ruined clothes. The hands can be cleaned with the use of lemon juice. But use of the clothes will be limited to working around the house (voice of experience here). But this is also what gives you this ruby colored result.

The other interesting thing is learning how homemade jams are done here in German. It seems a more popular hobby there than in the USA, at least it appears that more shelf space in the grocery stores seem to be devoted to it than in Columbus. We used one product that I haven't seen in the USA. This is a sugar that already has the pectin mixed in called Gelierzucker. Gelierzucker is offered in two strengths, 2:1 and 3:1. 3:1 Gelierzucker would require a 3 to 1 ratio by weight of fruit to sugar to make jam.  It only requires 3 minutes of boil for the jam to set. Cannot get much simpler than this. Peel and stone the peaches, weigh the resulting flesh, divide by three, add that much Gelierzucker, bring to boil for 3 minutes, put the jam in your jars.

These peaches should be available for a couple more weeks. I would still like to try making a peach liqueur before the season ends. Magda claims that once you have a fruit compote made with these peaches, you won't want to use any other fruit. So we will have to try that too. But more on that later.

Interesting German Words: der Strudel

Strudel is a word with multiple meanings in German that may on the surface appear disconnected. And yet with a little imagination, the connection not hard to find.

As English speakers, we are most likely familiar with the one meaning, that of a pastry made by rolling a filling, usually apple but strudels with other fillings are also possible, in a flaky dough. That is to say apple strudel.

Strudel is also the Germans word used for the "at" sign (i.e. @).

But there are both really secondary meanings for the word. The real meaning of the word is German can be perceived by recognizing the similar swirling shape of the dough in an apple strudel and the @ sign. a "Strudel" is a whirlpool. As in English, the word is used both literally (i.e. the swirling shape of water) and figuratively (ex. "The whirlpool of ideas can be hard to understand.").

In Search of Edible Stones

This week we had an opportunity to connect with our common hunter-gatherer past in doing a activity that while it is not common, it is practiced more widely here in Germany than in the USA. That wold be mushroom hunting.

The idea started at the 70th birthday party of Ulrich, one of Magda's friends. As we were talking,  Ulrich mentioned that on a walk the previous week he had started to collect Steinpilz in the last week and that there were few things better than Steinpilz in a cream sauce over pasta. Before I had a chance to say anything, Magda jumped in saying how she would love to go with him one day to learn about collecting. And so, a few days later, we arranged to do just that.

Steinpilz (literally translated as "stone mushroom") is perhaps the most desirable of Germany's  edible wild mushrooms. They are a large, meaty mushroom. The best comparison in terms of consistency and taste that would be common to Americans would be the porcini. However, they are different mushrooms. Steinpilz is only one of the many varieties of mushroom than one can find in the German forest, some of which of course are poisonous. But there are a wealth of edible ones and until recently it was common practice for Germans to go out to collect then.  Magda actually showed me the text of a biology book from the 1970's. The book taught mushroom identification so that people could learn how to safely collect them. Some of the mushrooms mentioned include the following:

• Ziegenbart which looks, as its name suggest, like the beard (Bart) of a goat (Ziegen) sticking out of the ground. However, ziegenbart is a "giftig" which has nothing to do the the English false friend "gift". "Giftig" means toxic.
• Parosolpilz is a pretty mushroom that grows taller than most on a slender stem with a dome-shaped cap. Ir looks like an umbrella sticking in the ground.
• Pfifferling are what we call chanterelles. It is also one of the most sought after edible mushrooms in Germany.
• The red skin of the cap of the Täudling would make you think it is toxic, but it is not. According to the biology book, it tastes like a potato.

But we were after the German king of edible mushrooms, Steinpilz. We meet Ulrich in his village, Lay. Lay is on the Moselle, not far from Koblenz. We took the trail up out of Lay to where the trail entered a old deciduous forest. This would be out hunting grounds. We headed off the trail in search of our prize. Stienpilz is a fairly large mushroom with a skin that starts dark brown and gets lighter as the mushroom ages. Stienpilz does not use gills to release spores, rather a system of tube like structures that give the appearance of a sponge under the cap. Another distinguishing characteristic is the shape of the stem. It become thicker at the base as compared to where it meets the cap.

It wasn't long before we started to find a few, enough for dinners for two families.  Our haul can be seen in the first picture. It was also fascinating to see the great array of mushrooms that you just would miss if you stay on the trail. We saw a number then that were mentioned in Magda's biology book, and a few that weren't. The one that had the most fun off the trail was Frannie. She just seemed in seventh heaven running from place to place and sticking her nose in the leaves for some new smell. It might be a while before we can get her trained to be a mushroom hunter.

Dinner as you would expect consisted of the meal that started this whole adventure, Steinpilz in a cream sauce over pasta. Hardest thing about it is cleaning the mushrooms. Snails also like Steinpilz, so you want to be sure to cut away from around where snails have taken a bite. Saute onions and bacon until the onions begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are soft. Then add the cream, season and add a bit of fresh parsley. Serve with pasta. The Spatbugunder (pinot noir) that we had worked great. But a dry Moselle Riesling would also work well. Guten Appetit.

What is it Solution. Item from a Korben-Gondorf Strassi

When Magda saw this at the straussi for Wiengut Freiherr von Schleinitz in Korben-Gondolf, she said that it was already a bit old fashion when she was a kid, but she did remember using such an item.

This is a hot water bottle. Although the usage was a bit different than the way that hot water bottles are used today. Water was heated and poured into the copper container. But because the copper would get so hot, it was difficult to handle and you could just leave it in the bed. That is were the loop at the top came into play. A stick or a hook could be inserted into the loop to carry the bottle to the beds. The bottle was then run under the covers of each bed to heat them up allowing people to go to sleep in a warm bed.

What is it? Item from a Korben-Gondorf Strassi

Found this hanging on the wall of a straussi that we visited last Sunday to listen to Celtic Music. Of course, that has nothing to do with the use of this item. Neither do the cow bell in the background or the rack underneath. What is it? If you know, add a comment. I'll publish the answer in a couple of days.

Hint: Although it could be used any time of the year, it was especially useful in winter.

Interesting German Words: die Katastrophe

The German word "Katastrophe" translates to the English word "catastrophe". In a lot of cases that translation is pretty correct. Where English speakers would describe the current flooding in Patistan and the BP oil spill in the Gulf as "catastrophes", a German speaker would say they are both "Katastrophen".

The difference is that use of the word "Katastrophe" occurs much more frequently in German than you would hear "catastrophe" in English. I think that if someone don't have clean socks to match the color of their pants, a German would describe it as a "Katastrophe". As in English for such a situation, this is usually done tongue-in-cheek, but the joke is so prevalent in German conversations that it seems to have lost at least some of its humor.

Freiburg, August 2010

Generally speaking, I have a more of a preference for the villages and countryside of Germany than I do the cities. In fact, I think I can say that about most countries that I have visited. I just think that is were you find the soul of the county.

However, Germany is blessed with a number of cities that have a sense of uniqueness to them making a visit worthwhile. One of those cities that we keep going back to is Freiburg. Freiburg, on the western edge of the Black Forest, is the major German city in the southwest corner of Germany. It was established around 1120 as a fortified market town of free citizens. This is the basis for the name of the city ("frei" meaning free and "burg' meaning a fortified citry). The city holds on to its roots as a market town in a couple of ways.

First there is a large market around the Freiburg Munster, Monday through Sunday. When we were there on a Tuesday at the beginning of August, I would estimate 30 framer stands selling fruits and vegetables, 4 selling flowers, another 2 stands selling meat, 4 stands selling cheese, 5-6 selling prepared food, 2 selling carved wooden items (a black forest specialty), and another 5-6 selling other items. Really a good size market, especially for an every day market.

The other connection to the roots as a market town is the availability of department stores and shops in the city. Freiburg has a huge pedestrian area that is lined with such stores. Shopping in Germany can be interesting. The sales people in the major department stores tend to be professionals who have been doing their job for quite a while. Many can look at you and tell you what your size is. Not only that they will know there stock and know if they have something that might be the right cut and color for you. If you try something on that is not a good fit or color, they will tell you and suggest you try something else. If they don't have anything, they will let you know that they have nothing that they can recommend.

The church at the center of Freibug is called referred to the Frieiburg Munster. Munster means that it is a major church but is not the seat of a bishop. However, this church has been the seat of archbishop of Freiburg since 1827 and therefore could be referred to as a cathedral. The church in transitional, having been started in 1200 as a Romanesque church but with construction switching over to the Gothic style about 1230. Although the tower is currently under reconstruction and is covered by scaffolding, I know from past trips that the climb to the top is well worth the effort for it's 360 degree views and the close-up look at the intricate stonework of the belfry.

There are a number of other reasons to like this city from the gutter system that dates back to the middle ages to support the fighting of fires, the remains of the wall that fortified the city,  the late Gothic Merchant's Hall and the City Hall from the 16th century, to the restaurants along Munsterplatz that have outdoor seating allowing you to enjoy a beer or glass of wine in the shadow of the Munster anytime of the year (in winter, each chair has a blanket or a sheepskin that you can wrap up in). Freiburg is also has one of Germany's oldest universities, which adds to the vibrancy of this city.

Air India

Returning from the US on Air India was a trip. Which is to say, it was an interesting experience.

I had decided that buying US to Germany air tickets with a 6 or 7 month durations was not the cheapest way to manage my returns to Columbus. Plus it required me to lock in my plans that far in advance, and that was becoming a problem. Of course, usually a one way ticket cost as much or more than a round trip. That is with the exception of Air India. They were offering a one way ticket for just about one half of what I was being offered a round trip. So I decided, why not.

The flight from Columbus to Chicago was on United. Checking in, I found that United could not give me a boarding pass on the Air India flight. I would have to go to the Air India check-in counter in terminal 5 and get it there. Which, of course might mean a standing in a line with other passengers checking in. United could check my bag all the way to Frankfurt, so at least I did not have to drag that along with me.

Arriving in terminal 1, I made my way to the train that connect the terminals and got to terminal 5. All the ticket counters seemed empty. I found a sigh directing me to the left for Air India and started walking pass one empty counter after another until I noticed at the end of the terminal a huge mass of people in front of one counter. You guessed it, in fount of the Air India counter. I have only seen lines like this checking in at Frankfurt. But this was different. Most of the people in this line seemed to be with a large family group, and each family had one or two carts overflowing with luggage. My heart sank as I figured that this meant a minimum of an hour standing in line to get a boarding pass. An hour and a half was more likely. I checked my watch to see how much time I had before the flight, I would still have to get through security. I wasn't sure that I'd make it.

Then a guy in a uniform asked what I needed. When I explained that I just needed a boarding pass, I got put in the line for first class passengers. In five minutes I had my boarding pass, problem solved.

Security was no problem. Surprisingly, the gate was not at the end of the terminal that way the check-in counter was. Although the gate was pretty full, I was able to find a seat to wait for boarding. After a little while, the same guy that had directed me to the first class line asked to see my boarding pass and told me that I was in group 3. I noticed that there was a team of about 5 people doing this to everyone at the gate.

Later, I found that this team where the "herders". Boarding began by calling group 1. As the line formed, one of the herders positioned themselves at the head of the line. Their job was to turn back anyone that was not in the correct group. Once the group 1 line had formed, the other herders went through the gate lobby and called group 2 into line. Then later, group 3. I didn't matter that to get into line, you had to leave the gate. Their job was to keep a continuous flow of people in the line. Never seen it done quite so forcefully.

 As I entered the main cabin, one of the stewardesses was positioned to greet each guest. The Air India uniform consisted of a black top, a white sari with black and red print, a red belt and a black sort of pill box cap. An attempt to appear modern, and still have a bit of the flavor of India.

The plane was a new one, a Boeing 777. The seating configuration was 3-3-3 instead of the 2-5-2 that I have usually seen. Each seat had a 10 inch screen and a control indicating a personal entertainment system. This might me fun. The only problem with these entertainment systems is that there is a box attached to the leg of the seat in front of you that takes some space. Why they cannot come up with a form factor that gets this out of the way of the passenger's feet, I don't understand.

As the plane started to taxi, the screen came on showing the view in front of the plane. They actually had a camera positioned so that the passengers can see the taxi and takeoff. During take off, the camera angle changed to show the ground directly below the plane, until we got above the clouds. I liked this idea.


I checked the available movies. Their where 4 relatively current US films, and about 6 classic US films. But their where about a dozen Bollywood films. I looked around, and these where definitely popular. There where also a number of games, music options and maps. There was a option to view the cameras out the front, down or sides. But these must have been turned off during the flight.

Dinner was a curry, not too surprisingly. Other than that, the in-flight service was pretty much what I have come to expect.

During the landing, the video screen once again showed the view from the front of the plane so you could see the runway breaking through the clouds and appearing to come closer up to touchdown. This is a cool idea.

All and all, I was happy with the flight. Thank goodness that I did not have to stand in that line in Chicago. Than might have changed my opinion drastically. And I wasn't all that thrilled about the feeling of being herded. But in-flight, everything was a good or better than any of the American carries I have used. Not that they are setting a very high bar to exceed.

Nice to be Home in Columbus

It has been awhile since my last post, partly because Ive been in Columbus for about 3 week. Spending the time in Columbus has got me thinking about some of the things that I enjoy about being here. So on the eve of my return to Germany, I thought it would be fun to mention a few of them.

• Chillin' on my front porch in one of our Adirondack chairs on a summer morning before the heat of the day sets in is one of the things that feels so right. In Germany, we have a 1 meter by 5 meter balcony with awning, quite a bit smaller than my covered 10 foot by 30 foot poach. Plus,being on the street level here surrounded by 80+ year old homes and trees, you feel more connected with the neighborhood than from our 4th floor balcony in our 50 year younger German neighborhood.
• Grillin' on the back deck is another thing I truly enjoy when I'm in Columbus. We are not allowed open flames on the balcony in Koblenz. Some people use electric grills, but that fails to satisfy on some primal level. Here, I'm able to carry a plate of meat right from the kitchen less than 10 steps and slap it on the grill over open flames. That's satisfaction.
• It certainly is nice meeting with longtime friends. Of course when meeting friends from my previous work life, it is also nice not being personally effected by the latest management efforts to push ahead on a product or get control of the workplace. That's all behind me.
• Did I mention that we lived on the 4th floor in Germany. That means four flights of stairs between us and our freezer and wine rack in the basement.  You want rolls for breakfast, down 4 flights to the freezer and back up. You want meat from the freezer for dinner, down 4 flights and back up. Bottle of wine with dinner, down 4 and up. In Columbus, worst case in one flight to the wine rack in the basement. I must say there are a couple of advantages to the arrangement in Germany. I certainly helps with fitness. Plus it rewards a bit of thinking ahead.
• Air conditioning on 90 degree days is nice. I'm not a big fan of air conditioning. I actually turn it off when I can. But when the temperatures get above 90, it goes on. Not many folks (us included) in Germany have it. 90 degree days don't happen very often there, although in the last couple of years there have been 4 or 5 days per year. On those days, we just have to suffer (or go to the movies).
• Roads and cities here are designed for autos. The lanes are wider, and there are not the same kind of twist and turns that are needed in Germany. Plus there is parking near the most stores in Columbus. Road surfaces in Germany are actually better than in Columbus though. But parking in German is usually at meters on the street or in relative expensive parking garages.
• Clothes prices in Columbus look so cheap. I don't know what it is, but I can buy designer label clothing here much cheaper that any label clothing in Germany. It is tempting to fill the bag with clothing for a year. Too bad there is that 40 kg weight limit.
• There is a comfort associated with command of the language that I feel here, and am missing in Germany. While learning a new language is fun, there are times you just love being able to express yourself fully. Like that cell phone salesman at the Saturn store in Koblenz that treated me like an idiot when I asked a couple of question about using a phone they had on sale with my current contract. I would have loved to have had full command of the German language to let him (and perhaps his manager) know what I was thinking. Here, in Columbus, I won't have that problem.
• Morning newspapers are a nice addition to chillin' on the front porch. The tradition of the newspaper in German is a bit different than in the USA. Not so many folks take the daily paper in Germany. Still, it is sad to see what is happening to the American newspaper. And with the recent increase in the price of a Columbus Dispatch subscription, I think it is only going to get worst. But while they last, I, for one,do enjoy them, especially Sunday mornings.

Autoahn Impressions - Skoda, Scirocco, Mercedes Drivers

I've formed a few new impressions about German Autos and their drivers.

• A few months ago, I started to notice Skoda autos more and more. They are so conservatively styled that I they are actually pretty cool. The Octavia reminds me of BMWs from 10 years ago (without the kidney-shaped front grills). The Fabia is a practical looking hatchback, without resorting to the cube-on-wheels-look that has become so omnipresent.
  
  Later, I learned that Skoda was owned by VW and make in the Czech Republic. I also found there are a lot of Germans that swear by them. In fact, the magazine for the German version of AAA recently rated the automakers selling cars in Germany and Skoda came in forth, just ahead of the parent company VW. BMW was first, narrowly beating out Audi. Mercedes was third.
  
  
• VW reintroduced the Scirocco in 2008. The original was produced between 1974-1981. The second edition between 1982 and 1992 is what I remember. It was a low-profile, sleek, athletic version of the Rabbit. People that had one loved it.
  
  For me, the new Scirocco looks more like a muscle car. It retains the low-profile, but it bulges out at on the sides. It just doesn't have the appeal that the previous version had.
  
  
  
• There are a couple of unwritten rules about driving in Germany. One of these is
  
  
  
  

  "Mercedes drivers have different rules than the rest of us."

  
  I cannot tell you the number of times that we have been behind a Mercedes driver that was doing something stupid. Last Monday while riding the bus, the bus suddenly came to a stop. Fortunately no one was hurt, but people did have trouble keeping their feet. The reason for the abrupt stop, a Mercedes driver had backed out from a side street onto one of Koblenz's major streets without looking. Not only that, this same driver did exactly the same thing on the other side of the street less than 5 minutes later.
  
  Another time, we were following an A-Klasse at 130 km/hour when the driver suddenly put on the brakes and slowed to 70. This was .5 km before the beginning of her and out exit. Once she reached the exit, 70 was too fast for her, so she slowed down to 30. Speed limit was 60, it was still daylight and there was no rain or snow.
  
  I have wondered why this is. One possibility I came up with is the the current Mercedes are mostly about the safety of their cars. Malcolm Gladwell wrote in one of his essays, “Human beings have a seemingly fundamental tendency to compensate for lower risks in one area by taking greater risks in another.” We have certainly seen this in a number of recent events.
  
  
• The corollary to the above, now-written rule is another previously unwritten rule
  
  
  
  

  People driving a Mercedes cannot be passed by people driving cars from other makers.

  It doesn't matter what class of Mercedes we pass in our 2002 Mazda 323, within 5 minutes, that Mercedes will pass us again. To be honest, Mercedes drivers are not the only ones that this corollary applies to. BMW and big Audi (A6 and above) also do not like the idea of a Mazda passing them.

Rheinsteig - Koblenz to Braubach

Last week, Frannie and I used one day for a 20 km hike on the Rheinsteig. The short story goes something like the following:

First 18 km mostly through woods with 2 good climbs and one steep downhill. Felt good to be out, Frannie seemed to enjoy it as well. But I didn't need that hill between 18 and 19 km. Still after getting to the top, the reward was some great views of the Rhein and the castle Marksburg.

The longer story is a bit more involved. The previous week while looking at the map of Rheinsteig, I noticed that the trail passed Koblenz directly on the opposite bank of the Rhine. So is seemed like a good idea for my second hike on Rheinsteig to walk across the bridge and follow the trail up river.

So one morning last week found Frannie and I crossing the bridge over the Rhine. When we dropped down from the bridge on the other side, we were on Rheinsteig. The trail follows the river for less than a kilometer, then turns up through the villiage of Pfaffendorf. pass the church and into a valley as it climbs 300 metes over the next 5-6 km. At the top is Lichter Kopf, a tower build in WWII to allow German troops to watch over this part of the Rhine. That was until the heavy winds at the end of February that blew the tower down. Now all that is left is the twisted remains of the base of the tower.

The next 4.5 km offered views of the Lahn river that flows into the Rhine. At this point the trail begins a 145 meter drop in a 1/2 km called Ruperts Klamm. In Ruperts Klamm, there are places where the trial disappears. You just follow the flow of the water and scramble over any rocks in you way. It really looks more dangerous as it actually is. And there are covered steel cables that can be used in some of the tougher spot. Of course, those didn't help Frannie. There were a couple of spots that were difficult for her, but she managed to get through the Klamm without incident.

The trail continues down to and across the Lahm, then climbs the other side, passing by a hotel. Then we head down to that 18 km mark. At this point, I was feeling OK. but I was out of water, so the climb between 18 and 19 km was a bit harder than I would have liked. Frannie and I took a rest at the top, not knowing that if we had walked another 80 meters, we would had had a wonderful view of Braubach, the Rhine and Marksburg setting on the hill over the town.

Marksburg castle is one of the best preserved castles in Germany. It is certainly in the top 5 of castles to visit. Unlike the glamor castles built to satisfy 17th and 18th century egos, Marksburg is a true medieval fortress castle that claims to have never been over-run by invading armies. Well worth a tour.

The last kilometer was all downhill, depositing us in the middle of Braubach. Frannie and I found the train station and took the bus back to Koblenz. This was Frannie's first bus trip. But I don't think she noticed much. All she wanted to to was find a place to lie down and sleep.

Sunday Shopping around Koblenz

So it is Sunday in Koblenz, Germany and you need a few organic veggies for dinner. Or maybe you need to pick up a birthday present for a friend. Maybe a nice orchid, a book about orchids, or a nice pie of art glass. An of course you need a birthday card.

But it's Sunday....in Germany. The stores are all closed.

OK there are the stores at the gas stations. But you aren't going to get organic there. And be honest, would you eat anything from a local BP station after the last 6 weeks? And a nice birthday present, no way.

Frankfurt Airport has shops open. But that is an hour each way, assuming no "Stau" (traffic jam). A little far. Plus parking is a pain.

You could take a trip to Luxembourg, but that is also a bit more than an hour each way.

There actually is an answer to this riddle, a 15-20 minute drive from Koblenz to Maria Laach Abbey. Maria Laach Abbey is an active Benedictine abbey on the south shore of the volcanic lake known as Laacher See. The monks there operate a greenhouse, a fruit and vegetable stand, and a store selling books and craft items. And they are open 7 days of the week.

In addition to the shops, the church there is considered one of the finest examples German Romanesque architecture. The church and a number of the structures date back to the 11th through 13th. If you wanted to make a day of it, a system of hiking trails is maintained around the abbey and lake. And of course there is the restaurant and biergarten on the grounds where you can relax after the hike or shopping.

I suppose some might question the sincerity of the monks operating a store on Sunday on the grounds of the  church while the rest of the country is required to honor this day of worship. But you need to remember that monks are always been a practical lot. Take the story of the invention of the German version of ravioli called Maultaschen. Maultaschen was invented by the monks at Maulbronn Abbey because the only time of the year that the parishioners would donate meat to the monks was during Lent, when the people themselves were not permitted to eat meat. The monks reasoned that by covering the meat with a layer of dough, God would not be aware that they were eating meat and it was therefore OK.

This practical side lead Maria Laach Abbey into some controvery during the period of National Socialism. The Wikipedia site goes into a bit more detail. But suffice it to say that the monks at Maria Laach were very aware of what they were against and grabbed a hold of something that was much worst. Is there a lesson here for us?

Traumpfad - Booser Doppelmaartour

Magda had a holiday last Monday, May 24. Monday holidays are great for Magda because one third of her classes are on Monday. So not only does she get a day free, but one third of her prep time for the week is freed up. With this freetime, we decided to tryout another of the Traumpfad hiking trails that we have been hearing people talk about.

Traumpfad or "Dream Hike" is a project of Rhein-Mosel-Eifel Touristik, an organization whose purpose is to increase the tourism in this part of Germany. The Traumpfad project involves setting up well marked, circuit hiking trails in smaller villages in an effort to entice people to get out of the major tourist areas and see some other parts of the region. What is nice is that some of these towns have taken a sense of pride in their Traumpfad and have made efforts to make the hikes even more interesting.

Such is the case with the village of Boos. It is about 5 km from the Nürburgring, the famous race track in the Eiffel. Largely a farming community, the only indication of tourism is the motorcyclist attracted to the Nürburgring that race around the roads in the area. But the Traumpfad does help bring a little tourism to the area. To make their Traumpfad distictive, they has set up information stations along the way to explain the geological and natural features of the area. Also they have build a tower at the highest point in the hike that offers panoramic views of the Eiffel landscape.

The trail is a nice one even without these additions. Just under 10 km, in winds its way on the edge of the woods through the Eiffel. This means that most of the hike is under shade, while still allowing views across the hills and fields of the Eiffel. There is only the one major climb up to the tower. Other than that, the hike is mostly level or slightly downhill. The hike starts and ends at the double "Maar". A "Maar" is an small lake formed in the crater of a volcano. The Eiffel has a history of volcanic activity, the potential for which persists even today. These two "Maars" are mostly filled in, however the bowls of the craters are clearly visible and some water still exists. Some rather rare plants have found a home here, including Germany's only wild orchid and a plant with yellow follows that is only found in marshes (see the pictures below).

Reinsteig - Lorch to Kaub

Rheinsteig is a 320 km hiking trails that follows the high banks along the Eastern side of the Rhine river from Bonn to Wiesbaden. As the trail follows the high banks there are plenty of wonderful views of the Rhine as you wander pass the castles along the way. But it also means that every river or stream that feeds the Rhine requires a decent and a climb. Thus the name Rheinsteig that translates to "Rhine Climb".

Magda's school wanted to have a fundraiser for UNICEF. So they chose May 20 as the day that the school would walk the entire Rheinsteig. That is to say, Rheinsteig would be split into sections that would be assigned to homerooms in each grade. Each homeroom there would walk there section on that day and the school would have then covered the entire Rheinsteig. UNICEF would receive the pledges that the students got for doing the walk.

Magda attached herself to a grade 11 homeroom and said that Frannie and I could tag along on their 15 km hike from Lorch to Kaub. So in the morning of May 20, Frannie, Magda, and I along with half of Max von Laue Gymnasium boarded a train heading south along the Rhine, while the other half of Max von Laue got on a train heading north.

As we traveled south, different homerooms would get off the train to hike there section of the trail, always hiking in towards Koblenz. The idea was that each homeroom would complete their section in about 5 hours meeting up with a single train North traveling back to Koblenz. The homerooms that went north would do the same, meeting a single south bound train. In this way, the entire school would end up back at the Koblenz train station at about the time.

It took about a hour to reach Lorch. The train station there was a little over 1 km from the trail. Once the trail reached the end of the town, it began climbing. It was a pretty steep climb, and the homeroom teacher for these 11th grades had a cold and was not feeling well. As a result he lagged behind as some of the boys in the group raced ahead. Magda, Frannie and I stayed towards the back, making sure that everyone was making it OK. Still, the walk was pleasant enough. There were some muddy sections that gave the students in their flat bottom shoes some problems. After all, what self respecting 11th grade girl could be seen in a pair of hiking boots. But the views of the Rhine and the castles on the other side were really wonderful. And soon enough we saw the small castle (toll booth really) in the middle of the Rhine that is the landmark for Kaub.

We reached the point where a trail headed down 1.8 km to Kaub, but Rheinsteig followed the trail up to a peak and then down pass the castle hoovering above the town of Kaub. That direction would be 5.8 km to Kaub. Which trail do you think the students racing ahead took? Yep, they were on the short trail almost to Kaub as Magda, Frannie and I reached the trail junction.

Unfortunately, since Magda was their in an official position, we had to follow the the students along the shorter path. So I didn't get to see as much of the Rheinsteig as I had hoped that day. But I'll certainly plan to see more in the not too distant future.

Spargelzeit

There is a two month period from late April to late June that is known as Spargelzeit. Spargel is German for asparagus. Zeit is time. So Spargelzeit means the time for asparagus. Since asparagus is the first harvest of the year, it is connected with the end of cold temperatures and the coming of summer. Asparagus growing use to be centered in southern German. But with the advent of growing under plastic, the growing asparagus has now extended into the central Germany. So there are a couple of fields not far from us.

Asparagus here is not the skinny green shoots that we get in the USA. Rather they are thick, white shoots, the thicker the better. They have a woody outer layer pretty much the whole length of the shoot that must be removed with a vegetable peeler. The shoots are graded according to their thickness, length and roundness. This is basically an indicator of how much work is needed to prepare the shoots. The thicker shoots have more volume per surface area, therefore less peeling and less waste. Also if the shoot is not round (cylindrical is maybe a better word) they are harder to peel. But even the farmers will say, they all the grades taste the same.

We tend to buy the grade II that are a bit thicker than my thumb. Once they are peeled, it is simply a matter of boiling for 20 minutes. The traditional German meal shown in the slide show below would start with a pound of asparagus per person (that is before peeling). and would serve boiled potatoes and slices of ham to go with it. Melted butter would be available to pour over the asparagus and potatoes. We like lighter white wine with low acidity is idea. For this meal, we used sweet potatoes, but a hard potato, like red or Yukon gold, would be more traditional. We also used a  Riesling which is normally little too acidic, but we had just returned from Wehlen and wanted to drink one of the wines that we bought there.

Bernkastel-Keus and Wehlen

We took a short trip to Bernkastel-Kues last week-end to look around. Bernkastel-Kues is a town in the heart of heart of the best vineyards on the Moselle. In fact, some will claim that Bernkasteler Doctor is the best vineyard on the Moselle.

But were were there to see the town that contains a number of half-timbered houses, some dating to the 15th century. One of these is called the smallest house in Germany. It can be seen in the background of some of the pictures in the sideshow below.

Going to places like this can be a little risky. It is a Mecca for tourists. So not only are the streets filled with tourist, all the shops there are gear towards the tourist trade. This means all kinds of junk and shops selling sweet white wines of marginal quality.

Still on balance, I have to say, Berkastel-Kues is worth the trip.

After a couple of hours there, we headed downstream to visit a couple of wineries and have some lunch in Wehlen. Wehlen vineyards are not quite as famous as Bernkastel's, but they are pretty darn good.

Lunch was at a Strasswirkshaft on the Moselle directly across from the vineyard call Wehlener Sonnenuhr. In Germany, vintners are allowed to set up some tables and serve food with their own wines for a few months of each year. One of there is known as a Strasswirkshaft or Strassi for short. A Strassi gives the vintner another avenue to sell their wines and provides a little local color for visiting tourists. We have had good luck with the food and the wine at the Strassis that we have visited. Nothing fancy, just good local food using ingredients from the region. Plus they are usually a pretty good value.

We also visited a couple of other vintners in town, including S.A.Prüm that is considered among Germany's best. There wines were definitely a cut above by at a price 2 or 3 times that of the other vintners that we tried. One other nice thing about S. A. Prüm is that they let the barn shallows nest in their tasting room. They also use their images in there literature.

House of the History of the German Republic

We took a quick trip up to the Museum Mile in Bonn to visit the Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. This is a museum devoted to the history of the Germany since the forming of republic following WWII.

The museum is organized so that you feel you are walking through a time line starting in 1945 to the present. The initial displays then are about the liberation and occupation. There you can see photos and videos of the state of the German cities following the war, artifacts from the occupation, and exhibits about the Berlin airlifts. This period also includes coming to grips with the atrocities of the war.

The exhibits then flow into formation of republic, the political parties, and the division of Germany. From this point as you walk along the time line, there are displays showing the results of each German election to orient you along the time lines. Along the time line are presented displays illustrating the life in Germany and the forces effecting that life. These include things like the cultural influences, the political forces in play, the products being produced, immigration, and, of course, reunification.

Many exhibits are interactive, allowing you to experience the sights and sounds of the time. There is, of course, the video of John F. Kennedy in Berlin. Also a 1950 VW Beatle with its split rear window, a BMW Zeta, Zeiss Optics, interviews with immigrants and rock music.

It really is a nice museum, and it is free. You can buy a guide to the exhibition to 3€ that can help follow the displays. But even without that, there is much that someone without good knowledge of the German language can enjoy here.

Beers I've Tried: Küppers Kölsch

In continuing to learn about kölsch beer, here's one that I found that sort of turned me off. Not because of the taste though. Rather it was the marketing of the product.

Reading the description Küppers Kölsch on the back label of the bottle I noticed the claim that Küppers Kölsch was brewed according to the Deutsches Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law) of 1516 that states that the only ingredients allowed in beer are water, barley, and hops. There are two troubling things about this claim.

First is that some regional beer styles exist in Germany today because the Reinheitsgebot did not cover those regions of what is today Germany. Kölsch is one of those styles. But I suppose that being brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot is a symbol of quality. Even some American beers put this claim on their labels.

My second problem is a little more serious. In reading the ingredient list, I see yeast, wheat malt, hops extract. Yeast was not mentioned in the Reinheitsgebot because they didn't know what it was at the time, so no problem with that addition. But wheat is not on the list of allowed ingredients in beer. And if you are using hop extract, how can you be sure what is in there. I mean if you are going to use the Reinheitsgebot to invoke images of centuries of brewing knowledge, then I think you should be controlling the whole process. That means bringing in the grain and hops, malting the grain, extracting the proteins in water and using the whole hops. That's what brewing has meant for centuries.

Walking Frannie - Finding Her Voice

I made this video of Frannie a couple of days ago. It is pretty shaky because I was trying to get her to play with me while filming her. The only reason I put it up here is that it actually captures her barking. She does it twice about half way through the film.

I know, many wondered if she actually had a voice. I only heard her bark twice in the year and a half we had her in the USA. But we have notice her doing the a bit more recently. At home she is quiet, although she did let out a bark the other day when a wind caused some drapes to move. So maybe she has a future as a watchdog.

From 2010-05-03

My Ride

This has been my ride the last couple of weeks. We have been pretty lucky with the weather, so I started riding bike to school. Of course the fact that fot the moment I'm no longer legally able to drive a car in German helped me make the change, but more about that in a moment.

As you can see, it is a pretty nice bike. It is from a German manufacturer, Kettler. Magda actually won this bike while she was in the USA. But she is not much of a bike rider, so I've sort of taken it over.

No this is not a ladies bike.  It is a city bike. The lack of a crossbar is a "feature" to allow the rider to easily get on an off the bike (although I still tend to swing my leg over the back of the bike by force of habit). All the moving parts a covered to prevent damage to clothing. There are big tires to handle the occasional rough roads in the city. Fenders to reduce road spray in wet weather. The shifter is integrated into the right grip. It only has 8 gears because in most cities there aren't that many steep climbs. For me, the only hill is getting up the bridge over the Moselle. Breaks can be operated from the handlebar or by reversing the pedals (just like the old days). Front and rear lights are powered by a generator integrated in the rear hub. Frame is all aluminum, so it is lighter than it might look, but I would not call it a light weight bike.

Bikes here are pretty expensive, and I'm not sure why. Retail is close to 1000 € on this baby, but I've seen ads for similar Kettler bikes for 599 €.

As to why I cannot drive. I was able to drive on my Ohio license for 6 months. That ended earlier this month. One of the nice things coming from Ohio is that there is an agreement between Ohio and Germany so that I can trade my Ohio license for a Germany one within those 6 months and not have to take the German driving test which I hear is pretty stiff. So we started that process about 5 weeks ago. What we didn't know is that before they can issue the German license, they need to contact Ohio authorities to seen if I'm wanted for any thing. That will take 2 months. So for the next 3 weeks, Magda is stuck driving me around.

Still, I am actually enjoying riding the bike to school. So far I've been lucky and not gotten too wet. Although I did have to delay a ride home until a storm passed one day. It is a bout 20 minutes each way with bike. Frankly that is faster than with the bus. And it is about the same as with the car if you add the time to find parking, feed the meter and walk to the school. Plus, you feel that you got in a little exercise.

Biking here is more prevalent than in Columbus. Koblenz has bike lanes planned into most of the city streets. And there is a bike trail along the Rhine. Legally, bikes have right-of-way over cars, and pedestrians over bikes. So if there is an accident, there is no question that the car driver is at fault. I would like to tell you that eliminates all the problems, but there are still some crazies that you have to watch out for. Still I think it is easier to get around the streets here on a bike than back in Columbus.

I just need to keep reminding myself that it is a city bike, not a girl's bike.

German Beer Day

Yesterday, April 23 was German Beer Day. This date was chooseb because it is the date of the signing of the Reinheitsgebot or "German Beer Purity Law" in 1516. This is the law that states that the only ingredients that can be used in the production of beer are barley, water and hops. The law was passed largely to put a stop to methods of preserving beer other than the use of hops. It is held out today as the first example of a law passed to protect the purity of food supply.

You notice one important ingredient missing from this list, namely yeast. It was in the 1800s when Louis Pasteur described the role of yeast in fermentation.Prior to this, brewers either let wild yeast do the work, or added a bit of the sediment from a previous batch.

Contrary to popular belief, the Reinheitsgebot is no longer a part of German law. It has been replaced by the Provisional German Beer Law. But beer brewers in Germany (and the USA) still reference it in their marketing. This leads to some rather funny (or dishonest) marketing. For example, I have seen wheat beers, or beers containing wheat malt (a common trick for beer head retention) claiming to be brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot. Also making the claim are beers using hop extract.

Also interesting is seeing this claim on beer styles like Kölsch and Alt that existed today largely because the Reinheitsgebot did not cover the parts of Germany that they come from.

There was one provision of the Reinheitsgebot that I would mind still being in effect. That provision set the price of a Maß (one liter today) at 1 to 2 pfennings. Assuming that there was no inflation clause in the law (I've never heard mention of one), that would be a good deal today.