Hot coffee and candy canes

If you're lucky you can find a candy cane...before they all disappear.

The snow is blowing outside. Beautiful, perfect flakes...as if they were each made be hand. A crisp -2°C (28°F), perfect weather to be an indoor spectator and sit with a cup of coffee.

The hectic season

Apple-Cranberry pie

Over a month since the last post. It was a month filled with good things like a visit from my mom (we're trouble when we're together) and lots of yummy food (how great is Thanksgiving).

And now, here I sit addressing Christmas cards, wrapping gifts and preparing for the next round of holiday madness. I could make a promise to post more, but knowing how things pop up this time of year, I won't. Instead I will say that I'm going to try to be better about it...really.

Autumn color

Autumn on the Bärensee
October 2009

Happy Halloween

Schloss Ludwigsburg, October 2009

Pumpkins galore

If you ask me, pumpkins epitomize fall. Their gorgeous autumnal colors. Their rich, earthy taste. They are brisk days and crisp blue skies in gourd form. I adore them.

This past weekend we ventured to the Pumpkin Festival at Schloss Ludwigburg. The festival isn't an homage to Halloween (as the Germans aren't as in to the holiday as we are). Rather it's more about the gourd itself. Emphasis is on artful displays (centered on the theme of children's stories) and food that falls under the category of 'everything is better with pumpkin'.

There are large pumpkins. The one in the center weighed over 800 pounds.



There are pumpkins to buy, mainly for eating. Aren't these 'black' pumpkins gorgeous?



And there is an abundance of pumpkin food. Like the pumpkin maultaschen. Maultaschen are a speciality from this region of Germany. It's pasta stuffed with a mixture of meat and spices, similar to ravioli. This one has the addition of pumpkin flesh in the stuffing and a pumpkin puree sauce. To die for.