Growing up on a farm in Germany in the fifties, most food was homemade or raised at home. Cabbage was turned into sauerkraut, and cucumbers into pickles. Vegetables were canned. Pork was turned into wurst, and pumpkin was made into a sweet-and-sour treat and preserved for cold winter days, served as a side dish with roasts, sausages, or cold plates. We didn't have freezers—only a small refrigerator. When I saw a recipe for sweet-and-sour pumpkin on a German website, I had to try it. It took several attempts, but I finally got approval from my German friends and others. Of course, you have to like sweet-and-sour. I substituted butternut squash for pumpkin, which I prefer. 

As I write this post, I have a jar of sweet-and-sour butternut squash next to me. Tasting it helps me describe it better. I love the sweetness that first hits your taste buds, followed by the vinegar kicking in to balance it out. It’s been a while since I made it, and I have to decipher my notes on the recipe. It’s not easy, and that’s part of why I have my blog—to make sense of my scribbling and stay connected with my blogger friends. 

I like how the original author of this recipe canned the sweet-and-sour pumpkin. It's so simple—you just bake it in the oven. I enjoy learning new things that make my life easier. If you choose not to can it, it will stay fresh in the fridge for weeks. I canned a few jars and kept the rest in the fridge.

This sweet-and-sour squash would be perfect on a cheeseboard or any other type of platter right now. I add it to my meat dishes.

If you decide to make this, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Remember, though, you need to like the sweet-and-sour combination. I remember my high school girlfriend Gabriele, who passed away years ago in a terrible accident, hated the sweet and sour combo. I still miss her. 

 


Ingredients:


This recipe yields approximately 8 cups of sweet-and-sour butternut squash. 
Run the jars that you are going to use through the dishwasher before you fill them. 

3 ½ pounds of butternut squash
2 cups of white wine vinegar 
2 cups of sugar
1 lemon, with peel included
1 vanilla bean
1 1-inch piece of ginger
 2 cinnamon sticks 
1 TSP.  cloves
1 ½ cups of water

Directions:

Peel the squash and cut it into ½-inch cubes or slices, depending on your preference. Mix ½ cup vinegar with ½ cup water, then add the squash to a covered container and refrigerate overnight. 
Peel the lemon into thin slices, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible. Set aside and squeeze out the lemon juice. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Cut the bean into four pieces. Peel the ginger and slice it into small pieces. Add the sugar, the remaining vinegar, all the spices, and 1 ½ cups of water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the squash with the liquid and cook for about 3 minutes. As I mentioned before, I like my squash a little crunchy. 
Ladle the squash and liquid into clean jars. I made a larger jar and stored it in the fridge, where it will last a week or longer. Mine never does. I filled the rest of the squash into canning jars, sealed them, and baked them in a preheated 400-degree oven. I placed the jars in a pan with hot water, making sure they don’t touch each other. Turn off the oven once the liquid in the squash starts to bubble. Leave the jars in the oven for 30 minutes without opening the doors. Take the jars out of the oven and test for sealing. I put mine upside down until they pop; that means they are sealed.
Guten Appetit!
Adapted from a German website called Lecker
By the Sunnycovechef
​

Here’s a delicious vegetarian lasagna made with butternut squash and . It’s a true gem and makes a stunning presentation on any table.
​Click here for the recipe.

Another recipe I have made many times is halibut with a butternut squash coulis and edamame beans. A culinary delight for the health-conscious cook. 
​Click here for the recipe

Life is good here at the cove. My husband’s health is improving, and the sun is shining. What more could I want? Well, maybe a chocolate cake with juicy pears. It’s a perfect mix of all my favorite ingredients: chocolate, pears, and hazelnuts. I couldn't resist when I saw this recipe in a German calendar that my friend Monika sent me years ago. The author, Elizabeth Raether, compares it to Romeo and Juliet—two who find each other in pure love, free from envy and rivalry—dark chocolate and juicy pears in a simple yet delicious, typical German cake, not too sweet with a subtle chocolate flavor and a crunch from the roasted nuts. Perfect any time of day with or without whipped cream.

I made this cake a few weeks ago when I needed some time in the kitchen to escape from everything. I shared it with friends, and it received great reviews; however, I ate most of it myself—late at night, for breakfast, and during afternoon tea.

I baked the cake again using different pears. The first time, I used Anjou pears, which were sweet and juicy, making the cake moister than the second time, when I used Bosc pears. I also didn’t bake the cake long enough the first time, so the middle wasn’t fully cooked. The second time, I increased the baking time and tested for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center. The cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to insert the toothpick into the middle of the cake. The cake is dry when first baked, but becomes moister the next day, and the chocolate flavor becomes more intense. 

Ingredients:
I used a 10-inch (24 cm) cake pan with a removable bottom.

8 ounces ( 200g)  soft butter
4 eggs at room temperature, yolks and whites separated 
3.5 ounces (100g) dark chocolate with 70% cocoa 
4 ounces (100g), about a cup of roasted and mostly peeled hazelnuts 
4 ½ ounces, a full cup (125g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. backing powder 
5 ripe pears

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). 
Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it slowly in a bowl set over simmering, not boiling, water.
​Beat the egg whites in a mixer until they form semi-stiff to almost-stiff peaks. Transfer them to a separate bowl. Beat the sugar and butter until creamy, then add one egg at a time, mixing after each addition. 
I buy my hazelnuts at Trader Joe’s, where they come peeled and lightly roasted. In this recipe, I roasted them again in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until they released their aroma. Then, I ground them in a food processor until very fine. Be careful not to turn them into hazelnut butter. 
Mix the flour with the baking powder and add it to the dough. Now mix in the  melted chocolate and ground hazelnuts until well combined. 
Finally, carefully mix in the egg white using a wooden or plastic spoon in a circular motion. 
Pour the batter into a well-greased cake pan with a removable bottom. 
Peel the pears, cut them in half, and remove the stems and cores. Then, cut the pears lengthwise into slices, keeping the top half intact. Arrange the pears around the batter in a circle, with one half in the middle. Bake the cake on a convection bake cycle for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
Take the cake out of the oven, let it cool for a few minutes, and carefully remove the top of the cake pan. Keep the bottom piece in place. The cake is moister the next day.
Guten Appetit!
Recipe from Elizabeth Raether 
Posted and translated by the Sunnycovechef
​

Whole pears are poached in tawny port and cranberry juice, making it the perfect dessert for a heavy meal.
​ Click here for the recipe. 

Here is a French tart with pears on almond cream that makes your mouth water. Ckick here for the recipe. 

Are you searching for an American-style pear cake with raisins, nuts, and warming spices?
Click here for the recipe

It all started when my butcher shop in Santa Cruz sold delicious German hot dogs. They are almost as good as the ones I get at my favorite butcher in Germany. I needed a potato salad to go with these hot dogs. As you know, potato salad comes in many forms, and everyone has their favorite. I prefer a version without mayonnaise. As in the US, Germany has different potato salad recipes. There’s the heavy one with mayo and those made with vinegar and oil. This particular German potato salad is made with beef or other broth that is seasoned with vinegar and mustard. The potatoes are soaked in the broth and vinegar mixture, allowing them to absorb the flavor. You’ll find this salad in the southern part of Germany, in the states of Schwabia and Bavaria. I was born and raised in the northern part of Germany, and I don’t recall my family ever eating this kind of potato salad, but I learned to love it later in life. 

I’ve been obsessed with finding a recipe I like. It has taken me far too long to come up with this recipe. I had some help from a new cookbook I bought for myself and all my friends who like German cooking. The book is called Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss. She published a German baking book a few years ago. I have also watched more than a few YouTube videos of German cooks making potato salad. I have my favorites, and they entertain me quite often.

Here are a few things I learned while making the salad. First, you’ll need waxy potatoes. I used Yukon Golds. Don’t worry if the sliced potatoes fall apart a bit. That adds more flavor! However, you don’t want mashed potatoes. I ordered some German pickles on Amazon and used them in this salad and my Herring recipe. They are sweeter and have more flavor.  As for the broth, I used beef broth, but you can also use vegetable or chicken broth. 
When combining the potatoes and broth, make sure they’re both hot. This helps the flavors meld together and the potatoes absorb the broth. Don’t worry if some of the potato slices break apart. The salad develops its flavor after sitting at room temperature for an hour or longer. It’s fine the next day, although you need to refrigerate leftovers. You can easily double this recipe. Some restaurants in Germany make huge amounts of this salad. 

Ingredients:
This recipe makes 4 servings.
2 pounds Yukon potatoes
1 medium yellow onion, minced ( 1cup)
1 1/8  cup beef  broth 
1 TBS sunflower oil
3 TBS  champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tsp.  sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
⅓  cup diced diced pickles 
3 TBS chopped parsley 

Directions:
Start by giving the potatoes a good rinse and placing them in a big pot. Fill the pot with water and add a tablespoon of salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once it’s boiling, turn down the heat and cover the pot partially. Let the potatoes simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes. Keep an eye on them and check if they’re done by poking them with a sharp knife. If they’re soft, they’re ready! Do not overcook them, or they will get mushy. Peel the potatoes while they are still hot. 
Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onions. Cook the onions over medium-low heat until glassy, but you do not want to brown the onions. This will take between 5 to 8 minutes. Whisk the mustard into the onions and continue to whisk for about a minute. Add broth, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper, and boil. Put the hot mixture over the hot potatoes. Gently combine them with a large spoon. Some of the potatoes will fall apart, and that’s OK. You will also have quite a bit of liquid left in the salad.  Add salt, pepper, and sugar if needed. Add the pickles and the parsley. Cover the bowl and let the salad sit for an hour or longer at room temperature. Most of the liquid will have been absorbed by the potatoes. Any leftovers can be refrigerated, and the salad is just as good the next day.
  
​Guten Appetit!
Recipe by Sunnycovechef and many German Cooks

This delicious breaded porkchop, or Schnitzel as we call it in Germany, goes perfectly with the potato salad. Here is the link to the recipe.

German Frikadellen, a flavorful meat patty that is a cross between a meatball and a burger.

Frikadellen are German meat patties made from ground beef and pork, seasoned with different spices. Eggs, onions, day-old soaked bread or breadcrumbs are added too. The ingredients and spices vary from region to region, and so does the name for these tasty morsels. In Berlin, they are called Buletten, and in other parts of Germany they are called Klopse, Fleischküchel, or Fleischpflanzerl. It used to be a poor man’s delicacy that has been around for centuries. In 1790, the German author Theodor Fontane’s mother wrote a recipe for Frikadellen that is basically the same as the ones used today. There is a rumor that the Frikadellle was the inspiration for the Hamburger. Apparently, some immigrants from Hamburg made their Frikadellen in the New World and just put it between two buns.

I love Frikadellen--they are the perfect comfort food. I especially like them cold on a sandwich slathered with mustard. Traditionally, they are served with potato salad, but they are great with any veggie of your liking.

Tips for making a good Frikadelle:
Select a ground meat with a good ratio of fat. If you use extra lean meat, the Frikadellen will lose a lot of water and become dry. Use your hands and thoroughly knead the mixture; the more you knead the better the results. Moistening your hands with water before forming the patties will prevent the meat mixture from sticking to your hands. If you want to test for the correct seasoning, sauté a little patty and taste. Keep the patties in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before sautéing them. Traditionally the Frikadellen are fried in clarified butter. 
And they freeze well.

 Ingredients:
This recipe makes between 5 and 7 Frikadellen depending on the size. This recipe can be easily doubled.

½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1 slice white bread or bun (preferably 1-2 days old)
2 tsp German or Dijon mustard
2 TBS finally chopped parsley
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tsp paprika 
1 tsp salt
½ tsp mace
a squeeze of Worcestershire  sauce
2 TBS olive oil +1TBS butter

Directions:
Soak the bun in cold water for about 15 minutes. Finely chop or grate the onion.
Finely chop the parsley. Squeeze all the water out of the bun. 
Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Mix them with your hands for a while until everything is well combined. Use wet hands to make the patties. I formed six patties, but you can make them smaller. Shape each part into a ball and flatten them with your hands. All patties should be the same size. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and sauté the patties on medium heat until they are browned on both sides (6-7) minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, check the temperature. It should read 165° F in the center of the Frikadellen. Transfer to a plate with paper towels and rest them for a few minutes before serving.


Guten Appetit!
Recipe from sunnycovechef.com
(and many cooks before me )

Are you in the mood for some more German Recipes? The Rouladen are braised meat,  flavored with mustard, pickles , prosciutto and a rich gravy. 
Königsberger Klopse are German meatballs in tangy white sauce with capers. 

In the 1950s, as a child in Germany, I lived in a small village. Having a torte served in the afternoon was a special treat. My godmother was a gifted baker and made the most beautiful rich tortes. They were filled with buttercream, custard and cream, often in the same cake. After the farm work was done, cakes were baked on Saturday for special occasions and served in the afternoon to what we call in Germany Kaffetrinken, similar to teatime in England. There were often 3-4 different cakes and you had to try them all. These days, I feel guilty when I have even one small piece. 

This raspberry cake is lighter with lots of raspberries in it. I think my aunt would have liked this cake, but probably would have told me to add some custard or more cream to it. The original recipe comes from Dr. Oetker’s website. I changed it a bit by adding more raspberries and less cream. I decorated one for Valentine’s Day, but any other decoration would be fine. A pastry ring would be helpful when assembling the cake. Another time I used strawberries instead of raspberries but I prefer raspberries for this cake

I am leaving for Europe in a few weeks on an adventurous trip. I am flying to Munich to meet my German girlfriend. From Munich we will take the train to Lake Garda, Italy, where we will spend a week with my niece’s family and her in-laws.
I am so excited  because I get to see and play my with my great niece. After the week is over my girlfriend and I will take the train to Innsbruck where we will stay for 3 days. Then we will take a long train ride to my village. I will stay in my nephew’s tiny house Airbnb since my brother gave his upstairs apartment to three Ukrainian women from Kharkiv. They need it more than I do. After 10 days I will go on to Copenhagen where I will meet my cooking group to spend a week in Sweden. All in all I will visit five countries, cross your fingers and hope that all works out. I certainly do.

The cake is thin, but when the filling is added, it turns out fine. Cutting the cake horizontally in half takes a little skill and a large knife. There are tutorials on how to do it with toothpicks and string, but I just did it and it wasn’t difficult. For the cream mixture, I ordered a package of powdered gelatin (with two pouches in it) from Amazon. It is called gelatine fix from Dr. Oetker. I baked the cake a day before I assembled the torte. The torte will last in the fridge for a few days. A cake ring is helpful but not necessary when assembling the torte.

My next door neighbor and German friend Susanne really liked it. She knows about cakes, or tortes, as we call them in Germany. 

The cake  makes 12 large pieces or more smaller pieces

Ingredients:
​
The cake
4.4 ounces ( 125g) soft unsalted butter 
4.4  ounces (125g) sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
3 eggs at room temperature
6  ounces  ( 170g) all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder

The cream mixture
1 pint ( 470ml) heavy cream
12 ounces (340g) frozen raspberries
10 -12 ounces fresh raspberries  
​½  (75g) cup sugar
2 packages gelatine fix from Dr. Oetker
2 TBS lemon juice 
1 tsp. vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

The Cake 
Preheat oven to 350˙ degree Fahrenheit
Grease a 10-inch cake pan with a removable bottom, and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Then butter the parchment paper. 
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Cream the butter in a mixer. Slowly add the sugar and continue mixing the batter until the batter is creamy. This will take several minutes. 
Add the vanilla extract and then each egg separately, mixing it for a minute before adding another egg. You want a creamy mixture that almost doubles in volume.
Gradually add the flour mixture until barely mixed. 
Add the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface of the dough. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Run a knife around the inside of the cake pan and carefully loosen the ring around the cake pan and remove it.
Turn the cake onto a rack and remove the parchment paper and flip the cake upside down.

The Filling
For the raspberry sauce, puree the defrosted raspberries in a mixer with the sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Press through a sieve to remove the seeds. Chill it in a jar. This can be made a day ahead.
In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream, slowly pouring in the the packages of gelatine fix. When the cream mixture is very thick, mix 1 cup of the raspberry sauce.

Assembling the torte
Cut the cake in half horizontally with a segregated knife
Put the bottom half in the cake ring. 
Cover the cake bottom with about ⅓  or more of the cream mixture.
Drizzle with the raspberry sauce. 
Put raspberries in a circle on the filling.
Add the top part of the cake. 
Cover the top part with the whipped cream mixture.
Take the cake ring off and and put the rest of the whipped cream mixture onto the sides the sides of the cake. 
Decorate the top of the cake anyway you like with the fresh raspberries and some of the sauce. Refrigerate three hours before serving . The cake keeps a couple of days in the fridge.  

​Guten Appetit!
Recipe by Dr.Oetker test kitchen
Adapted and translated by the Sunnycovechef.com

Here are some more of my desserts made with fruit. Click on the photo for the recipe.

Think of chicken fricassee as a chicken pot pie without the pie. It’s a treasured dish, here and in Germany where it is called chicken fricassee (Hühnerfrikassee).

In this country, it is more of a home-cooked everyday meal, while in Germany its can be a fancy dish. In the 1960s, it was often served at  weddings in a Vol-au-Vent  (a small hollow case of puff pastry). It was part of my wedding dinner when I got married decades ago in Germany.  But more often, chicken fricassee is served with rice, mashed potatoes or noodles. I had it with homemade Spätzle. The vegetables in this dish can vary; when in season asparagus is often added. Peas, carrots and mushroom are called for in most recipes. In the old days, canned white asparagus and canned mushrooms were added .

I have always enjoyed cooking this dish; it is the essence of comfort food. A few weeks ago, I was the personal chef of a friend of mine who was caring for her father during his last days. I made a big batch using two whole chickens, fresh asparagus, carrots, shiitake mushrooms and peas. I have made much smaller portions using chicken legs or breasts. The dish freezes well. I froze a portion for my husband to have when I go to Germany this spring.

​I have prepared this dish many times. And I have to say, the secret is in the sauce. I boil the chicken with veggies to make a homemade broth. Usually, I do this a day before. When I was cooking the dish for my friends, I prepared a large casserole and put a sheet of puff pastry on the top. Then I baked it in the oven following the instructions on the puff pastry package. I have also made it with a homemade cream cheese crust in individual serving dishes. If you use a crust, make sure you have plenty of sauce because the dish tends to dry out while baking. That happened to me.

This recipe will make 8-10 portions. 

Ingredients:
For the chicken broth:
2 small whole chickens
2 carrots 
2-3 celery stalks (with leaves) 
1 onion (with peel)
1 leek (or clean dark leek leaves)
 A  handful of parsley
1bay leaves
1-2 tsp of salt
1tsp garlic salt
1-2 tsp pepper 

The Fricassee:
8 ounces carrots (6 small ones)
6-7 ounces mushrooms 
2 lb. green asparagus 
4 TBs capers
3 TBs butter 
3 TBs flour 
4 or more cups chicken broth 
1 or more cups of milk
½ cup cream or half and half
1 tsp Worcester sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper 
4 tsp. capers 
1-2 TBs fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Cooking the Chicken
Place the chicken pieces or whole chicken in a large pot and add the vegetables. Cover everything with cold water. Bring it to a boil, and skim off the white foam from the top. Reduce the heat and simmer in the covered pot until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.  Cook the chicken breast less until the meat thermometer reads 165° degrees. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and cool. Discard the skin and bones. Cut or pull the meat into 1-inch pieces. Strain the chicken broth and put the cooled broth in the refrigerator.
 Preparing the vegetables
Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and blanch the carrots for about two minutes until they are al dente. Do the same with the asparagus. You have the choice of blanching the mushrooms or sautéing them in a mixture of butter and olive oil over a medium heat. I have done both and honestly I can’t tell the difference.
The sauce and assembling the fricassee 
Melt butter in a large sauce pan, add the flour and whisk for two minutes. Make sure you don’t brown the roux. Gradually add in the chicken broth, one cup at a time. Before you add another cup, whisk the mixture until totally smooth for a creamy sauce. Add milk, Worcestershire sauce, capers, and let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add cream or half and half, salt, pepper, freshly ground nutmeg and lemon juice. Add the chicken and bring it all to a simmer, then add the carrots, mushrooms, and asparagus . Season and serve.
If you want to add a crust, put the fricassee in a buttered oven-proof dish, cover the top with the puff pastry, and follow the instructions on the package. Cut some slits in the pastry and bake the dish until golden brown.
​ 
I would like to share with you some blog posts from prior Easter celebration in Germany.  There are so many  traditions and good recipes. Click on the photo for the link.

Happy Easter 2022 
and 
Guten Appetit!
from the Sunnycovechef

Many of you have followed my blog for years. It feels like a community to me, even though I don’t know each of you personally. There were times when your comments gave me great comfort, especially when I lost my mom and my girlfriend. Your sincere comments and condolence wishes meant a lot to me. Unfortunately, the comments are archived because of my new blog design. I am so sad about that. Maybe some day, I will find someone who can put them back where they belong. When I wrote the blogpost about my mom’s passing, I promised you the recipe for the wedding soup that I make. Well, here it is six years later, and I am finally getting around to doing it. In these times of war and loss we need comfort food.

There are many versions of wedding soups. Even in Germany, they vary in the different regions. What I am sharing with you is a recipe from Lower Saxony where I am from. I liked this soup ever since I was a child. Whenever I visit Germany I will look for restaurants that serve wedding soup.

My favorite in the soup is the egg custard cubes or Eierstich as we call them in Germany. The broth should be almost clear with a few vegetable pieces and egg custard. In my childhood, it was often the first course at a wedding or other celebration. Sometimes meatballs or bone narrow dumplings are added. The wedding soup was supposed to give the just-married couple strength for the upcoming wedding night!

The main ingredients in the soup is the broth. It takes some time and effort to make. I freeze half of the broth.

This soup will make about 6 servings depending on the size of the soup bowl. It's a filling soup and it makes a great first course or main meal. 
The egg custard recipe makes more than you need, but I like it as a snack. Sometimes, I like to add tiny meatballs. And sometimes I add pieces of meat to the soup. I got beef bones from the butcher, some of them had bone narrow in them which adds  a strong flavor. I have had wedding soups where the bone narrow was made into dumplings. 
For the broth, use the outer dark green leaves of the leek, because that’s where all the flavor is. Use the peel of the celeriac root and if possible, get a celeriac root with some leaves. That will add a lot of flavor to the broth.

The Broth:
½ to 1 lb. chuck roast
3 lb. center cut beef bones
1 fat  carrot
1 white onion with peel
1 small leek thoroughly cleaned
a few sprigs of parsley
the peel of a celeriac root
3 bay leaves
3 cloves 
1 tsp. whole allspice kernels 
2 tsp. peppercorns
4 tsp. salt

Directions:
Wash and clean all the vegetables thoroughly. Peel the celeriac root and use the peel for the broth and the rest of the root for the soup. Add lemon juice to the pieces of the celeriac root to prevent it from discoloring. Cut the unpeeled onion in half and roast the cut side down in a frying pan until turns black. Use all of the leek, including the green leaves. If you want, you can use some of the white part of the leek in the finished soup. 
Heat 12 cups of water in a large pot and just before the water boils, add the meat, spices, and the vegetables. I have never done it this way, but it seems to work. When the broth comes to a boil, skim the foam off. Reduce the heat and simmer the broth covered for at least four hours. Let the broth cool a little bit and remove all the large vegetable pieces and meat. Discard the vegetables and bones. Cut the meat into small pieces and save. Ladle the broth through a sieve covered with a piece of gauze or thin towel. This way, you get rid of all the spices and protein pieces from the meat. I put my broth in the fridge and remove the hardened fat the following day. 

Things that go into the soup:

The Vegetables:
1 fat peeled carrot cut into small cubes
About 2 cups peeled celeriac root  cut into small cubes

Meatballs :
You can double this recipe and freeze half of the meatballs when you make the soup again with the leftover frozen broth.

Ingredients:
¼ lb. ground beef
1 2-inch piece of baguette 
salt
pepper
a pinch of nutmeg

Directions:
Soak the piece of baguette in milk until soft. Squeeze out all the liquid and mix with the meat, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Roll into little balls and boil in salted water for about five minutes. Drain and put them aside for the soup. 

Egg Custard:

Ingredients :
3 eggs 
whole milk (equal to the volume of the eggs)
salt
pepper
a pinch of nutmeg

Directions:
Measure the volume of the eggs and then add the same amount of whole milk. Puree the milk, eggs, salt pepper and nutmeg in a blender (or use an inversion blender). Line a container with a fitting lid with plastic wrap. (I used a plastic container.) Pour the egg mixture into the lined container, put the lid on and emerge the container into a pot with simmering water. Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes or until the custard has set. Once the custard is done, flip the container over a plate, remove the plastic and cool the custard. Cut into small cubes.

The Soup:
Reheat the broth, add the cooked meatballs, the meat, the vegetables and simmer for about  8-10 minutes. Ladle the soup into a bowl, add some egg custard and sprinkle with some chopped parsley.

Guten Appetit!
Recipe from Callekocht Hochzeitssuppe ( YouTube)
Translated and adapted by Sunnycovechef.com

​This mousse is made in no time, yet it is perfect for any dinner party with its rich chocolate flavor being complimented by the cherries  and the sauce.  Depending on the portion it will serve 6-8 people, maybe more. It is rich, so a little bit goes a long way. This is a great dessert to make ahead. My husband and I enjoyed it for several days.

Its been a while since I posted and I do apologize. After breaking my ankle in Budapest, my spunk and motivation left me. During my recovery, I was entertained by your blogs and reading them helped me a great deal. Speaking of recovery, I am walking again and I am thankful for every tiny step I take. The last part of my recovery seems to be the hardest, as I am impatient by nature and eager to move on. But I can’t. I have to take it easy, because if I don’t, I am back in bed with my foot elevated, watching Netflix or YouTube. I also had some emotional issues to deal with, like a post-dramatic depression, upon realizing the danger I had been in and its possible consequences. ​

Here is the link to the YouTube video where I found this recipe. It's in German but Thomas  speaks very slowly and it is fun to watch him make the tart. I think this would be a great project for young cooks. ​

​Yum, yum, it’s soaked in rum! If you are looking for an easy way to preserve the taste of summer for a cold winter night, look no further. Make an old-fashioned rum pot with the tastiest strawberries, cherries, raspberries (or any other fruit), add sugar and rum, then let it sit for at least two months. You will end up with a boozy delicacy, which is perfect on pudding, ice cream, flan, cheesecake, almond cake and in drinks. You only need three ingredients and a non-corrosive container with a lid for this classic German condiment.

If you are looking for a juicy small bird for Thanksgiving, check out my recipe for dry-brined turkey with silky gravy. I will be making this one for Christmas. Click here for the recipe. ​

For me, sauces and condiments are just as important as the bird. My cranberry ketchup is a wonderful addition for the holidays and I make it every year. Here is a link to the recipe. ​

For those of you who don't want to tackle a whole bird, I have a recipe for turkey parts. Here, I brine the parts overnight, which makes for  juicy and tasty turkey.  If you are interested, click here for the recipe.  ​

I really shouldn't do this instead, I should go for a walk to give my old body some exercise before a very long flight. But I just have to share this because fig season is almost over, and I love this mustard. Have you noticed that I am running a little behind when it comes to seasonal cooking? Later on, I will try making this recipe using dried figs and add it here. ​

It all began with a basket of Italian figs that my girlfriend Diane gave me. ​

This mustard would be great on a cheese plate or on a turkey sandwich. In France, figs and fig mustard are often served with foie gras, and in Germany, it is served with a Weißwurst (veal sausage). This is not a sweet mustard, but it is full of flavor with the taste of the figs and a hint of vinegar. ​

I used Italian figs but mission figs or any other figs can be substituted. ​

When I was a child, we had several plum trees in our garden. One variety was called Zwetschgen, similar to the prune. Our Zwetschgen tree would overflow with fruit and our family would make Zwetschgenmus  (aka spiced plum butter) in a huge copper kettle that was heated by a piece of burning wood from underneath. We would have big glass canning jars with rubber rings in our pantry filled with delicious plum butter. ​

As a treat, I will give you an iced coffee drink that was my absolute favorite when I was a young student. This was long before the era of Starbucks & today’s coffee culture. In those days, Europe had café-bakeries. A good cup of coffee was considered a luxury, so many people drank fake coffee (chicory) because the real stuff wasn’t available, especially in East Germany. Giving someone a pound of good coffee was a great gift. At that time, I wasn’t much of a coffee drinker, but I always loved to have an Eiskaffee (cold coffee with ice cream). As a young student, I was living mostly on french fries with mayonnaise (I switched to ketchup when I came to this country) which was sold from stands on every corner. You could also get currywurst, a sausage topped with ketchup and sprinkled with curry and paprika. However, when I had some extra money, I would treat myself to an Eiskaffee in a fancy coffee house. Whenever I am in Germany in the summertime, I revive memories by having this delicious drink. On my last trip to Europe,  my friends from Switzerland took us to Lake Konstanze, which borders Switzerland and Germany. We had a lovely outdoor lunch with a view of the lake, and for dessert we ordered Eiskaffee. What a fun afternoon with good food and good friends. I know the hot weather is mostly over, but enjoy this treat anyway with a friend or loved one. It’s a great way to use up leftover cold coffee. Think of it as a coffee milkshake, only better. ​

Here are some more rhubarb recipes from my previous posts click on the images for the recipes ​

​Kohlrabi has been a staple of German cuisine for hundreds of years. It was bred as a hardier version of cruciferous vegetables to grow in harsh conditions. In Germany  it is a basic staple that everyone knows and can afford. You can find kohlrabi in almost every German garden. Even though I am not usually into trends and food fads, who knows, kohlrabi could be the next kale!

I found a vegetarian recipe using kohlrabi on a German website that I liked. The kohlrabi is hollowed out and stuffed with a mixture of spinach and feta cheese. The kohlrabi stays firm and crunchy and compliments the soft stuffing. The sauce is made from the hollowed out kohlrabi meat mixed with the cooking water and some cream. This dish makes an impressive lunch or dinner. I ate it  for lunch for a week since I had to work on the recipe and enjoyed it while losing a couple of pounds. ​

I am on my way to Germany to visit friends and family for two weeks. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter holiday. Here are some previous posts where I celebrated Easter in Germany  and some ideas for you to make something special for your loved ones. ​

These elegant crepes filled with salmon and fennel make a great brunch or dinner. Add a salad and you have a great meal. ​

​This apple or cherry cake is not overly sweet with only ½ cup of sugar but is full of fruit and flavor. I have baked this cake many times and have never gotten tired of it. The recipe is from an old Dr. Oetker cookbook that I brought with me when I came to this country in the seventies. The Dr.Oetker brand is a 100-year-old family-owned business where you can find products like vanilla sugar, puddings or baking powder here in the United States.

​My very first cookbooks were three Dr. Oetker cookbooks. For my 16th birthday, my girlfriend Gabrielle, my mom and I made a cold buffet from the title picture of one of the books. I had promised my dad some leftovers, but there was nothing left at the end of the party. To this day, I wish I had put some food away for my sweet, hard-working dad, who will always be the love of my life. He was a gentle and loving man who was born into a horrible time in German history. He loved visiting me here in California and would have stayed longer if my mother hadn’t been homesick for her village.

These are your quintessential German meatballs, carefully simmered and served with a tangy white sauce with capers and lemon juice. The sauce is full of flavor, the texture is velvety smooth and the meatballs will melt in your mouth. It is a well-loved dish you will find all over Germany. ​

​My recipe comes from my niece’s husband’s mother, Kerstin, who lives near Berlin and is an excellent cook. I admire her cooking style, simple yet expertly refined through her constant tasting and slowly adding spices. No recipe is needed. I once asked her son to describe her cooking and the answer was Hausmannskost (home cooking).

​Kerstin cooked the meatballs when she and her husband visited me in Santa Cruz. I loved watching her slowly perfect the flavor. I tried to take notes, but more than once had to cross out and rewrite. The second and third time I cooked them for my German girlfriends, I got rave reviews—and not one morsel was left.

​This dish is named for the Prussian city of Königsberg which is now Kalinigrad in Northern Poland. If you go on the web, you will find many variations for the recipe. Originally, the meatballs were made with veal and either herring or anchovies were added. This dish is traditionally served with boiled potatoes and cooked beets tossed in vinegar. To develop the flavors, cook the meatballs the day before. It is a humble dish and easy to make.

To develop the flavors, cook the meatballs the day before and leave them in the broth.
​Use white pepper if you have it. Once you have cooked the meatballs in the broth, let them steep for at least an hour in the pot. I left mine overnight. The longer you steep them, the more flavor will develop. This recipe makes about a dozen meatballs and serves four to six people.
Boil or steam the potatoes with their skins on for about 20 minutes or until soft when pierced with a knife.  I like German butterball potatoes, but you can use any yellow potato. Peel them and serve them with the meatballs. Boil the beets with their skins on for at least 30 minutes or longer.  I make a vinaigrette with olive oil, balsamic vinegar , some finely chopped onions and salt and pepper. I add this to the warm peeled and sliced beets. ​

Back in Santa Cruz, I have been cooking up a storm and entertaining four visitors from Germany. We all had a wonderful time. I love playing tour guide because I live in such a beautiful area with so many things to see and do. My niece, her husband, and her in-laws are like family to me. Their favorite meal was steak, which my husband barbecued with baked potatoes and salad. For their welcome meal, I made a turkey dinner. Yes, I served turkey in May and it was delicious. I didn't do the whole bird, just the breast and legs which I had bought at Whole Foods. I made the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce from cranberries in my freezer. I will post my new turkey recipe at the appropriate time in November. It was a delicious meal and greatly appreciated by all. I made the turkey enchiladas from my blog with the leftovers. ​

My German visitors enjoyed my baked shrimp with quinoa and peas. Its a great dish for  warmer days. ​

This creamy, cloud-like mousse is a traditional German dessert called Zitronenspeise (lemon dish). It is the perfect ending to a heavy meal and a melt-in-your-mouth heavenly dessert. ​

​This is not a difficult recipe, but it's important to follow the steps. It is also important to use a thick creamy yogurt, as runny yogurts won’t do. This is a very delicate dessert, so you want to chop the zested lemon finely , so you don’t end up with strands of lemon zest.