My Grandma and Pears

turn on some German Music

This is the only picture I know that still exists of the old pear tree, my grandma lived there until 1890
My folks were in Steinsfurt in 1958 and took this pic.

My grandma grew up in Steinsfurt/Sinsheim, Germany and
with a large family and farm that they lived on, my great grandpa
had the town Stud Bull and they grew tobacco as a cash crop.....
That's right tobacco was a cash crop in Germany circa 1890

Birnen Kuchen, Birnen Brot, Birnen, Bohnen und Speck

My dad told me that his mom (my Oma) had a huge pear tree in back of
the house that had so many pears on them that they had to put
a board underneath a certain branch to keep it off the ground.

Pears, Pears and more Pears in Cooking

So pears were used a lot in cooking and baking.
We have one of her old recipes using dried pears even.
I don't know how they dried them but probably just on a rack in
in some place protected.

Pear Kuchen

Birnen Kuchen

First a little word about Kuchen.............

In the US it is called
Kuchen, Koogan, German Cake, Coffee Cake, Kuka,

I have heard all these terms used for this type of yummy goodie.
a sweet crust of many styles, custard, then fruit and Streusal, and sometimes
they eliminate the custard

Regardless it is great for dessert, but also breakfast,
and of course for the 10 oclock break or 3:00 snack in the afternoon.

In Pennsylvania Dutch Amish country they have them on the table
for every meal.

I think making kuchen is something to have every day like we have coffee

I am not sure if many of you know about how in years back
German's ate 5 meals a day

in Germany they are called;

1. Breakfast (das Frühstück)

Generally it is fine cold cuts, and cheeses and bread or Broetchen (roll)

2. Mid Morning Snack (zweites Frühstück)
can be a little of everything

3. Lunch (das Mittagessen)

Lunch is usually the main meal of the day.

4. Coffee and Kuchen (Kaffee und Kuchen)

Here is a nice break in the day and you have coffee and a pastry or cake.

5.Evening Bread(Abendbrot) 

A simple meal as it suggests bread, cold cuts and cheese

You can read more about it at The German Way

So we are enjoying are first year on our new home at
Twisting Roots Farm our neighbor

Google Ad

walked through the
wooded path to give us......

Birnen, both Bosc pears and Asian pears

So I wanted to make a pear kuchen,
My grandma use to make them in a rectangular baking dish
but my friend from Steinsfurt, Oliver Muhling taught me how to make
them in a Springform pan that German's just love.

So I almost always make my Kuchen's now in one

I like to use a custard base out of cottage cheese and blend it with an egg, sugar
and vanilla then lay the fruit on top in a nice pattern. If that seems like a tedious task,
and your behind anyway, it really doesn't take that long.

Streusal ...ahhhh Streusal .....so many types ...
Brown sugar, white sugar, white flour, bread crumbs, oatmeal .....
sliced almonds, walnuts hazelnuts. ...
you could even put granola on top

Go here for my recipe for
Pear Kuchen
(Birnenkuchen)

Check out some different
Streusal's
on what I make if I don't have fruit.

Here I topped a kuchen with some different styles just to demonstrate.

Streusal Kuchen Recipe

Birmenbrot
Pear Bead

This is my grandma's recipe and have never snapped pics while
I made it. it makes about 12 loaves
so I thought I would scale it down for you. It is good, and always
the first bread that grandma made for the holiday season.

I was going to make it this morning but the power went out so
i will send it along and post it here as soon as I can.

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Our German Cookbook

Birnen Bohnen und Speck

This was a dish that my friend Rolf Erhardt , that was born and lived until he was 16 in Eastern Germany
back when it was still under Russian occupation. I am glad he made it over to the US and he
showed me how to make this amazing dish where you simmer pork hock with green beans and pears

Go here to make Birnen Bohnen und Speck

and also His style of

Potato Pancakes

Kartoffelpuffer

He made them and ran a booth at the Tomball German Heritage Festival

Rolf purees the potatoes and it makes a nice smooth batter

Go here to make Rolf's Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes)
with step by step pictures

Like this newsletter kind of thing so far? We have more free ones. German Goodies is my heritage cooking passion, but as a chef of 35 years and a new farmer, I love all kinds of foods and their histories. Also techniques, tools that I think can make your cooking experience in the kitchen and your garden inspirational.

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Some More Pear Cake Recipes