Change of Plans

Here I am, sitting in the middle seat of an airplane for almost 11 hours, flying to see my 91-year-old mother in Germany. Originally, I was going to Paris with my husband for a week. We had rented an apartment, and we were going to have fun in this beautiful city that we both love. Paris is our personal Disneyland. We go for the food, the arts, the parks—and the city. Instead of strolling through the Tuileries gardens and recovering from jet lag by soaking in the sun on a bench, I am taking a solo trip to Germany to care for my mother, who fell and is in the hospital. My heart did not allow me to do otherwise. Both my husband and I are very sad and disappointed. Could I really admire my favorite paintings and sculptures while my mom was being restrained? I could not.  Could I savor the culinary delights that Paris offers while my mom was confused and needed help? I could not.

When I moved to the United States many years ago, I had no idea of the complications that would arise years later. I love my new home and country. It has brought me many joys and a wonderful life. I am grateful and thankful for that. 
Thankfully, I have a brother who made sure my mother in Germany was well taken care of. I help and visit as much as I can. At this point in life, my mother needs more help and support. Until now, she has survived with the help of many people she lived with on the farm where she was born—both fortunate and lucky. But now it is getting complicated. 
This year, spring has come early to northern Germany. Looking out of my mother’s hospital room, I see a huge tree covered with pink blossoms. White asparagus is being harvested and sold, which is usually a May event. When I was here last year, it snowed the entire month of April. While in Germany, I ate in the cafeteria at the clinic and rehab center where my mom was. I was thankful for the often decent food. I was also lucky enough to have a Tegut grocery store  (similar to Whole Foods) on the way to the hospital. My girlfriend, Monika, not only provided me with support and help in the German medical world (which is excellent, by the way) but also cooked some delicious meals for me. Bless her kind and gentle heart, a true friend.
There were no gourmet meals, but I managed to find some great cheese, bread, and baked goods (of course). Those little bakeries in Germany are my favorite. Here are some of my favorites:

Gooseberry Meringue Cake

This is a crunchy pastry filled with cooked tart gooseberries and topped with a meringue that was crusty on top but soft in the middle. This piece of cake is not sweet. But it hits the spot on a busy afternoon with a cup of black tea.

Zuckerkuchen

This is a simple but oh-so-yummy yeast cake covered with butter, sugar, and almonds. It is best eaten fresh out of the oven, and it has to be done the right way—fluffy, not gooey.

Nußtorte

I always have several of these from my favorite baker, Ralph, in Northeim. It is a light pastry filled with hazelnut cream, covered with a sugary glaze, and topped with a hazelnut.

Nußkuchen

​This is a crunchy, gooey nut bar made German-style. It is buttery filled with a jam-like layer between the nuts and the almonds—a true culinary delight.

The last meal I prepared for my mom was white asparagus, which is in season right now and being sold at the local farmer’s market. My mom loves her asparagus with boiled potatoes, melted butter or hollandaise sauce, and ham. The local butcher shop had some great ham and packaged hollandaise sauce that was excellent. She enjoyed her meal.
Should you be so lucky and find fresh white asparagus, make sure you peel it correctly. Some people peel the asparagus twice just to make sure the woody outside is gone. So don’t skimp on peeling away the outside. There are asparagus peelers in Germany that work beautifully. I did not peel away enough this time and is was annoying when I ate the asparagus. My blog has a recipe for white asparagus soup. 
While in Germany, I had a beautiful salad with an oil and vinegar vinaigrette, asparagus, strawberries, and goat cheese.
After six weeks in Germany and a glorious trip to Marrakech, I’m back home in Santa Cruz. It feels good, and I’m getting used to my normal life and enjoying it.

My mother and my niece's hands were photographed by Anna Claement Fotografie in Göttingen, Germany.