Cooking for People Unsure of what a Stove Does: Recipe 6 - Spaghetti with Homemade Marinara

 

I give up.  I have no idea what it is.

     

    Hey there!  Please forgive the conspicuous lack of posts over the last few days; it has been a very weird week between the bank holiday and personal travel.

    Anyway, I'm back with yet another easy recipe; this time its for spaghetti with marinara sauce!

Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti (or whatever type of noodle you prefer)
• Tomatoes
• Tofu (1 block)
• Mixed vegetables (your choice; diced)
• Garlic (2-3 cloves)
• Tomato paste
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• Oil or butter

Tips and Tricks: Volume 3 - Fountain Pens

Some of the many options available.

     Here in Germany, one of the most economical writing utensils is actually relatively old: the fountain pen!  If you go to any store which sells stationary, in addition to the standard ballpoint pens, highlighters, and all the other various other markers and things, there will be a display of fountain pens, both ballpoint and calligraphy style.  I tried one out on a whim, and would have loved to have someone explain it to me, so here goes!

Rules of the Road: Volume 4 - Grocery Shopping

This is just a model store.  Cool though!

      I looked through my past posts, and I realized that its been a while since I put up some "Rules," so here it goes!
     While its nice to go to the many and varied farmer's markets available in many places around Germany, eventually you will in fact have to go to a real grocery store, and you will find that there are a few differences that you should be aware of.  And jump!

Cooking for People Unsure of what a Stove Does: Recipe 5 - Fudge!

I can guarantee that those are not the worst frisbees
in the world!

     Is it strange that the cooking topics are the one's I'm most consistent about?  Maybe I'm overthinking it.  Anyway, its high time that I put up something sweet for a change, so for this week, I'm going to be making fudge!

Easy Fudge:

Ingredients:

• Sweetened condensed milk (1 can/ 400 mg; make sure it says sweetened and condensed, as German coffee creamer can be labeled "condensed milk," but it is not the same thing)
• Sugar (1 cup)
• Butter (1/4 cup)
• Chocolate (1 cup; either shave the block chocolate grocery stores here have, or use powder)

The Weekly How-To Manual: Volume 4 - Setting up a Bank Account in Germany

I never knew how bright Euros were when they were new!

      It occurred to me today that I didn't post a "how-to" yet this week, so this week I thought that I would tackle an issue which comes up from the moment that you arrive here in Germany: banking and money exchanges.
    As I'm sure you can imagine, using your American bank account is not practical due to fees, but having a German bank account is actually a requirement in order to obtain your visa (or visa sticker, if you are here for less than a year).  Here goes!

Location Spotlight: Erfurt

German cities love their scale models.  Yes indeed.
You're still going to have to take my word that this one is Erfurt's though.

     Welcome to Erfurt, the capital of the Free State of Thuringia!  Erfurt was founded in its current form in 742, when it was declared a diocese of the Catholic Church.  It is home to the third oldest university in Germany (by date of founding, as it was closed for over a hundred years).  Some famous residents include Martin Luther (who studied at the university), and Johann Pachelbel (you know that one song that plays at every single graduation ever? The guy who wrote that).

     And now, off to some of the sights!

Enjoyable Oddities: Volume 4: Restaurants

There is no possible way that I've used this
picture before.  No way.

     So you've decided that it is time to go to a restaurant, and you might be thinking, how different can it really be?  Back in the United States, there's an unwritten rule book that everyone seems to know how to follow, but here in Germany, I noticed differences in a hurry, so here goes!

Cooking for People Unsure of what a Stove Does: Recipe 4 - Spargel(!) with Garlic Cheese Sauce

Seriously though, it has to be DJ equipment! Right?

     You didn't think I would actually wait to go to a restaurant to try out white asparagus, did you?  I decided that it would be fun to try to make it myself, so here goes!

White Asparagus with Garlic Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

• White Asparagus (typically found in bundles of .5 kg or 1.0 kg)
• Milk or cream (soy/almond/rice milk will work too; about 2 cups)
• Cheese (I use Gouda, but take your pick; about 1 cup)
• Garlic (about 4 cloves; finely chopped)
• Oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste; pepper is highly recommended)
• Bread (also to taste, but it does go great with the asparagus)

Culture Post #3: Spargelzeit!

This was on the side of a normal department store.
Imagine Macy's selling carrots.

     Its Spargelzeit!  As with any country, Germany loves its seasonal foods.  In Spring, the primary one is white asparagus, or Spargel in German.  The season here runs from April through June, with every grocery store and vegetable stand clearing space on their shelves, and many restaurants adding a new menu page to accommodate the accompanying seasonal menu items.  Before the jump, if it wasn't entirely clear, "Spargelzeit" literally translates to "asparagus time."  And we're off!

The Weekly How-To Manual: Volume 3 - Registering for University Courses

Bonus points to whoever knows what university this
really is.  Hint: its not in Leipzig!

    And we're back!  Well I am anyway.  You all get to meander on in at your leisure, thanks to the internet.  Anyway, back to the point!  This week's "how-to" is on course registration, one of the most important aspects of beginning any semester abroad.  Unlike the online systems that current college and university students have become accustomed to, German universities tend to operate a little differently, particularly regarding Erasmus/Austausch (abroad) students.  Here goes!

   

Location Spotlight: Weimar

Train station of the day!

     Welcome to my second location spotlight, this time focusing on the city of Weimar.  While I'm not sure that I can provide a decent representation of the city without writing a book or two, I will do my best to highlight some of the best sights to see.  Welcome to the city tour!

Tips and Tricks: Volume 2 - School and Home Supply Shopping

Remember when it was this simple?

     It's Sunday again, and that means that its time more another round of tips!  In this week's post, I'll explain some of the best places to pick up some cheap school and household supplies (here's to hoping that you didn't use up valuable space in your suitcase for them!), because wouldn't you know, all of those American chains which we are used to don't exist here in Germany (including all of the various [name]-Marts!).

Rules of the Road, and other Places: Volume 3 - Taking the Train

Far prettier than the picture I could have taken.

      Here in Germany, taking the S-Bahn (what we typically use for inter-city travel in the U.S), U-Bahn (subways), and Trams (streetcars) are a way of life for many people, as they are typically the fastest and cheapest way to travel, whether you're trying to go a few blocks, or to another country.  The way that the train system operates is a little different than we are used to in the United States however, so for this week's "Rules of the Road," I'll break down how a train ride works, so that you can avoid having to wing it the I did my first few times.

Enjoyable Oddities: Volume 3 - Street Musicians

That dog is looking the same way we are all
thinking, isn't he?

     Happy Friday!  Its about that time of the week again for something that's a little different in everyday life here in Leipzig.  This week's installment is on the many and varied street musicians here in Leipzig.
     Leipzig has a long musical history, with notable names being Johann Sebastian Bach, Richard Wagner, and Robert Schumann.  Throughout the city, there are many music schools carrying on their tradition, resulting in a larger than average (by my entirely unscientific analysis) amount of street musicians here.  Enjoy!

Cooking for People Unsure of what a Stove Does: Recipe 3 - Carmelized Onion Soup

I've got it! Its a record player!

     It's about that time of the week again!  This time, its onion soup on the menu.  As a fair warning, this particular recipe is far more time intensive than either of the first two I have posted, ringing in at about an hour of cooking time from start to finish, but its worth it in the end!

(Vegetarian) Carmelized Onion Soup:

Ingredients:

• Onions (the type doesn't make a great deal of difference, but use more than you think, as they shrink!)
• Sugar
• Vegetable stock or bullion
• 4 cups of water
• Vegetable oil or butter
• Bread (optional, though highly recommended)

The Weekly How-To Manual: Volume 2 - Buying a Bike in Leipzig

I couldn't resist.  Its even German!

     You know what?  It occurred to me that I explained the rules of the road for biking in Germany, without even explaining how a student would come to own a bicycle on this side of the Atlantic.  Here in Leipzig, as in any city, there are numerous places to get a bike to use, be it through a bike shop, one of the many bike rental programs, or online.  However in Leipzig specifically, the easiest way to get a cheap bicycle is to mosey on over to Lucky Bike during one of their monthly sales, where the prices can start as low as 5 Euros.

Culture Post #2: The Market!

     Hi there!  In every German city, there are weekly markets which meet regularly in major city squares.  Here in Leipzig, there are sixteen such markets, which meet on different days of the week.  Depending on

the city and season, the stalls can contain everything from painted eggs (our lady in Leipzig is still going
strong), to various meats and sausages (they all seem to have something that is "Grandma's" recipe), to fresh flowers and vegetables, and occasionally sweeter things, like honeys and candy.  No matter what the weather, be it cloudy, or cloudy, or even cloudy here in Leipzig, there is always a steady stream of people stopping in to pick up some vegetables, bread, cheese, or flowers for a change from the store brands.

Cooking for People Unsure of What a Stove Does: Recipe 2 - Jamaican Rice and Peas

Is it part of a spaceship?

  Isn't it funny how people need to eat at about the same times, every day?  Hopefully you've attempted to cook something in the past week, rather than making a plate of (insert type of pasta here) covered with (tomato sauce du jour) in one of the University's cafeterias.  If you haven't I've got a bare-bones version of Jamaican rice and peas coming up below.  Guten Appetit!

Jamaican Style Rice and Peas

Ingredients:

• Rice of your choice (I used the type which comes packaged in bags to cook in, the process is the same for "loose" rice)
• Peas or beans (or whatever small cut mixed vegetables you might have floating around)
• Water (about 1 cup water for 1 cup rice)
• Oil or butter
• Curry powder (there are different varieties; the more orange/red, the hotter it is)
• Milk (optional)
• Salt, pepper, paprika, and red chili (to taste)

Tips and Tricks: Volume 1 - Curtains

 
  Welcome back!  Here in "Tips and Tricks" I'm going to be going over some of the small things that can make your time living and studying here in Germany go more smoothly.
     So you've moved into your new Studentenwohnheim, cleared out the dust from the last tenant, put their old mail in the Hausmeisters mailbox, realized in a whole new way that American dorm rooms are essentially closets, and and you've come to the realization that there are no curtains to keep out the light when you are attempting to oversleep on a weekday?  We all know that buying actual curtains is both impractical, as you're going to move out in a few months. and too expensive, as it would cut into the money you could be spending on important things like ice cream.

Rules of the Road, and other Places: Volume 2 - Bike Riding!

Shiny as can be!

     For most Americans who live in a city, riding a bike to work, school, or just as general transportation, is often a fact of life, due to the lack of available parking, city traffic, and the pure ease of use.  Here in Leipzig, as well as in other cities, many Germans opt to ride their bikes for the same reasons.  However, unlike in the United States, where bicyclists are given the same right to the road as motorists, without any real restriction, the story is a little different in Germany.

Enjoyable Oddities: Volume 2 - Schrebergärten

      Well I'll be, its the second post of any type that I've done so far.  This week's installment examines the Schrebergärten, or "allotment gardens," which can be found all over Germany, although are more common around cities.
     The original push for these types of gardens cam from Moritz Schreber, a physician and member of the University of Leipzig's faculty in early to mid 1800's, as a response to the difficulty in obtaining food in cities during the Industrial Revolution.  The first German law in support of these gardens was passed in 1919.  There are currently over 1 million such gardens in the country.