A Stolperstein for Hedwig

Recently I learned that there would be a Stolperstein laid in a town not far from us, and I knew I wanted to be there. And by being present I met some wonderful people.

I have told many friends, family and students about the Stolpersteine project and the people memorialized through it. Stolpersteine are always a part of the tours I give in Esslingen, Tübingen, Ulm and Berlin.

First let me tell you a little about the project:

The German artist Gunter Demnig remembers the victims of the Nazis by installing commemorative brass plaques in the pavement usually in front of their last known address, sometimes their school. There are now about 100,000  Stolpersteine (as of 2022) in over 1800 towns and cities in 28 countries. The project began in 1992, and since 1996 the stones have been laid with official permission.

Michael Friedrichs-Friedländer is the sculptor who creates each Stolperstein by hand in his studio in Berlin-Pankow. Each letter and each date is pressed into the plague individually. Mass or machine production is out of the question.

Gunter Demnig cites the Talmud saying that "a person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten". The Stolpersteine in front of the buildings bring back to memory the people who once lived or studied there. Each “stone” begins with HERE LIVED or HERE LEARNED… One “stone”. One name. One person.

 

Now to Hedwig Levi. Her story is not mine to tell, but all the info I can find about her online is in German and I’d like to tell a little about her in English. Her story was told at the ceremony while the current owner of the house and her son placed her Stolperstein. Afterwards the organizers handed out pamphlets (put together by the Jewish Community in Rexingen) in German and English to those gathered.  

Hedwig was born in Rexingen (the small town not far from us) on August 7, 1879. She married Alfred Levi from Rexingen in 1909 and they lived in his parents’ house in the town, in front of which the Stolperstein was laid on October 30, 2022. Their only child, Irene, was born in 1914. After Alfred died, Irene moved in with her mother to help her for a few years. Irene became engaged to Helmut Kahn, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1939. After Kristallnacht in November 1938 Irene moved back in with her mother out of concern for her safety, and at that time she was preparing for her emigration to the U.S. to join Helmut. From there she tried to arrange her mother’s immigration but was unsuccessful, something which plagued Irene the rest of her life.

Hedwig sold her house in Spring of 1940 as her health was failing, but she was pleased to learn of Irene and Helmut’s marriage later that year. Hedwig spent time in the hospital in Horb in January 1941, but after returning home her health had not improved. Three days after sending her last postcard to her niece in Brussels and with no prospect for better health or escaping from Germany, Hedwig took her own life. She is buried in the Jewish cemetery in Rexingen.

 

the house in Rexingen

Hedwig’s granddaughter, Hazel K., her two daughters, Alison and Jessica, and son-in-law Brent had flown in from the U.S., and family members from the Kahn side, now living in Switzerland, attended as well. Another honored guest was Ursula R., who still lives just down the street from Hedwig’s house and was the only person present who had known Hedwig.

Hazel's family with Simon and Davorka in the middle
and Ursula just behind in the chair

My intent was to stay in the background, take in the experience and take some photos, but I did introduce myself to Hazel and Jessica, thanked them for the touching remarks they delivered to those gathered, and offered to help translate as the Americans and the locals chatted with each other.

The current owner of Hedwig’s house, Davorka P., moved to Germany from Croatia. When she and her husband were contacted and asked if they would be open to a Stolperstein for Hedwig being placed in front of their home, they not only welcomed it but said they would do the cementing of the stone themselves. It was Davorka and her son, Simon, who did this while the organizers spoke about Hedwig.

I was able to provide translation help as Davorka answered some questions about her and her family’s story as well. After doing so, Hazel’s son-in-law invited me to join their small gathering for lunch in Rexingen’s former Synagogue. I sat with Hazel’s daughters and we had a lovely chat! Horb’s Bürgermeister was at the table on one side of us and on the other was a man who said to me, “I think we’ve met. Aren’t you the one with [tapping his arm] the bird?” LOL We had met on the Marktplatz two days earlier when Kaya and I had gone for a walk in town.

Rabbi Brent and I spoke about why Stolpersteine are not welcomed in every community and about the very different ways in which Germany and the U.S. face the demons of their past.

I felt very honored and grateful to be included in the lunch and pleased to make a connection with this lovely family.

The artist Gunter Demnig cites the Talmud as an inspiration for the Stolperstein project he started, saying that "a person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten". Now Hedwig Levi’s name and story will not be forgotten.

Fasnet and the Jugendschutz

Fasnet is the Swabian word for Fasching/Karnival, and this weekend is high season for shenanigans. I always intend to research the historical traditions behind this springtime custom of chasing away the demons of winter, but so far I haven't got around to it. Seeing as the whole business involves a lot of people, a lot of drinking, and masks, it's just not my scene.

Bildechinger Blockstrecker

This Thursday is Schmotziger, which I've learned doesn't really mean "Dirty Thursday" (though that fits in a way, too) but rather probably comes from the word "Schmalz," which is fat or lard. Around this time it was - and still is - popular to eat sweet and fatty foods to get ready for the fasting time of Lent.

Fasnetsküchle
"little Fasching cakes"

Enthusiasts say Fasnet or Fasching is not just about getting drunk, and I'll believe that. However, this week's Real ad brochure begins with beer, more beer, Jack Daniels and Coke in a can, Schnaps, vodka, Sekt (sparkling wine), beer glasses, glass boots, and a beer barrel carousel. The seasonal section, closest to the entrance and the cash registers, is full of alcohol and costumes.

This week's Blättle (local newsletter) is full of info about where to find the parades and parties as well as reminders to be sensible and clean up after your damn selves. Vergebens (all for nothing). It generally takes a good week for all the filth in the streets, parks, and public areas to be cleaned up by city workers or to blow away. Broken bottles, crushed cans, empty beer cases, confetti and candy wrappers from parades...

There are also two articles in the Blättle about Jugendshutz (protection of youth), which involves laws but mainly protecting young people against their own dumbass decisions. We are reminded:

• Children under 16 may not buy alcohol.
• Children between 16 and 18 may buy beer, wine, or Sekt, but no hard liquor.
• As of age 18 young people can buy any alcohol.
• Children between 14 and 16 who are in the company of their parents or guardians may consume alcohol, but not Branntwein (hard liquor - the alcohol content is too high).
• Children 16 and older are allowed in pubs even without parents until midnight.

Several of the stores in our town are participating voluntarily in a program called the "Rottweiler Idee" (Rottweil* idea) which hopes to dimish the incidents of young people drinking to the point of alcohol poisoning, which I applaud. At the same time, I realize that a wee bit of planning ahead (and most Germans are masters at this) circumvents these noble efforts. According to the article, local incidents requiring police intervention during Fasnet have decreased since the Rottweiler Idee was implemented.

*Rottweil is the Swabian hightown of Fasnet. Köln holds this fame to the north, but down here Rottweil is the place to be to celebrate the most traditional of Fasnet gatherings, parties, and so on.

What the stores in the vicinity of the Bahnhof have agreed to is not selling hard liquor to persons under the age of 25 on three upcoming days of drunken foolery: Schmotziger, Fasnetssamstag (Saturday) and Fasnetsmontag (Rosenmontag - the Monday that is the highlight of the Fasnet madness fun). Sunday doesn't need to be on the list because all stores are closed every Sunday.

Our town has been doing this since 2014. The store M and I use most often, Real, is not participating, unfortunately. This store is not near the Bahnhof, but its neighbor Norma is participating and I wish Real would, too. The kids can still buy beer, wine, and Sekt and can do plenty damage to themselves with those, but limiting hard liquor is at least something.

Not only will Real continue to sell alcohol to everyone over 18,
but plenty of the offerings are also on sale through Saturday.

I'm not a teetotaler and don't judge people for including alcohol as part of a celebration of whatever kind. I even think the U.S.'s drinking age of 21 is a bit silly when kids at 18 can serve in the army. Alcohol is part of German culture, and having a glass of wine or beer with lunch - even at a business meeting - isn't unusual. I just applaud the idea of (voluntarily!) making it as difficult as possible for young people to binge drink themselves into a coma or worse. The cut-off age of 25 is probably bit harsh, but I don't have a problem with it during the craziest days of Fasnet. The scariest thing is that there is surely plenty of drinking and driving during these days, and since Germans can drive as of age 18 but lack experience and judgement, the Rottweiler Idee could be intended to address this danger as well as to limit the ability of already wasted young people from buying even more hard liquor.

Whatever your plans for the days of Fasnet, Fastnet, Fasching, or Karnival, stay safe and make good choices! And for mercy's sake, don't drink and drive!!!

das Sprachcafe

Once a week I go to the community center in Horb where volunteers have organized a Sprachcafe, Everyone is invited, and the focus is to bring community members and Flüchtlinge (refugees) together for Kaffee, Kuchen, und Konversation. It is really well-attended, and sometimes so crowded it's hard to hear each other! It's a lively and friendly group, and each week there are new guests. The volunteers do a lovely job of providing refreshments, organizing the room, and cleaning up afterwards! Conversation tends to be in German, Arabic, English, Denglisch, and Deurabisch (Deutsch-Arabisch).

Forgive the quality of the photo - I forgot my camera,
so I could only use my Handy!

This is an article with photo about this Sprachcafe, and the reason I'm sharing that is because of the grinning chap in the front of the photo. His name is Omran, and he is as friendly as he looks.

Last Friday in our local paper I saw a letter to the editor written by him. I am so happy I saw this letter, because moments earlier I had read an article that surely gave any of its readers misgivings. That article reminded me that I don't really know my students or their pasts (though the same was true of my teenage students in the U.S.). Omran's letter reminded me to trust my gut and the good souls I see in front of me.

Here is his letter in German, followed by my English translation.

Liebe Deutsche,

Ich bin ein syrischer Flüchtling. Meine Worte und Gedanken - wie ich mich manchmal fühle - sind: Wir fühlen uns, als kämen wir von einem anderen Stern. Denn oft, zum Beispiel im Zug, blicken die Deutschen auf uns von oben herab und sind sehr distanziert zu uns. Wir haben im Krieg sehr viel gelitten, viel Schlimmes erlebt und durchgemacht. Wir sind nicht freiwillig hierher gekommen, sondern aus Not. Denn es ist so: Wenn wir in Syrien geblieben wären, hätten wir nur die Wahl gehabt, getötet zu werden oder selber zu töten. Was mich persönlich betrifft: Ich bin genau aus diesem Grund aus Syrien weggegangen.

Einige Leute in Horb haben uns sehr geholfen und haben uns die Sorgen ein wenig vergessen lassen. Obwohl Deutschland ein freies, friedliches und sicheres Land ist, fühlen wir uns hier nicht glücklich, weil wir fern von unseren Familien und von denen, die uns nah stehen, sind.

Nicht alle Syrer sind schlecht! Ein einziger, der sich schlecht verhält, genügt, um den Ruf aller zu schädigen. Dazu kommt noch, dass viele von sich behaupten, aus Syrien zu stammen oder mit einem gefälschten Pass, den man sich leicht besorgen kann, als angebliche Syrer unterwegs sind. Wir alle bemühen uns, hier in Deutschland alles richtig zu machen. Wir lernen fleißig Deutsch und können unterwegs und auf den Ämtern nicht immer, aber meistens ganz gut zurecht kommen.

Wir wurden ein Volk, das seine Träume verloren hat und wir wurden zu einem Volk, das nur noch einen Traum hat: die Rückkehr, nach Kriegsende.

Wir danken dem deutschen Volk und Frau Merkel.

Omran, Horb

*************

Dear German People,

I am a Syrian refugee. My words and thoughts - how I feel sometimes - are: We feel like we've come from another planet. Often, for instance on the train, Germans look down on us and keep their distance from us. We have suffered a lot, experienced and been through terrible things. We didn't come here by choice, but rather by necessity. The truth is, if we had stayed in Syria we would have been forced to kill or been killed ourselves. Personally for me: this is precisely the reason I left Syria.

Some people in Horb have helped us a lot and have allowed us to forget our concerns just a bit. Although Germany is a free, peaceful, and safe country, we do not feel happy here because we are far from our families and those who are dear to us.

Not all Syrians are bad! A single one who behaves badly is enough to damage the reputation of everyone. In addition to that, many claim to come from Syria or travel with a fake Syrian passport, which is easy to get. We are all trying to do everything right here in Germany. We are working hard to learn German and can manage in town and at public offices - not always, but usually.

We became a people who lost their dreams and we have become a people with only one dream left: to return home, after the war.

We thank the German people and Mrs. Merkel.

Omran, Horb

*************

I had sat with him for a bit at last week's cafe, and I had my notebook with me as usual. He took the notebook and wrote a few lines in German and asked me if they were correct. From what he wrote I know he is sad because his life is not here in Germany. He studied four years in Damaskus to be a math teacher - and I'll bet he will make a good one. A math teacher needs to smile a lot, I think, and he does - despite his sadness. He has a large family, including eight siblings, and he misses them.

I hope the war will end someday and Omran will be able to return to his home and his family. I hope until then he will be able to keep his spirits up and have more contact with helpful and open people than the other kind.

Just Another Dirty Thursday

I could have saved my "Here we go again" title for today. It's Schmotziger Donnerstag, or, as I like to call it, "Dirty Thursday". Die Narren sind los - The nuts are loose.

This is the height of Fasching/Fasnet/Fastnacht/Karnival - there are many names for this madness, and I'm sure it's a lot of fun if you're into it.

I thought I should let my students know a little bit about what goes on around here today, on the weekend, and early next week, so I wrote up a "reading comprehension exercise" explaining it roughly - enough so they won't wonder when, while walking to the Bahnhof or bus stop, they'll see a grown man dressed up like zebra - for instance.

Some costumes have a story and old tradition, like these Blockstrecker in Bildechingen.
Those are the ones I find interesting!

We will not have class on Monday because there's a big Umzug (parade) in Horb, and apparently the Narren (fools) can demand a Wegzoll (passage tax) from people trying to pass through town - €2 or €3 for "safe passage through Horb". I would have a serious problem with that, and I can imagine the Flüchtlinge wouldn't appreciate that either, just for trying to get to school to learn German. So the director said we are closed that day - and the doors are bolted shut.

I ended my explanation of the craziness of the next five days with "Ich bleibe lieber zu Hause und lese ein gutes Buch!" (I prefer to stay at home and read a good book!) Several of my students said they think they'll stay home, too, where they'll feel safer. I did tell them when the parades are in each of the towns where they're living, though, in case they want to check them out.

Umzug in Eutingen
source

While waiting for the bus after class (there was no way I was parking our car in town today), groups of Narren dressed in all kinds of crazy costumes crossed the strees at will, stopping traffic - including a bus - while they stumbled across to the other side. I was really pleased to see the number of groups who were dropped off by taxi - rather than driving themselves.

One thing I saw yesterday really bothered me. While standing at the crosswalk waiting for the little Ampelmännchen to turn green, I saw a mother (or grandmother) on the other side standing with a boy who was probably about 8 years old - maybe 10. He had a toy pistol and was aiming and shooting it at every car that drove past. When the Ampelmännchen turned green, the boy "shot" at those of us who were crossing the street towards him. The mother never said a word to him - apparently she didn't find anything wrong with a child pointing a gun at people and shooting them. I find that highly inappropriate - even with a toy gun.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why stores in Germany sell toy guns during Fasching, when most Germans agree that guns are not something people (who are not hunters or sport-shooters) should have.

Fasching is just not my thing, but I know people who really enjoy it. I am very interested in the history of it - for instance that it began in pagan times as a crazy celebration to chase away the demons of winter, and that the Catholics took it on as a way to celebrate like maniacs before the somber and repentant weeks of Lent.

Anyway, Feiert schön, und bleibt sauber!  (Enjoy the celebration, and stay clean!)

Kochkurs: Wild, Kürbis, & Quitten

This weekend M and I attended our fourth cooking class at Straub's Krone, and this time the main ingredients were wild game, pumpkin, and quinces. Once again we had a great time, and even I am becoming more comfortable taking on various tasks (though if I had my druthers I'd keep my participation to observing, listening, and taking pictures - and eating!).

The menu for today was:

Wildterrine mit Quittenchutney & Blattsalaten

Wild Game Terrine with Quince Chutney and Salad

Kürbiscremesuppe mit Kürbis Apfel Frühlingsrolle

Pumpkin Cream Soup with Pumpkin-Apple Springroll

Rehrücken im Pfannkuchen Pilz Mantel, dazu zweierlei* Rosenkohl

Saddle of Venison in a Pancake-Mushroom Jacket, with Two Variations of Brussel Sprouts

Kürbismousse mit Quittenkrapfen

Pumpkin Mousse with Quince Doughnuts

*Zweierlei is another brilliant German word that has no perfect equivalent in English. When you see "zweierlei" on a menu followed by an ingredient, that means what you'll find on your plate is that ingredient prepared in two different ways. This was "zweierlei Rosenkohl", and we had loose blanched brussel sprout leaves as well as brussel sprout puree.

As always we began with Martin Straub (the Chefkoch) going through the menu explaining what we'd be doing as well as telling us what substitutions can be made, answering our questions, and elaborating on his instructions. One of the participants this time was on a gluten-free restricted diet, so Martin explained the changes he'd made for that: rice cakes in place of breadcrumbs, gluten-free flour and where to buy the good stuff, etc.. I took notes ("If Quitten are steinhart, add Wasser & cook longer") because I can't remember anything unless it's written down. Since both languages are swirling in my head, my notes come out in messy Denglish.

Then it's time to don our aprons and plunge in! Martin knows me well enough by now to suggest easy tasks for me, which I appreciate. I took care of the brussel sprouts - a tedious, repetitive job which was perfect for me. It's not that I'm helpless in the kitchen, but when I'm part of a cooking team, I lack the confidence to do unfamiliar things. I'm often afraid I didn't understand exactly what I am supposed to do, and that freaks me out. Martin knows that M, on the other hand, can do pretty much anything in the kitchen with confidence. So when M is taking care of a task, Martin can tend to his other students. 

This is a 1- or 2-man kitchen, and there were 7-8 of us in there!
For schnibbling we stood at the outside of the counter.

We spend about two hours doing every preparation step that can be done first, under Martin's guidance. He asks, "Ok, who wants to cut the meat (wild boar)?" and someone steps up. "Who wants to start on the pumpkin?" and so on. Even if you have never worked with pumpkin or quince before (as M and I have not), he'll explain very clearly what you need to do.

I seriously have no idea how he keeps that all straight. When he's doing it himself and with his crew, ok - but with strangers? With strangers he has no idea whether they know what to do or not? And he never loses his cool or gets upset - it's not like cooking with Gordon Ramsay! If someone screws something up, he either says "Ok, let's do it again", or he shows us how to fix it. The cooking class started at 10:00 and ended around 16:00. I have a hard time keeping my patience for 45 minutes teaching the Englisch-AG!

M dealt with the pumpkin for the mousse and the soup.

The butternut squash next to him makes me think of Jerry from the Veggie Tales.

Two of the other participants peeled and cut the Quitten. I had never in my life heard of Quitten, even when translated into English - quinces. I was certain we don't have those in the U.S., but when I was in Wisconsin in June I visited a friend and we wandered through her garden. She has a quince tree! 

I have to say, the Wildterrine was really tasty, but the Quittenchutney topping was amazing!

Wildterrine mit Quittenchutney & Blattsalaten

M is pretty sure we're going to make this at home next time we have guests - if we have them when Quitten are in season.

That's yet another thing about Germany that is special - since they care where their produce comes from, far preferring local produce to stuff brought in from other countries on trucks, they pay attention to seasons. Fall is pumpkin and quince season in Germany, and they happily order dishes with either. But they would be quite sceptical if they saw those on a menu in March. 

Pumpkin is a huge thing here. Nearly every German restaurant adds a special Kürbis menu in the fall, and there's even an annual 9-week long pumpkin festival in Ludwigsburg, which you can read about on the Stuttgart-based blogs Traveling Hopefully and Kaffee und Kuchen. In Wisconsin the only thing I ever heard of anyone doing with (canned) pumpkin was baking pumpkin pie to serve at Thanksgiving. Otherwise we carve jack-o-lanterns out of pumpkins for Halloween, some roast and eat the seeds, and after Halloween - hopefully before the pumpkin has started to rot - it gets thrown away or tossed into a field.

But back to the cooking class...

The saddle of venison was cut from the bone and freed of the fat and sinews, and then browned. The bones were also fried up to be used for the sauce.

"noch ein bisschen Rotwein" = dump a bottle of wine over it
while your students stand there drooling...

Then the venison was wrapped in its pancake jacket, then in a tin foil wrapper like a bonbon.

Most of my photos show Martin doing the steps because I'm never sure how the other participants feel about having their pictures taken, and I try to avoid getting in their way with the camera. Martin often does an example, and then we students take over. Martin is used to my camera by now (though I have a photo from our first Kochkurs of him giving me an exasperated look which clearly said "Enough with the pictures!"), and he knows what I'm doing and pays me no heed.

So we did lots of preparations, managing not to trip over each other too much, and eventually the starter was ready. It was, of course, time for a glass of wine, and Martin had chosen a Rotling - a mixture of red and white. 

We toasted to the fact that no one had yet injured him- or herself or screwed anything up beyond saving, and sat down to enjoy our starter. We chatted, shared some stories, asked Martin lots of questions while we ate.

When we finished we brought our plates to the kitchen where the whirling dervish that is Martin's kitchen assistant had washed everything we'd touched up to this point, and we carried on with the next steps.

Since we now have a Thermomix at home, I was able to confidently use Martin's to mix the brussel sprout puree and then the pumpkin soup. Seriously, all that means is I put the cooked mush into the mixer and pureed it, added some salt, pepper, and nutmeg (Germans put freshly grated nutmeg in just about everything), mixed it again, and poured it into a bowl. Others had done the hard work.

pumpkin cream soup with pumpkin-apple spring roll
The dark bit in the soup is a splash of pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds.

I haven't ever liked anything pumpkin, and still these were both delicious. I would definitely like to do the spring rolls at home, though M would prefer them to also have some meat in them.

Right. I'll bring this post to a close with the rest of the dishes.

main course
venison wrapped in pancake with zweierlei brussel sprouts

Admittedly by this time we were stuffed, and dessert was yet to come. I must say that I'm proud to have been in charge of both versions of brussel sprouts without having screwed them up. M actually saved the loose blanched leaves without even knowing it until 5 hours later when I admitted something I'd misunderstood, but that will remain our secret.

Pumpkin Mousse with Quince Doughnuts

This Kochkurs was every bit as enjoyable as the others we've done. We meet nice people, we learn lots of great tips that help us in our own kitchen, and we eat some truly excellent food that we wouldn't have tried cooking just for ourselves. We don't always cook at home what we've prepared in these classes, but that's not the point for us anyway. We have some new ideas, we've got all the recipes, and we have learned plenty. 

I asked Martin if he thought he could do a cooking course in English or Denglish, and he thinks he could do that. I've offered to translate the recipes and instructions, so bloggers in the Stuttgart area, you may be hearing from me soon! :-)  

You can read about our second Kochkurs from March this year here.

This is Why I Love Bookstores

The other day I had a dentist appointment, but as usual I was early and had some time to kill. Happily Horb's bookstore is just a few steps from my dentist, so I popped in there for a few minutes. I don't think the store has a website, but it's located at Hirschgasse 17 (the internet is wrong - she has relocated from Christophorusbrücken 1).

Look, Amazon is great. There's almost nothing they don't have, delivery time is quick in Germany, and searching online is easy. But it's still not a bookstore. The kind where I can wander in, amble around, flip through pages of books on display, and ask for assistance finding just what I'm looking for even when I'm not quite sure what I want.

Granted, I rarely ask for help because I love browsing. But one of these days I will ask Frau Kohler to recommend for me some German historical fiction novels written originally in German, because I do not want to read English books translated into German. I'm pretty good at finding historical fiction on my own, but I want to make sure they are written by German authors.

In the store in Horb I usually migrate straight to the ample section about the Schwabenland, though, which is what I did the other day. I saw the usuals, some of which I've already bought and read, and some I haven't bought yet. But this one jumped out at me:

111 Reasons to Love the Swabians

I flipped through the book, spotted words like Laugenweckle, Kehrwoche, Neigschmeckter, Maultaschen, and Stäffelesrutscher, and I bought it. And then for the next few days I had to force myself to put it down - to take care of things like the laundry and Kehrwoche.

I have searched for and bought several books on Amazon about the Swabians, but still this book hadn't shown up on my recommendations from them. When I went to enter it into my Goodreads collection, I discovered it had only just been published a month earlier, on April 1st, 2015! I even wrote a review of the book on Amazon because no one else had yet done so.

But this is why, although I'm grateful for Amazon when I need to order something quickly and know exactly what I want, I will always prefer bookstores for browsing. I wrote down the titles of two other books I saw that day that I'd like and found them on Amazon for the same price, but I will return to our little bookstore in Horb to buy them because I know bookstores are struggling, and I hope she stays open forever.

Spending time in a bookstore is for me what candy stores, clothing and shoe stores, and hardware stores are for other people. I can't get enough. When M and I are meandering through a town and a bookstore looms in the distance, I usually hear, "Oh no." But hey - there's usually a cafe nearby where he can have an espresso, so everybody wins!

Folks, wherever you are, support your local bookstores! Wouldn't it be sad if 20 years from now no one remembers bookstores because Amazon has taken over the world and we can't hold real books in our hands anymore before we buy them? I can't tell you the number of times a book I later loved has all but jumped off a shelf into my hands and screamed, "Buy ME!! I am the book you came here for!" That's never happened to me on Amazon.


P.S. I just have to add one of my favorite lines from this book: "Würden Psychiater nicht so viel kosten, hätten sie hier im Schwäbischen bestimmt mächtig was zu tun." ("If psychiatrists didn't cost so much, they would have a load of work here in Swabia.") That said, the author, Jo Müller, presents Swabians in a very positive light and really shows what there is to love about these people and their land. I sometimes feel like I know a lot about the Swabians, being an observer of them for quite a few years - since long before I moved here. But I learned a pile more from this book!

Asiatischer Kochkurs

On Saturday M and I attended our second Kochkurs (cooking class) at the fabulous restaurant in our little town. The Kochkurs is something the Chefkoch is starting to do more regularly, much to our delight! The theme this time was Asian cooking, which we don't do a lot of, to be honest - but we knew it wouldn't matter. For us the point is the skills and information he teaches us, the tips on where to buy various ingredients, learning how to make our own sauces, and listening to anything else he has to teach us.

Our menu:
Glasnudeln mit Rindfleisch, Chili, und Koriander
Thai Curry Suppe mit Garnelen Zitronengras Spieß
Chicken Teriyaki mit Wokgemüse und Eiernudeln
Sago Pudding mit Mango und Sesamkaramell

the kitchen, before we messed it all up

The Kochkurs started at 10:00, and we only returned home around 16:00! The restaurant is normally open on Saturdays for lunch, but on the days he does the Kochkurs, the Chefkoch closes his restaurant and the students invade the kitchen. We each got an apron and a copy of our menu and instructions. He started out explaining the food we'd be preparing for the four-course menu we'd also get to enjoy, answered whatever questions we six students had, and then we dug in.

Under his instruction and guidance we did all the preparations that could be done ahead, so lots of schnibbling of vegetables, combining ingredients for the marinade and dressing, preparing the meat and shrimps, and mixing and cooking the pudding, which would then be poured into dessert cups and chilled until the end.

Our Chefkoch is not only a master chef but also an excellent teacher. We weren't just putzing around in his kitchen - he taught us the best way to peel a clove of garlic, that it's best to peel peppers for something like stir fry because the peel is hard for many people to digest, that it's essential to get the pan very hot before adding meat to fry, how best to peel ginger (with a cheap spoon!), and which ingredients can be easily substituted for the ones in his recipes ("If you don't have maracuya juice, just use orange juice"). Those tips were especially helpful for me, because I'm one of those who tends to stick blindly to a recipe out of fear of screwing it up by substituting. He explained the how and why of almost everything we did and always got our attention when moving to a new major step so we'd know what to do at home when we try to recreate these dishes.

One major difference between German and American recipes is that German ones tell you which herbs and spices to add, but often not how much. It says "etwas Curry" ("some curry). When asked "how much more [herb] should I add?" our Chefkoch often answered with, "about double what you just added."  I know that's one of my big cooking problems - I never season anything enough.

using a scissors to cut loose the right amount of glass noodles
from the package

showing us why meat loses its healthy red color so quickly

anrichten: dishing up the Glasnudelsalat

I think he's telling us here about his fabulous mixer that also heats
while mixing, which is excellent for making Hollandaise sauce, for instance.

Although we worked with ingredients we've never used at home before (lemon grass, mango, curry paste, coconut milk...), he showed us that these recipes are absolutely do-able at home by mere mortals like us! Everything was hands-on instruction, demonstration, and explanation.

He gave us some tips on where to buy local fresh produce and that we should always buy seafood frozen, since there is no fish that comes to our area fresh from the fisherman. What's marketed as "fresh fish" in our grocery store, for instance, has been frozen (and thank goodness) on its journey from the sea to Horb.

I learned that when I buy a pot of herbs, they'll last longer if I re-pot them right away into a bigger pot. Perhaps I should have known that already, but I've never bothered except in the summer when I plant the herbs outside. When asked, the Chefkoch told us which type of pans he prefers and why, how to clean a stone mortar (don't ever put it into the dishwasher!), and what parts of a leek are good for which purposes (you can use more than just the middle white part!).

one part of the dining area - the open kitchen where he works is just
to the left, so guests can watch the action while they dine!

It was a perfectly enjoyable and informative morning and afternoon! Just like last time, I came away having learned a lot, and having tried (and helped prepare) several dishes I may not have ordered. The Thai Curry Suppe was admittedly too hot for me (I have a wimpy palate), though I did enjoy half of the serving. And that soup is what confirmed what I have long thought - although there are foods I don't like and foods I haven't yet dared to try, I am pretty sure I would eat anything cooked by this chef. That soup contained three ingredients I really don't like (curry, ginger, and coconut [milk]), and yet I found it tasty. If I ever get the courage to try sauere Kutteln (sour tripe, which I think is the lining of a cow's intestine), saure Nierle (kidneys), or Hirnsuppe (brain soup) - all dishes I've heard of here in Swabia - it will only be at this restaurant. I, however, am not sorry those dishes aren't currently on his Speisekarte!

butterflying and skewering the shrimps with lemon grass

One of the other students said that she had grown tired of going out to eat because there just aren't many restaurants around that offer such a fabulous dining experience, delicious and special food, and that "extra something" that she would eagerly return to or recommend them to others. But then recently she came to Straub's Krone and was really impressed. Swabians don't give empty praise, and we could only nod in agreement. That's why we dine here about once a month!

We are in Swabia, after all. What would a Kochkurs be without
a bottle of wine with which to toast our first course?

tossing the strips of beef  - make sure the pan is HOT!

grinding coriander seeds and mixing the Teriyaki sauce
Don't bother with a lightweight mortar - this sucker weighs
7 kg (15 pounds)

explaining the next step while M keeps stirring the pudding

After our first preparations were completed, we finished and dished up the salad course and sat down with the Chefkoch to enjoy our first course with a glass of wine. We chatted about all kinds of topics, some related to cooking and some not, and then we cleared the plates and got back to work. Each course after that worked the same way. Despite the chatting and relaxing, our Chefkoch never once rushed us or indicated that we should quit yammering and get back to work so he could have a rest before having to open up for dinner business! He gave the impression that he wanted to be right where he was, teaching us whatever he could in those several hours, and enjoyed doing it.

At the first Kochkurs we attended in 2013, he taught us how to make Bratkartoffeln at my request, and I haven't failed at that since (before then it was kind of hit-or-miss for me). We learned tons of basics that day which have become normal for us now, and I have no doubt that we'll keep learning new techniques with every class we take.

This is the Sesame Caramel garnish we made for the dessert:

Mix soft butter, warm OJ, sugar, and 1 Tbl of sesame seeds.

Spread thinly on parchment paper.

Bake  for 10-15 minutes and let cool.
Gently break it into the size pieces you want.

We are already looking forward to the next Kochkurs, which he said will be during the Spargelsaison! We couldn't get enough of his asparagus dishes last spring (Germans go mad for white asparagus during the roughly 6-week season), and since we only have one (delicious) home recipe, we're eager to learn more from him!

I will end with the final products - the dishes we prepared.

Glasnudeln mit Rindfleisch, Chili, und Koriander

Thai Curry Suppe mit Garnelen Zitronengras Spieß

Chicken Teriyaki mit Wokgemüse und Eiernudeln

Sago Pudding mit Mango und Sesamkaramell

Holiday Hike

Yesterday was Allerheiligen, or All Saint's Day, which I wrote about last year. It's a day to remember the saints we honor throughout the year on their feasts days. Today is Allerseelen, which is a day to honor and remember the regular souls who have passed away. These are both Catholic days, and though I'm not Catholic I live in the predominantly Catholic south of Germany, so yesterday was a stiller Feiertag. With today being Sunday, southern Germany is essentially closed for business the whole weekend. Restaurants and museums are open as well as most gas stations along the Autobahnen, but I had to make sure the grocery shopping was done by Friday.

I should mention Friday as well - that was Reformation Day, which of course is a Protestant holiday. In most of the northern states that is a holiday, so they had a long weekend but could do their grocery shopping on Saturday.

After having a nice lazy morning, one of us came up with the idea to go for a walk to some nearby Burgruine (castle ruins) which we've known about but have never searched for. We've made a mental note to wear our hiking boots next time we go exploring.

The castle has some history, of course, but it's a little dull so I'll only mention that it was built in the second half of the 13th century.

This would have been a cool time for a train to go by -
I would have loved that photo. The trains were scheduled,
however, to pass only when we were too far away for photos.

Here are the ruins. There are a few informational signs,
but this is not a former castle that people come from
far away to see. If we hadn't known what we were looking
for, we would have missed it.

There's just something about castle ruins.
The lighting wasn't great, but oh well.
There were trees growing out of the sides of
these stone walls. Nature always wins in the end.

We like to hike off the beaten path when we can.

From here we could choose the unadventurous route of going back the way we'd come, which would have been pretty strenuous, too. The damp leaves made the steep slope rather slippery, and going back up the side of a valley sounded less than appealing. So we opted for the flatter dirt road which we were hoping would angle upwards gradually.

It did not. We got to the level of a stream as we heard one of the trains roar past a few hundred feet above us as the road continued heading downish with an occasional optimistic slope upwards. The picture above shows the springs from which this stream originates. The water is deliciously pure and clear.

At one point I was a little ahead of M and saw something that brought out an "Oh my GOD!" M automatically braced himself to fight a stag or wrestle a rabid wolf while I fled to safety, as I said, "It's a horse!" A woman on a beautiful black steed was trotting along the road on a holiday trail ride. I grinned like an idiot for the next few minutes - that's what horses do to me.

By the time we saw the rooftops of the town on the Neckar east of Horb we realized we'd have to climb up the side of the blasted valley anyway. Good thing we're so fit (yeah, right). We huffed and puffed our way up the hill visualizing the dinner we'd reward ourselves with later.

We keep finding new places for walking/hiking that are right around where we live, and despite the huffing and sweating, we enjoy taking these walks. It's great exercise (even though this walk was only 7 km, it was enough up and down steep hills to burn a few calories), we're out in the fresh air on a beautiful fall day, and we're exploring new sites right in our area. We're surrounded by history and wilderness, and I think that's pretty cool!

We ended the day at our favorite restaurant, and I ordered this as my appetizer:

Ziegenkäse im Speckmantel gebraten und hausgemachtes Pflaumenchutney
Fried bacon-wrapped goat cheese with homemade plum chutney

To savor the dish I made three bites each out of the bite-sized bits of cheese and bacon. I followed that with locally shot Wildschweinrückensteak mit süß-scharfe Pfeffersoße und glasiertes Gemüse, or wild boar in a sweet-spicy pepper sauce and glazed vegetables.

Before we left we reserved a table for Martinstag (11. November), when I'll try goose for the first time! Goose is the traditional German bird to consume on 11. November - more on that in a future post.

It was a really nice way to spend Allerheiligen and my birthday, and a good start to the quiet weekend.