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German Wine and Beer Festivals 2013

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Rhine Riesling Vineyards

2013 German Wine and Beer Festivals in Germany For connoisseurs of wine and beer, spring and summer are  fantastic times to be in Germany. From Berlin to the Rhineland, there is a great choice of festivals to attend, depending on whether you prefer to conduct your wine-tasting in one of the small towns along the Mosel or in Rudesheim on the Rhine or at wine festivals in the larger towns like Stuttgart, Hamburg, Mainz, Frankfurt or Aachen. And then there are the almighty giant beer … [Read more...]

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Schneeballen – Snowballs from Rothenburg

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Schneeballen from Rothenburg

Schneeballen or Snowballs Have Been a Rothenburg Tradition Since the Middle Ages: While running around Rothenburg taking snaps, I was stopped in by tracks by snowballs. No, it wasn't winter and neither was there a freak snowstorm, but the snowballs that caused me to stop were the neat rows of delicious-looking Schneeballen, a Rothenburg speciality. Schneeballen I initially thought that the snowball-size schneeball was a Rothenburg version of the muffin, but on closer look, the texture … [Read more...]

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Beer Gardens – A Fundamental Part of German Culture

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Hofbrauhaus Biergarten

Beer Gardens are to Germany What Pubs are to Britain: Beer Gardens (Biergärten) are as fundamental to the German culture as pubs are common to the British cultural landscape. Everywhere you go in Germany, you'll find restaurants and beer halls with outdoor shaded areas where beer and local food are served. Beer Garden History Beer gardens are believed to have originated in Bavaria and Bavaria's brewing regulations can be traced back to the 16th century. In 1553, Albert V passed an edict … [Read more...]

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With Snow and Frost Comes Eiswein or Ice Wine

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Ice Wine - Frozen Grapes

Eiswein or Icewine are a Type of Dessert Wine Made From Frozen Grapes: The cold weather, snow and frost are elements that are usually not conducive for growing anything.  But for producers of Eiswein (German for ice wine), snow and frost are just the perfect conditions that they pray for. So What is Ice Wine? Ice wine is a type of dessert wine that is produced from grapes that have been frozen while still hanging on the vine. It is believed that ice wine was first invented in Franconia … [Read more...]

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Steckerlfisch – A Bavarian Fish Specialty

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Steckerlfisch - Oktoberfest food

Steckerlfisch is a Bavarian Fish Specialty and also a Popular Oktoberfest Food: A graphic food image that you'll see at the Munich Oktoberfest is at the Fischer-Vroni Steckerlfisch stand. Here you'll see neatly lined rows of whole fish on skewers being cooked over the very long charcoal grill. Besides being photo-worthy, the steckerlfisch is a specialty of the Fischer-Vroni Oktoberfest tent. What is Steckerlfisch? The world 'Steckerl' means 'little stick' in the Bavarian dialect and so … [Read more...]

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Starkbierzeit – Munich’s Secret Beer Festival

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Enjoying a German beer

Munich's Secret Spring Beer Festival - Starkbierzeit: Oktoberfest is well known around the world (beer drinker or not). But Munich has another huge beer festival that is not so well publicised. At the Starkbierzeit ask for "ein Doppelbock bitte" and you’ll be served with a very potent double strength beer! "Bock" stands for strong beer and "doppel" means double so the beers have an alcohol volume of no less than 7.5%. Munich’s Starkbierzeit spring festival usually begins during Lent … [Read more...]

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Auerbachs Keller Leipzig – Immortalized in Faust I

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Auerbachs Keller © Travel Signposts

Auerbachs Keller Leipzig - Goethe's Favourite Wine Bar During His Student Days: Auerbachs Keller (Auerbachs Cellar) owes much of its fame to Goethe who immortalized the wine tavern in Faust I -  In part V, Mephistopheles, the demon, takes Faust to the tavern in an attempt to ruin him, but fails. Goethe frequented Auerbachs Keller as a student and called it his favorite wine bar. It is for this very reason that we've come to check out this most famous and second oldest of Leipzig … [Read more...]

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Café Einstein – A Classic Viennese-Style Café in Berlin

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Cafe Einstein © Travel Signposts

Café Einstein - A Plush and Elegant Café in Berlin: By the time we finished exploring Unter Den Linden on a chilly and wet Sunday afternoon, a cup of coffee was much needed. There are a few cafés along this Berlin boulevard but it's hard to go pass the famous Café Einstein. Café Einstein is a coffee house chain in Berlin, but it is certainly no ordinary coffee house chain like Starbucks.  Instead, its coffee houses are plush and elegant cafés, much like the classic Viennese-style … [Read more...]

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Nürnberger Bratwurst – Nuremberg’s Distinctive Sausages

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Nürnberger Bratwurst © Travel Signposts

The Nürnberger Bratwurst Tastes Best When Freshly Cooked on a Charcoal Grill: Nuremberg is famous for its Nürnberger bratwurst which is traditionally grilled or roasted and served three abreast on a bun with mustard. Whether it is served Drei im Weggla (three in a roll), on a plate with sauerkraut or with potato salad, the Nürnberger bratwurst is amongst the most popular fast food snacks in the Franconian metropolis. Thick as your thumb and golden brown, they taste best when freshly … [Read more...]

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Dresden Takes The Cake For Christmas Stollen

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Christstollen

Dresden's Christmas Stollen is World Famous:! The Christmas season brings with it many special treats and one of my favourites is the Stollen. This German Christmas cake, called the Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen is a loaf-shaped cake made with chopped candied or dried fruit, nuts and spices. Marzipan stollen is my favourite. Although many German towns make their own stollen and there is some dispute as to which German city invented the stollen, it is the Dresden stollen that is … [Read more...]

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