For next 9 months I live in Erfurt, Germany. Such a beautiful city where I have started my Konditorei (pastry) internship at Cafe Lobenstein which is not gluten free, but on the plus side uses organic flour. In Germany you specialize in either pastries/sweets/cake decorating ect which is called Konditorei or bread baking/Bäckerei. The system here is that you work as an intern for a few weeks then go to a vocational school (Berufschule) for a week; mine is for you guessed it, Baking and Pastry, then you rinse, rebake, and errr repeat. This is done over a period of three years. I learn German Konditorei techniques and make them gluten free at home. It is AWESOME and I have done so much already! The other workers are always bringing me tasty treats they’ve made that don’t have flour like chocolate truffles, meringue soufflés with raspberry cream filling, or dark chocolate dipped cherry florentine cookies. Here is a video I made over the technique for Truffle Torte:
My boss is great and the hilarious master Konditorin I am working under has a diamond in her tooth. You can see her in the article here as the Stollen Queen at www.Kochrebellion.com Yep she’s the one wearing the “Stollen Köningen” dress in this article about the upcoming Culinary Olympics to be hosted here in October!
Now Köningen means Queen, and Stollen is referring the the rich yeasted German Christmas cake like bread that is filled with candied fruits, spices, a hint ‘o rum and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Yesterday I had the pleasure of finding GLUTEN FREE STOLLEN baked by 3 Pauly an allergen friendly bakery that ships food to retailers all over Germany
A little bit dry but super tasty; I’m officially an addict!
Wilkommen to Southern Germany! Thanks to an amazing fellowship I won with Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals 2011/2012 I get to spend the next 2 months of intensive language lessons lounging by the sand, followed by a semester of school then a 5 month long internship.
It’s a charming little town close to the border of Switzerland. On a clear day after swimming in the Bodensee and eating some cheese and sausage with spicy mustard, I can see the sun setting on the alps. So dreamy.
Class at my Language School, the Carl Duisberg Centrum is challenging but how could I not be inspired by that building? Soon I’ll be dancing out of the front door, singing a song in perfect German as Prince Charming rides his horse (aptly named “Mercedes-Benz”) over to pick me up to go to:
THE best place for a culinary adventure, the farmers market in the square (along Bahnhof Platz 2) held every Weds and Sat 7am until around 2pm. For less produce and more of locally prepared foods, wines, and cheeses like the one I bought below there is a Thursday Abendmarkt (evening market) held from 4-7pm.
Now, If I could choose how to age it would be just like this cheese; covered in flowers stinking to high heavens. Pungent and semi-hard with large holes reminiscent of swiss, an acidic tang hit the tongue soon followed by melting sweet cream, salt, and the floral bouquet of summer and grass from the pastures upon which its maker grazed.
As far as the Gluten Frei Essen goes (that’s Gluten Free Food for all you anglophones), I’ve had little trouble. The list here is where I’ve scored specialty products like cookies, breads, cakes, crackers, flour blends, muesli, tea cakes, marzipan moons, and new surprises I never knew my little heart desired until now.
Reformhaus – They have the biggest selection of gf goodies and other natural offerings. I even bought cinnamon shoe inserts here!
Teggingerstraße 14
78315 Radolfzell, Germany
Tel: +49 07732 943888
and
Kaufhausstraße 7
78315 Radolfzell, Germany
Tel: +49 07732 2169
REWE-Perfectly located right by my GastHaus they have quite a big selection. I love the “ZweiBack” toasts and muesli with 5 different kinds of dried fruit in it
Böhringer Straße 57
78315 Radolfzell
Tel: +49 07732-942789
Open 8am-12am
Kaufland - This is Germanys version of Walmart; cheap stuff and a small selection of gluten free cookies and crackers in the “Diät” section.
DM Drogerie Markt - They have a huge selection of Schär products, which is the leader in the gf market here in Europe and in my opinion the best tasting.
Markthallenstraße 1
78315 Radolfzell am Bodensee, Germany
Tel: +49 07732941957
Open Mon-Sat 8am-8pm
As far as going out to eat goes I found a website www.glutenfrei-essen.com from which I have found some places to go. Mainly I have been sticking around the town center eating Turkish, Thai, Italian and of course German food. I say, “Ich bin allergisch gegen weizen und gluten, haben sie etwas ohne Weizen” which means “I am Allergie to wheat and gluten, do you have anything without wheat?” and people are always helpful advising me what to get.
I’m obsessed with Turkish Döner Kebab which is marinated lamb and/or beef that is layered on a spit, roasted all day then shaved off to order. I even found a website for Döner lovers, www.doenerfreund.de/. Just enter your German city name or zipcode in the “Dönersuch” box and bada-bing-bada-boom you’ve got a meal!
Pictured here from my favorite place called “Snack Point,” is the Döner Box: shaved meat, french fries and tzatziki sauce. OH yeah.
Snack Point
Bahnhofstraße
78315 Radolfzell Beim Westbahnhof
right across the street from the train station
I also love Asia Thai restaurant that makes everything fresh to order like my beloved Tom Kha Gai Soup.
Robert Gerwig Straße 12
78315 Radolfzell
Tel: +49 07732 – 52596
There have been many random encounters and much more to come. Click here for more info plus a calendar on Tourist Delights in Radolfzell. As for now Guten Appetit, and enjoy this video of my friend Alex and myself enchanted by the Amazing Radish Cutter at WienFest Reichenau (Wine Festival)!
