Cheese

I have been patronizing the cheese vendors at the local open-air market, but my selections are completely haphazard. They are generous with samples, and I buy everything they offer. The two vendors look like Botero sculptures. One wears a beret. Perhaps before I leave they will permit me to take their photo. This week we are eating 1) a great Brie, 2) something they call Deichkaese, dyke cheese from the Netherlands, and 3) a light yellow not quite hard cheese from Spain, slathered with figs preserved in syrup so that the syrup oozes into the cracks of the cheese. it is so delicious. Soon I will look like a Botero sculpture!> > Last evening we braved the rain to attend the Vesper service at the cathedral. The organist and the organ are outstanding, and for foreigners the service is good because there is minimal preaching and liturgy. The Berlin marathon started yesterday with in-line skaters, and rolling racers and runners compete today. The half-way point of the course is very close to our apartment, so we watched some of it this morning. A small group of African runners was far in the lead. Chris, we are thinking of you. >

Made in Germany: Horst Köhler Prefers Homegrown Produce in Presidential Palace - Right Down to the Whisky

Horst Köhler, a former managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, took up the office of German president on July 1, 2004.

German President Horst Köhler has ordered that only German produce is served to guests at his Berlin home, the ornate neo-classical palace, Schloss Bellevue. The head of the Bellevue kitchens, Jan-Goraen on Wednesday (Sept. 26) confirmed a report in the magazine Cicero that the president was serving German sparkling wine - or Sekt - rather than French champagne for toasts. "The guests think it's French," he says. The best German Sekt has an excellent reputation abroad, although most of it is consumed at home.

The president's meat moreover all comes from German farms or hunters - Köhler prefers organically grown produce. And the bread is baked on the premises.

The president, a red wine drinker by preference, has managed to impress his guests with the quality of his cellar, even though German reds are little known abroad. Since tasting a 2003 cabernet from the Rhineland-Hesse region last year, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has put in an order to the estate that produced it, according to Cicero.

German substitutes have been found for almost everything - for example balsamic vinegar is replaced with a dark vinegar made of plums and onions in a monastery in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

No detail eludes Barth, who believes the palace should lead the way in promoting German cuisine. The French have led the way in this regard, he says. Even the salt is German.

It is no surprise that German schnapps can stand in for French brandies and Italian grappas, but Schloss Bellevue has even found whisky in Germany. The Slyrs distillery in Upper Bavaria produces a single malt in limited quantity that meets the president's high standards.

For more news, and the fine photos that go with this article, check out "The Week in Germany [info@germany.info]" -- the Schloss Bellevue truly is a beautiful sight.

Unusual fauna in Wittenberg

Unusual fauna in Wittenberg
Originally uploaded by Papa, aka Don

On our recent day trip to "Lutherstadt Wittenberg," we saw some unusual animals. Here's one from an unfamiliar species, snapped just before he flew away to another perch in the artist corridor along Wittenberg's main street.

Interesting in Wittenberg were the houses of Luther and Melanchthon. Not much is left of their belongings, but one can see the main rooms where they worked (we have photos of the rooms in this set -- clicking on the picture will take you to the set). The houses provide lots of historical information, plus quite a collection of portraits of Luther by Lucas Cranach. To an extent I had not realized, Melanchthon in particular was intensely devoted to the classical languages and was known in his time as one of the great humanists of Europe, a friend of Erasmus and a man who became known as the great educator of the Germans. He set up schools and universities, prepared textbooks that were in use for centuries, and wrote more than 10,000 letters.

Congratulations/Félicitations!

"Married is great! You'll love it!"

When J and I first got engaged back in 2000 (!!!), John Maxwell sent us a sweet card containing that nice turn of phrase, handwritten, which we'll now pass along to you two.

Charlotte on Her Birthday

Charlotte on Her Birthday
Originally uploaded by Papa, aka Don

Here's a photo of Charlotte in our apartment at the IBZ. The birthday party is about to begin.

Maryanne with her Pflaumenkuchen

Maryanne with her Pflaumenkuchen
Originally uploaded by Papa, aka Don

There is only a bare bones kitchen in the IBZ, but Maryanne found some excellent plums at the market and turned them into a true pflaumenkuchen. We sat on our balcony and had an echt deutsch Kaffeestunde.