Tag: German

Get It While You Can: Helmut’s Strudel

Seasonal items are a fact of life in the food world. When you have a favorite, you know the rule: Get It While You Can! That’s one reason we wait longingly for apple strudel season. While you can make it at home, there’s something about getting a …

Seasonal items are a fact of life in the food world. When you have a favorite, you know the rule: Get It While You Can!

That’s one reason we wait longingly for apple strudel season. While you can make it at home, there’s something about getting a traditional strudel to celebrate the holidays.

OK, we admit we got a bit ahead of the game this year, thanks to a trip to Germany, where we took a break in the Martins-Viertel neighborhood of Cologne. After a traditional German meal at Peter’s Brauhaus, we topped it off with a slice of amazing apple strudel.

But we don’t live in Germany, and so–that pleasant moment aside–we wait for our strudel. Our favorite comes from Helmut’s Original Austrian Strudel. If you time it right at any of the markets where they sell, you may be able to get it not only in apple, but in cherry, cheese, or almond apricot (a new favorite!).

Helmut’s is not sold online, as far as we can tell, but it is available at various holiday markets in the U.S. Coming up you can find it here:

Nov 17 – Dec 24 The Peoples Gas Holiday Market Pittsburgh, PA More Information Get Directions
Nov 22 – Dec 24 Christkindlmarket Chicago Chicago, IL More Information Get Directions
Nov 23 – Dec 24 Philadelphia Christmas Village Philadelphia, PA More Information Get Directions
Dec 7 – 8 Yuletide in the Country Hamburg, NY More Information Get Directions
Jan 10 – 12 Bass And Salt Water Fishing Expo Raleigh, NC More Information Get Directions
Feb 1 – 2 Carolina Chocolate Festival Morehead City, NC

It’s worth the trek if you are close to any of those areas, and a bit closer than either Austria or Germany! The strudel also freezes and reheats well (in the oven, please, not the microwave, for best retention of flavor).

What are you waiting for? Get it while you can…and, if you prefer to bake your own, we recommend the recipes found at Little Vienna or House of Nash Eats.

Photos by Paul K. Logsdon

Destination: Chicago’s Christkindlmarket

Chicago knows how to do Christmas. There’s a parade and light festival. There’s a Gourmet Dinner Cruise on Christmas Eve. You can see the holiday windows at Macy’s. And there’s the Christkindlmarket. We managed to get there on the very first day …

Chicago knows how to do Christmas. There’s a parade and light festival. There’s a Gourmet Dinner Cruise on Christmas Eve. You can see the holiday windows at Macy’s. And there’s the Christkindlmarket.
We managed to get there on the very first day this year, when crowds were relatively small and vendors were excited to be set up and open. The food is the star—although the ornaments and nutcrackers are fun competition. Here are our recommendations:

The Strudel. Any flavor works, but apple is traditional. Cherry. Almond apricot. Cheese. You can’t go wrong, or get a variety box.

The Hot Cider. It doesn’t matter what stand, really, but we liked the one from the German Brothers stand. (They were also selling the best German pancakes.) The cider was less sweet and hotter than others we sampled, but, really, they are all good. You can get yours in a paper cup or one of the three collectible mugs they sell to commemorate the market.

The German Pancakes. We like them with applesauce, simple and flavorful, but you can also get sour cream or other combos. Slightly crispy, completely tasty. Don’t forget the cider.

The Raclette Sandwich. Oh, you have to see it to believe it. The baguette. The hot, melty cheese. The delight in people’s faces as they dig in.

The Donor Kebab. You’ll get it with plenty of seasoned rotisserie meat, onions, cucumbers and tzatziki sauce, all piled into a large wrap. We first tasted this in Germany, and the market stand, Donermen, does it justice.

Moral of the story? Get to Chicago to find your Christmas spirit. It’s an easy train trip on the Blue Line; get off at Washington and you are there!

Photos by Paul K. Logsdon

German linebacker Aaron Donkor allocated to Seahawks

German linebacker Aaron Donkor has been allocated to the Seattle Seahawks via the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

German linebacker Aaron Donkor has been allocated to the Seattle Seahawks via the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

Donkor is one of four international players who will remain on an NFL practice squad throughout 2021, with the chance to earn a spot on a roster. The other three players also join NFC West clubs: offensive lineman Alfredo Gutierrez of Mexico heads to the 49ers, offensive lineman Max Pircher of Italy to the Rams and tight end Bernhard Seikovits of Austria to the Cardinals.

Here’s the scouting report the NFL press release included on Donkor:

A native of Germany, played with the German Football League’s Dusseldorf Panthers in 2016. In 2017, joined the New Mexico Military Institute. Saw action in 12 games over two seasons and accumulated 32 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumbles. Transferred to Arkansas State for his remaining eligibility and posted 25 tackles during the 2019 season.

“You’re our newest linebacker, man, how ’bout that?” coach Pete Carroll told Donkor on a video, per the Seahawks site. “We’re fired up to add you to our team… We’re expecting you to play linebacker, we’re going to feature you on special teams; we want you to be a big factor there too. The more you can do is obviously the old NFL way, so let’s make sure you take advantage of that.

“Welcome to the Seahawks.”

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