A classic recipe for a Dark Forest Gateau (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte)

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

Typically I am not a cake person but there are definitely exceptions. The Dark Forest Gateau (German: Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, literally "Black Forest Cherry Cake") definitely falls into those exceptions! A wonderful mix of chocolate, cherries and rich cream is a great ending to any traditional meal from Baden-Württemberg (especially Maultaschen or Spätzle). You can find … Continue reading A classic recipe for a Dark Forest Gateau (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte)

Warnemünde, Rostock, Germany – That’s one busy port!

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

The seaside resort of Warnemünde is located on Germany’s Baltic coast, just above the city of Rostock. History Founded in approximately 1200, it has been a fishing village for most of its history. The city of Rostock financed a harbour near the village, signing a contract with the patrician of Rostock to maintain the waterway … Continue reading Warnemünde, Rostock, Germany – That’s one busy port!

Maultaschen (“mouth pockets”) from Swabia, Germany

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

(The photo of the Maultaschen in broth is by Matthias Haupt) When I lived in Germany, my favourite cuisine from the country was easily that of Baden-Württemberg. As I am someone who eats little meat, I loved the vegetarian options from the region, including a variety of spätzle and the vegetarian Maultaschen. Maultaschen, which translates … Continue reading Maultaschen (“mouth pockets”) from Swabia, Germany

Grutenhäuschen, Trier, Germany – A temple with a view

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

On the bank of the river Moselle not far upstream from the city of Trier lies a Roman temple with a beautiful view of the Moselle valley just before the Saar and Moselle rivers merge. This Roman temple (Grutenhäuschen) dates back to the 3rd/4th century AD to the time after Trier had become one of … Continue reading Grutenhäuschen, Trier, Germany – A temple with a view

Bismarckturm Schoden, Germany – A silent sentinal

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

Standing on a hill above the Saar river in Germany near the town of Schoden in Rheinland-Pfalz/Rhineland-Palatinate stands a Bismarckturm (Bismarck tower); a standardised monument built to honour Germany's first chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. These towers were built around the turn of the 20th century to honour him. They conform (more or less) to a … Continue reading Bismarckturm Schoden, Germany – A silent sentinal

Stralsund, Germany – The gateway to Scandinavia

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

Stralsund is a town with a population of just over 60,000 on the coast of northern Germany. It is the fourth largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Stralsund is a Hanseatic city: it was part of the Hanseatic League. It certainly reflects that and the wealth that it in brought from the city's historical buildings. One of … Continue reading Stralsund, Germany – The gateway to Scandinavia

Eltz Castle, Germany – A Living Castle

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

Eltz Castle is a majestic little castle. It sits on a rock in a small wooded valley in Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) in Germany. Although definitely among the lesser-known castles (unlike Hohenzollern or Neuschwanstein), it is extremely appropriate for its location and has a few unique features, both physically and as well as features of its history. … Continue reading Eltz Castle, Germany – A Living Castle

Bautzen, Germany – The Land of Mustard

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

In the former East German state of Saxony lies the town of Bautzen, a medieval town that is famous across Germany for its architecture and its mustard (yes, mustard). The city centre of Bautzen sits up on a hill overlooking the more modern areas of the town as well as the river Spree (the same … Continue reading Bautzen, Germany – The Land of Mustard

Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, Germany – The sea is calm tonight

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

You may not connect Germany with the ocean in your mind. However you would be remiss to forget that Germany actually has two coasts. One the eastern side of the country, directly north of Berlin, lies the Baltic Coast. On the Baltic Coast lies the Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, or the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National … Continue reading Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft, Germany – The sea is calm tonight

Schiefergebirge, Germany – My Heart’s in the Highlands

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

The Thüringer Schiefergebirge, known as the Thuringian Highlands in English, is an area of the German federal state Thuringia (German: Thüringen) featuring steeply hilly areas on the border between Bavaria and Thuringia, through which the Saale River cuts. As the German name suggests, this area contains a lot of slate rock. There are very few … Continue reading Schiefergebirge, Germany – My Heart’s in the Highlands

Hiddensee, Germany – Baltic Island Hideaway

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

In the Baltic Sea just off Germany's northeastern coast lies the island of Hiddensee, an island known for its beautiful nature and for the fact that there are absolutely no cars on the island. As the island is long and thin with an area of 19 square km (7.34 square miles), the 1300 inhabitants and … Continue reading Hiddensee, Germany – Baltic Island Hideaway

Aachen, Germany – A capital of emperors

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

Aachen is a city with a long, proud history, which stretches back to Neolithic times (3000 BC). From the Romans using it as a source of hot springs to Charlemagne using the city as the capital of his Frankish empire to being the capital of its own country (very briefly, the Rhenish Republic). Aachen has … Continue reading Aachen, Germany – A capital of emperors

Black Forest (Schwarzwald), Germany – Here there be witches

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) is a major feature of the state of Baden-Württemberg. It runs from flatter areas in the north to mountains separating Switzerland and Germany in the south. The Schwarzwald contains a cornucopia of geography, geology and topography. These include mountains, valleys, large lakes and even the largest waterfall (in Triberg) in Germany. … Continue reading Black Forest (Schwarzwald), Germany – Here there be witches

Maulbronn Monastery, Germany – A Religious Paradise

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

Nestled in the tiny town of Maulbronn in the Enz Province of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, sits the Maulbronn Monastery, a Romanesque-style monastery with a long past. This Monastery, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has a long and bloody past but is also a beautiful and unique place to visit. History The name comes … Continue reading Maulbronn Monastery, Germany – A Religious Paradise

Mainau, Germany – Germany’s Garden

Posted on by Jamie Brooks

Today I would like to present for your viewing pleasure the wonderful island of Mainau in the Bodensee (Lake Constance), Germany. Mainau, like the rest of the Bodensee, is only a stone through away from the Swiss border. Mainau has a very long history of being a place of human settlement. The Celts, the Romans, … Continue reading Mainau, Germany – Germany’s Garden