Easter in Germany and Deviled Eggs

This was a wonderful trip and I appreciate how fortunate I am to be able to do this. It was a solo journey so  I could spent time with my German family and friends. After an 10-hour uneventful flight (which is always good), I took the train to Göttingen and was picked up by my girlfriend. I was happy to see her and my family when we arrived at the village. There were many hugs and kisses.  At that moment, I realized how much I miss them all, especially the children. They are growing up very fast. Despite the 9-hour time difference, I managed to stay up for awhile. The next day I went to Göttingen for the afternoon (click here to read about Göttingen). Whenever I visit Göttingen, I have to go to Crown and Lanz, an old-fashioned German cafe for some cake.  Everyone was getting into celebrating Easter, even the town fountain.

Easter is a three-day holiday in Germany.  Good Friday is a holiday and the Monday after Easter is also a holiday. My nephew, his wife and her twin sister invited the family for Easter Sunday brunch that lasted all day.  Maren, my nephew’s wife’s twin sister baked this amazing Easter cake. It took her long time to produce this masterpiece, but it was worth the effort.

Both of the sisters had created a super delicious buffet with home-baked bread and many different vegetarian salads and dishes. They were doing this while watching their five children.  Everybody had a great time and after the feast, we all went for a long walk to see the Easter fire before it was lit. This day alone was worth my trip. Thank you, Maren, and Jessica, for putting on this wonderful Easter brunch.

Easter Monday was quiet. My brother took us to a local restaurant for lunch or Mittagessen as we call it in Germany. We were served a nice meal. If you want to enjoy an authentic German meal and you happen to drive on the Autobahn A7 north, take the Nörten Hardenberg exit and eat at the Rodenberg restaurant. You will not regret it. ​

If you want a fancier dinner, stop at the old castle Hardenberg outside town. This is a beautiful spot to take a walk and watch people training their horses to jump. My dad and I used to come here when I was a child. Here you will find an elegant Relais & Châteaux hotel with two restaurants and a wellness spa. Or you can play golf nearby. This little town, Nörten Hardenberg, is three miles from my village and I enjoy coming here.

Wanting to contribute something to the Easter brunch, I made deviled eggs. They were simple but good. The eggs had been laid by my brother’s hens that week and they were extremely fresh and delicious with a dark yolk. No recipe was needed: I added some mayonnaise, mustard, a dash of curry powder, and pickled juice to the egg yolks. They were creamy and eaten right away. Once home, I made another batch that was not as creamy, but also very good. ​

Despite jet lag, I managed to have a small dinner party for three of my friends. I made a blueberry galette, stuffed mushrooms and my husband barbecued his rack of lamb. This meal helped me to get back into the groove, because I would have loved to have stayed longer in Germany.

view recipe for my blueberry galette

view recipe for my stuffed tomatoes

Simple Deviled Eggs

Here is a quick and no-fuss recipe for deviled eggs. This particular recipe is not very spicy and is a good choice for a picnic or a snack for children and a variety of different palates. Omit the sweet pickle if you want it even less spicy. The egg yolk filling is quite firm. Add more mayonnaise or pickle juice if you want it softer. If you want a totally smooth consistency, mix the egg yolks with the ingredients in a food processor. More mayonnaise will give the yolks more flavor. Using homemade mayonnaise would make this recipe awesome.

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Ingredients

6 eggs
3-4 TBS mayonnaise 
1 tsp mustard 
1 ½ TSP finally chopped sweet pickle 
a dash of pickle juice 
½ tsp salt 
freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp curry powder 
1-2 TBS finely chopped chives 
​paprika to sprinkle over the finished eggs

Directions

Bring the eggs to room temperature which will prevent them from cracking. Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, so they cook evenly. Cover them with cold water and raise it quickly to a boil. Cover the pot, turn off the heat and let stand for 12 minutes. 
Drain immediately and fill the saucepan with cold water. Chilling the eggs will prevent the green circle around the egg yolk. Tap each egg firmly and shell the eggs under running cold water. Put the eggs in the refrigerator for half an hour. This way, you can cut them more cleanly. 
Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, and carefully remove the yolk. Mash yolks with mayonnaise. Add the diced sweet pickles, mustard, curry powder, salt and pepper. Stir well. Spoon the yolk mixture into the egg whites and sprinkle with a a dash of paprika and chives.

Guten Appetit
​Recipe©sunnycovechef.com