| German I, Semester 2, Das Essen |
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| Sections: |
Introduction | Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | Dictionaries |
| Section Two: |
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| Section Two - Part C
If someone invites you over for Kaffee, you should not appear in ragged jeans and a T-shirt. You will probably be sitting at a table with a pretty tablecloth and nice china. The Kaffee will be accompanied by at least 2 or 3 varieties of fancy cakes, not necessarily homemade, and there will be plenty of conversation as you relax and get stuffed! So maybe you should know a bit more about this custom. Getting together for Kaffee und Kuchen can take place in a home or at a Konditorei, a Cafe, or even a Bäckerei, if the bakery has seating. It is a chance to relax and chat (usually around 3-4 PM). Even in the workplace, people will have a "coffee break," and someone may very well have brought pastries to share. But it's so much more fun at a Cafe or Konditorei! The tables in these places are small, because you usually only meet one or two friends. If the pastry counter is obvious at the front, you will probably be expected to go up and order the kind of Torte you want. If it's a larger place, you will be given a little slip of paper with a number. With all the types of cakes, this avoids confusion in names, especially for foreigners who can just point to one and say, "Ein Stück von dieser Torte bitte," and not have to worry about the name. The waitress will take your numbered slip and ask what you want to drink; she may also ask if you want Schlagsahne, or just Sahne, (whipped cream) with your cake. The usual beverage choices are: eine Tasse Kaffee (a regular cup of quite strong coffee -- no free refills), ein Kännchen Kaffee (a little carafe, the equivalent of 2 cups -- in price as well), Tee (usually Schwarz or Pfefferminz tea), or eine Tasse (or Kännchen) Heiße Schokolade (less creamy than American cocoa). When she returns, she'll have your beverage and your pastry, and you can relax and talk as long as you want to (which may be why things cost so much!). When you're ready to leave, you call her over to pay, as you would in a restaurant. Guten Appetit! By the way, there is no hard and fast distinction between a Kuchen and a Torte, although Torten are usually fancier. As a good conversation starter, ask two Germans the difference and then sit back and watch! You'll probably hear the word "aber" ("but") a lot of times as each one contradicts the other. All in good fun, of course.
Here's a very easy version of the wonderful Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. A more authentic one would use Kirschwasser (a kind of liqueur) instead of the cherry liquid to sprinkle on the layers and definitely not use a cake mix! Ingredients 1 package devils food cake mix Prepare the cake according to the directions on the box. Bake in 2 8-inch cake pans. Cool completely. Cut each layer of cooled cake into two horizontal pieces, giving a total of four layers. Beat the cream with the almond extract and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. (It must still be soft enough to spread.) To assemble and decorate the Torte: Sprinkle 4-5 teaspoons of the cherry liquid on one cake layer. Spread the top with whipped cream; top with 1/3 of the cherries. Carefully put another layer on top and repeat this twice, for a total of 3 layers. Put the top layer on. Cover the top and sides with the remaining whipped cream. Using a carrot peeler, "shave" the chocolate bar to make curls. Carefully press these around the side of the cake and sprinkle more on top. Decorate with maraschino cherries if desired. |
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Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Of course, you might want ice cream instead of Torte, and that's when you seek out an Eiscafe, although most Cafes also serve some ice cream dishes. Here again, you'll be paying a good bit because you'll be getting a fancy ice cream "creation" with an exciting name. Some of these fancy sundaes are geared more to children, some for those who like chocolate or fruit, and several may contain an alcoholic liqueur. Make sure you try an Italian Eiscafe and note the special "foods" you can order: Spaghetti-Eis, Pizza-Eis, Schnitzel-Eis, among others. Each of these wonderful dishes arrives really looking like its namesake, but it is in reality ice cream and decorations of the colors needed to create that food. Spaghetti-Eis is the most common and has vanilla ice cream pressed through a noodle maker so it comes out in long strands like "spaghetti." This is topped with a strawberry or raspberry "tomato" sauce and has ground almonds as the "parmesan cheese." Bring a camera; these works of art are worth a picture.
Üben wir!