A good German BBQ
favorite, Yup this
Kebab is truly
German.
The German Tradition
of the Vespern Board
To understand the German spring and summer Vesper board, you need to understand spreads.
Here in America, when we think of a spread, we usually think of cream cheese, peanut butter, or perhaps a dip. But throughout Germany and Austria, entire meals were often built around things meant to be spread onto bread.
The German word for a spread is Aufstrich. "Auf" means "on" and "streichen" means "to spread." An Eieraufstrich is simply an egg spread. A Käseaufstrich is a cheese spread. Simple foods designed to turn a slice of bread into a satisfying meal.
Until fairly recently, many Germans ate their largest meal in the middle of the day. Workers came home for a warm lunch before returning to work in the afternoon. By evening, nobody wanted another heavy meal. Instead, the table was set with bread, cold cuts, cheese, pickles, mustard, radishes, and a variety of spreads.
Depending on the region, it might be called Brotzeit, Abendbrot, or Vesper. Whatever the name, the idea was the same: simple food, good bread, and a chance to sit together before the day was done.
It is a tradition that makes a surprising amount of sense today. In the spring and summer many of us are busy with gardening, yard work, outdoor projects, and long evenings outside. A Vesper board can be assembled in minutes and shared on the patio, in the garden, or packed for an Ausflug. (day get-away)
Over the coming months, I'd like to explore some of these traditional spreads and the meals built around them. We will start with Eieraufstrich, an egg spread that turns a humble hard-cooked egg into something worthy of a good slice of rye bread.
One of the German terms for a spread for bread is
aufstrich; auf = on strich = spread
auf like owl only with an F
and
Street with a hard ch instead of the T
a cool sounding word.
Eier aufstrich is an egg spread.
This is different than an egg salad.
I grew up with peanut butter and toast.
This is more like an egg butter or spread
than a slad.
It is really rich and creamy, and
it goes well with things like radish and chives.
There is something fun also about it not being so formal.
A relaxed build your own is a great German tradition .
A steamer basket or bamboo steamer works well for steaming eggs, but you can also create a simple steamer using a Dutch oven. Place a small heatproof bowl in the bottom of the Dutch oven and set a small plate on top to create a raised platform. Add about 2 inches (5 cm) of water, making sure the water remains below the plate. Cover the Dutch oven and bring the water to a steady boil.
Carefully place the eggs on the plate, cover tightly, and steam for 16 to 18 minutes. Unlike eggs added directly to boiling water, which immediately cool the water, steam surrounds the eggs with consistent heat. This helps the egg whites set quickly and evenly, making the eggs noticeably easier to peel. Once steamed, transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop the cooking before peeling.
12 piece , 1,2 and 4 cup
Snapware Total Solution Glass Storage Containers are the kind of practical kitchen containers that somehow become part of every picnic, potluck, and leftovers night.
The glass dishes keep salads, stuffed celery, and picnic foods tasting fresh, while the locking lids travel well in a cooler without leaks or spills. I especially like these for Ausflug-style picnic food because they stack neatly, clean up easily, and look good enough to go straight from the refrigerator to the picnic blanket.
My German grandmother was all about soup. Soup was often the first course at dinner, but she also believed deeply that wasting food was a sin. At the same time, she believed you should not spend more time or money trying to save something than it was worth. Good, practical kitchen wisdom.
So I save and freeze the tough bottoms and peelings from asparagus season. Later, I simmer them gently with potatoes and stock, blend everything smooth, and strain it into a delicate asparagus soup with a beautiful creamy essence.
It is simple, comforting, and feels like a little ode to my grandmother and the way she cooked. Wonderful served hot on a cool spring evening, or chilled in warmer weather as a light first course.
Versunkener Erdbeerkuchen, or German Sunken Strawberry Cake, is a simple fruit cake that celebrates the flavors of the season.
Fresh strawberries are nestled into a light buttery sponge batter, where they gently sink as the cake bakes, creating its signature appearance and tender texture.
The result is a rustic cake that is rich with fruit, easy to transport, and perfect for afternoon coffee, picnics, and family gatherings.
Makes a great Birthday cake,
we added blueberries
A Little History
The term "versunken" means "sunken" in German and refers to the way fruit settles into the batter during baking. The best-known version is Versunkener Apfelkuchen (Sunken Apple Cake), a beloved home-style cake found throughout Germany for generations.
As strawberries became widely available in late spring and early summer, home bakers began adapting the same technique to seasonal berries, creating variations that are especially popular during Erdbeerzeit, Germany's strawberry season.
Like many traditional German kuchen, the cake is prized for its simplicity—fresh fruit, a tender butter sponge, and just a dusting of powdered sugar.
A simple but essential tool for asparagus season, this peeler removes the tough outer layer quickly and evenly, leaving the spears tender and ready for cooking. Especially useful when working with thicker asparagus, it makes a noticeable difference in texture.
You may look at the word Schaschlik and say,
That doesn't sound German?
especially on a Kebab that seems from the middle east.
However one give away is that if you see Sch
while in English we spell it more like Sh and in Hungary it is just S
that is right, Hungarians prounce their capital "Budapesht"
So when you see words
with an sch they are most likely the German way to spell
this is us!
While the name "Schaschlik" traces its roots to the skewered meats of
Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Germans embraced the dish and made it their own.
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, travelers, soldiers,
and merchants carried versions of these grilled meat skewers westward to
where they became especially popular throughout Germany.
German Schaschlik is distinct from many other kebab-style dishes.
Rather than relying solely on dry spices,
the meat is often marinated and threaded onto skewers with
onions, bell peppers, and bacon before being grilled or roasted.
The chicken skewers are likely brushed with a tangy Paprika - tomato-based sauce
that caramelizes beautifully over the heat.
By the 1950s and 1960s, Schaschlik had become a familiar sight at German beer gardens,
festivals, and backyard gatherings.
The combination of smoky grilled meat, sweet peppers, and savory onions
paired perfectly with a cold lager and a slice of hearty bread.
Today, Schaschlik remains a beloved part of German outdoor cooking culture.
Whether prepared with pork, chicken, or beef,
the dish reflects the German love of simple ingredients
transformed by fire, smoke, and good company.
It's a reminder that some of the best meals are those shared around a grill
with family and friends on a warm afternoon.
Her recipes, culture and cooking styles that were brought over from Germany. How they evolved when she came to America in the early 1900s and settled in Portland, Oregon on the west coast of the United States. Over 100 recipes
Bonus recipes with step by step color pictures
Online for download
Rest your laptop,tablet or phone
in the Kitchen counter
and follow the recipes with pictures to help.
Bonus
PDF
for you to download
Read on your
phone, tablet or laptop
Vintage German Postcard replica's to use as bookmarks or to mail.
From Germany with Love tells the story of my grandma, Emma Block, growing up in a little town in Baden/ Würtemberg, Germany near Heidelberg named Steinsfurt. Then at the age of 15 immigrating to the United States, taking a train with one of her sisters and brothers to Hamburg and sailing the Atlantic with other hope filled Germans wanting to make a life in the "New World". It was not easy but with good values learned in her German upbringing made a full life, had a wonderful family with lots of fun and celebration including the great German meals.
This egg poacher takes the guesswork out of making perfectly cooked eggs. With four individual cups, it allows you to poach multiple eggs at once while keeping their shape clean and uniform—ideal for a Benedict-style brunch. The nonstick surface helps the eggs release easily, and the lid holds in heat for gentle, even cooking. It’s a simple tool that makes a noticeable difference, especially when you want consistent results without the fuss.
Hollandaise isn’t just borrowed; it’s become
an essential part of how asparagus is enjoyed in Germany.
While they love the classic butter, egg yolk emulsion,
It can be tricky and time consuming to make.
Packets with a simple addition make it simpler.
German Music
Through modern technology we can enjoy music from Germany at the touch of your computer, there are many venues now, Pandora, Amazon music, and Youtube is free.
I love my noise canceling headphones that are completely wireless and give incredible sound!
over 2500 perfect reviews, it is a bit of an investment but worth every penny.
ROCK Mi
Orchestra Meets German Schlager
This Clip: Maestro Guido invited his friends of @voXXclub. This vocal group is a household name in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. They perform worldwide more than 100 shows a year and many TV appearances. Next to the fact that they are great singers, they became also good friends with Guido and Wendy. For this concert he Maestro made a new arrangement of this vibrant German song.
Some of my favorite music from the Zillertal Valley
Thisis a great half hour of good fun music for the season
Rolf und seine Freunde Stups der Kleine Osterhase Musikvideo
German Folk Music
by the
Goldried Quintet
Marilena
German / Austrian Folk Music
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Antonia - Fliegerlied
The Flyer Song
Ursprung Buam - Hoam nach Tirol
Here is another one that has lots of wonderful "Springy" Music!
