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Meet Baumkuchen, Germany's Glorious Cake on a Spit

Susannah Chen — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:12:11 PDT

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.

Source: Flickr User RuckSackKruemel

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.

Photo: Susannah Chen

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?

Winter Escape: Take a Kid-Friendly Trip to Chicago

Kate Stahl — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 11:34:48 PST

Winter isn't exactly the most popular time to take a trip to Chicago, affectionately known as the Windy City - actually for its political blowhards, but it could also be for those frigid Winter winds. But if you're willing to bundle your family up, braving the elements can be a ton of fun. Plus, during the colder months, you'll find great deals on hotels with prime locations - we're talking less than $100 for a room right on the Mag Mile, a nickname for Michigan Avenue. If shopping little girls' favorite doll store ever, seeing the stars (and dolphins and the city from 1,353 feet up), and ice skating with a view sounds like a trip your family would love, then Chicago is the place for you. Keep clicking to see Chicago's finest kid-friendly spots.

Chicago Spaces: Inspiring Interiors

Stylelist Home — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:00:07 PDT

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, Stylelist Home!

Chicago was once known for architecture giants like Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, but now a days people tend to think of midwestern design as conservative and safe. However, with pages full of vibrant, colorful and inventive interiors, Chicago Spaces: Inspiring Interiors should put those rumors to rest for good. The book is a retrospective of the favored interiors from the magazine Chicago Home & Garden and features work by both the area's top interior designers (hello, Nate Berkus) as well as talented homeowners. These amazing spaces display endless amounts of creativity in a personal, not showy, manner.

For a peek into these beautiful homes, check out this slideshow.

A Salvage Chic Wedding

Nancy Einhart — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:00:16 PDT

Here's a post from Nancy from the Lovely Little Vignettes group.

My friends Kevin and Joy recently got married at Architectural Artifacts in Chicago, an incredible 80,000-square-foot store/event space specializing in antiques, found objects, architectural salvage, and all sorts of other treasures. As a shopper, I highly recommend it, but it was also an awesome place to have a wedding. I helped with the centerpieces, and the store let us pluck from the inventory to create these found-object arrangements. I couldn't resist buying one of the pieces, an antique mold for making doll heads. Click through to see the awesome space and decor.

Grahamwich: Nostalgia With a Spread of Whimsy

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:29:23 PDT

Graham Elliot Bowles is just one of America's celebrity chefs with a sandwich obsession. Between the Bread visits Chicago and stops into his new-ish eatery, Grahamwich.

Like chefs Tom Colicchio and Dennis Leary before him, Graham Elliot Bowles has a sandwich side project. Last fall, the Michelin-starred owner of Graham Elliot opened Grahamwich in downtown Chicago, so when I visited my peeps at PopSugar Chicago last week, we had our lunch meeting over sammies - or should I say "grahamies"? Though not as avant garde as No. 7 Sub, Grahamwich gives nostalgic favorites a modern, quirky twist. Click through to see what we ate.

Want more? Start following Between the Bread for more sandwich deliciousness, then get crackin' on your own food blog. You may even wind up featured here.

4 Reasons to Live in a Museum

GeekSugar — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:10:00 PDT

The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is holding its second Month at the Museum contest, which has one winner living in the museum for 30 days. From Oct. 19-Nov. 17, 2011, the winner will live, sleep, and breathe the museum, exploring its hidden world and sharing it with the public. Based on the blog and video from last year's winner Kate McGroarty, her 30 days made for incredible memories and, of course, lots of science exploring. We looked back at Kate's experience and found four highlights that would entice us to enter the contest:

Quality astronaut time - The museum is home to the Apollo 8 capsule, and during Kate's stay she had breakfast with Apollo 8 astronaut Jim Lovell, who was part of the team on the first mission to enter the moon's orbit.
Halloween ghost hunting - Last Halloween a group of paranormal investigators toured the building searching for spooky activity.
Foster parenting - On one of her several excursions away from the museum, Kate traveled to a local farm and selected chicken eggs, which later hatched under her watch.
Submarine slumber - Kate spent a night in the cozy quarters of a German U-boat captured during World War II after learning about the history and significance of the submarine.

When the residency is up, the winner will also receive $10,000 and can keep the laptop and digital camera used to document the museum experience. Applications are due July 22. Click through for photos of the Museum of Science and Industry, and a peek at the winner's living quarters.

Trending on Très - Getaway to Romantic Chicago

TresSugar — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 03:30:00 PST

Romantic Getaway: The Heart of Chicago

Colleen Barrett — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:00:52 PST

Locals may disagree this time of year, but nothing sounds more romantic than the Windy City. It's America high on elegance and innovation. Stroll its boulevards, take in its views, and linger long into its boozy nights with our tips for taking a romantic trip to Chicago.

Chicago's James Hotel: Art Gallery, Steakhouse, and Spa in One

Mandy Harris — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:20:48 PST

Looking to get away with your sweetie this Valentine's Day, but still want the comforts of home? Breeze into the Windy City, and stay in the lap of luxury at Chicago's James Hotel. The hotel is smack in the middle of the city, close enough to the Paul Frank bikes to cruise around the city, or take a customized running tour - yes, running - through the city.

Keep reading to take the full tour!

Nate Berkus Leaves the Gold Coast For the East Coast

Julia Millay Walsh — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 13:20:00 PST

Since Nate Berkus launched his eponymous talk show in New York this September, he's been spending more and more time on the East Coast and thus put his Chicago apartment on the market. The interior design and TV personality purchased his 3,980-square-foot, 3-bedroom, 4-bath Gold Coast condo for $500,000 in 2003, and has marked up the listing price to $2.65 million. The condo building dates back to 1928 but was renovated in the '40s by renowned architect and interior decorator Samuel Marx (and treated to his signature wood panelling). While Berkus was keen enough to preserve the original, Art Deco, hunter green, St. Charles kitchen cabinetry, he did make some terrific updates of his own, including new hardwood floors, a completely rehabbed master bath with a custom English tub, a reconfigured master suite, two-zone AC, new electrical, and new kitchen backsplash with classic white subway tiles. If that isn't enough to woo you, the property was also featured in Elle Decor in 2008. Check out some more photos below and then head over to Elle Decor for a full tour!

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