German

In New Orleans, revelers celebrate one last hurrah before the Lenten season during debaucherous Mardi Gras, but in Munich, there's less of a need to blow off steam thanks to Starkbierzeit, or "strong beer season." Each March, breweries in the region churn out doppelbock, a high-alcohol, intensely rich and malty brew, in celebration of the 17th century monks who created it. Characterized as Oktoberfest minus the tourists, Starkbierzeit isn't highly publicized, but the beer it honors has quite a following in Germany and in many other parts of the world. Ready to drink in some strong beer fun facts? Just read on.

Since we couldn't make it to Oktoberfest this Fall, it seemed fitting to sip on a German-brewed beer in hopes of its transportative properties. With that in mind, we bring you a classic Teutonic tipple: Radeberger Pilsner ($8 for 6). Founded in 1872, Radeberger is purportedly the first German brewery (still in business) to produce pilsner exclusively and has earned an impressive assortment of fans since then, including King Frederick Augustus III of Saxony and Chancellor Otto von Bismarck.

Keep reading to find out if this German import is up to snuff.

I'm not much of a German food aficionado, but a few years ago, I read a New Yorker article about Germany's "king of cakes" that's been forged in my mind ever since. In the story, Mimi Sheraton embarks on a fervid quest for baumkuchen, a ringed, hollow cake that's made on a spit with layer after painstaking layer of batter, then iced with a coating of chocolate or sugar.

Photo: Susannah Chen

Her pursuit of the dying art led her to Lutz Café and Pastry Shop, which she proclaimed to be "the closest to Kreutzkamm's famous German bakery that I have found." When I was in Chicago last weekend, I made a trip to Lutz to see what the hype was all about.

Despite the busy street it's on, the Germanic bakery was quiet and unassuming, which allowed all of its baked goods to speak for themselves. Of course, I made a beeline for the baumkuchen. While Lutz makes its cakes on the premises, I wasn't able to see the rare spit machine in action. But I did admire the whole baumkuchen, over a foot tall, in their completed state; the sugar-glazed and chocolate-coated versions were treelike in stature.

Source: Flickr User RuckSackKruemel

But it was cutting into a cross-sectioned slice that truly revealed the cake's intricate construction: crepe-thin layer after crepe-thin layer formed delicate concentric circles, not unlike a California redwood. The composition factored into the texture of the baumkuchen, which was both springy and dense. Its flavor — mildly sweet vanilla with a almond aftertaste — called for a cup of coffee. As I left Chicago, I prepared to mourn my new breakfast ritual — that is, until I learned that Lutz ships across America, even overnight.

Have you ever tried baumkuchen?

Although a light and fruity white might not be your typical Winter wine, if you're looking to pair something with a spicy bowl of Asian soup, like I was on a recent evening, pick up a bottle of this affordable German Riesling from Schloss Vollrads. You don't have to properly pronounce its name to enjoy the subtle deliciousness of this easy-to-drink white. Unlike some traditional Rieslings, it's not overly sweet. Instead it's perfectly balanced with a clear, pretty straw color, lovely texture, and crisp apple flavor. There's no cork on the bottle; it's sealed with a glass topper that you can save and use on other bottles, so this Riesling makes a nice hostess or dinner party gift.

Do you drink Riesling?

Don't forget to share your holiday food photos with us! Here, CasaSugar's Elka Karl tells us about her annual Feuerzangenbowle.
Every year, we throw a cozy Feuerzangebowle at our home. My husband's family is from Germany, and this German holiday party is centered around a bowl of mulled wine. A Feuerzangenbowle (pronounced "Foy-err-song-en-bowl-eh," German for "tongs of fire punch") is a traditional fruity and mulled wine finished with flaming rum.

A Zuckerhut (sugar cone) is doused in Barcardi 151, and then set ablaze. The caramelized goodness then drips into the heady and seasonal brew. The lighting of the punch serves as a particularly festive kickoff to a cozy little holiday gathering. It's liquid Gemuetlichkeit (cozy kitsch).

In addition to the mulled wine, we also put out a pretty massive spread of food. There's a lot of German and Scandinavian foods: fresh baked rye bread, cold cuts, pungent cheeses, stollen, quark, and gravlax, among other selections. Every year my husband makes the gravlax at least a week in advance, letting it cure in the fridge in its mixture of dill, brown sugar, and salt.

To check out a photo of the punch and see what else she served at the party, read more.

This week was off to a good start with an extensive tasting at 2010's Winter Fancy Foods Show. But I must admit, walking around eating everything from chocolate to caviar was exhausting.

Midday, we were sampling some serious chili sauce from Indonesia. With my mouth on fire and my feet exhausted, I complained that all I wanted was a stool to sit on and a beer to cool off my palate. Now, PartySugar is famous for her bar radar, but she set a new record when she spotted barstools and something on tap before I could say the word "beer." For what was decidedly the best five minutes of the day, we kicked up our legs and threw back some fresh, ice-cold Spaten from Munich.

This traditional Bavarian lager, which has been around since 1397, poured like liquid gold, with just the right amount of carbonation. It had a light body and a slightly yeasty, but crisp aroma. What beer have you tried recently that really hit the spot?