Saturday, January 24, 2009

German Gastronomy

This past summer (2008) I went to Europe for 6 weeks. It was fantastic! I was able to try so many new foods while I was there. First of all, the food in Germany is WAY better than the food in England. Sorry Englander's, but it's true. I guess I should say that in my opinion the food in Germany is better than the food in England.

The Germans love to eat cake and coffee. I didn't have the coffee, but I did have a lot of cake, which is so yummy! It's not as sweet as the cakes in the USA, but I like that better. They are rich and solid and so good. They also have the best chocolate in the world.

While in Germany I tried the oldest cake in the world- well it's the oldest cake recipe anyway- called Sacher Cake. It has dark chocolate (which is very dark and has no fillers), cream, cookie crust on bottom, and tasted like a little piece of heaven in my mouth.

I tried the traditional Bavarian cake (known as Black Forest Cake). The real thing is much better than the Betty Crocker cake mix I'm used to ;)


The weather was not very good while I was in Germany. One day I was in downtown Munich and it was raining and I was freezing. I slipped into a Starbucks to use the bathroom (they're the only place that doesn't charge you to use the bathroom) and decided that I wanted to stick around in the warmth. However, in Europe you can't just sit around. You have to order something. I ordered the hot chocolate. It was the most amazing hot chocolate I've ever had in my life! I've ordered hot chocolate from Starbucks in the U.S. since coming home and it just isn't the same.


One day I bought lunch from the open air market in Munich and enjoyed the fresh cheese, bread, and olives. It really reminded me of the food I ate in Israel last year. Yum! The open air market was an experience that cannot be missed and this Mediterranean booth was wonderful.


One of my favorite things I ate was the traditional Bavarian foood... sausages, sauerkraut, and potatoes. I love those things! Hmmmm. Just thinking about it makes me hungry! I went to the Tollwood Festival, which was amazing, and enjoyed some traditional food and culture.



German gastronomy agrees with me. If you're ever in Bavaria, don't hesitate to try anything. I didn't meet any Bavarian food I didn't like!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Cranberry Salsa


At a dinner party a few weeks ago my roommate, Molly, made one of the most original, interesting, and piquant dips I have ever tasted. Molly got the recipe from her sister last Thanksgiving and it is now a family favorite. The dip was definitely the hit of the party, which is saying something because Lindsay really outdid herself with the cheesy mushroom chicken and brussels sprouts.

This recipe was so popular it caused two friends to write about it on their blogs! Mark made some health conscious changes to the recipe. Brian also made some changes. I haven't tried it with their changes, so I can't vouch for them! However, I can vouch that this dish is marvelous and piquant!


Cranberry Salsa

1 bag cranberries
3/4 C. sugar (start with half the sugar- test- then add sugar to taste)
1 green onion
1/4 tsp cumin
1 bunch cilantro
1 medium jalapeno (add more depending on desired heat)
1-2 blocks cream cheese
various crackers (Wheat Thins, Ritz, and whole grain crackers are the favorite)

Mix ingredients (except the cream cheese and crackers) in a Magic Bullet or blender until completely blended. If you put it in the fridge for a bit it will sweeten and also gain heat. Pour blended mixture over the cream cheese and serve at room temperature with crackers.