Bredele: "bray-duh-luh"

An important part of the Christmas season in Alsace is baking gobs and gobs of tasty little cookies called "Bredeles." Much like American Christmas cookies, bredeles come in every shape and flavor, and the best recipes are passed down through the generations. I was fortunate enough to have an expert bredele baker show me the tricks of the trade! Madame Rieth, a kind and welcoming woman from church, invited me to spend an afternoon in her kitchen. Over six hours, I experienced much more than learning to make sugary treats: I feasted on a delicious turkey mid-day meal with her children and grandchildren, chuckled at the sarcastic banter between her and Monsieur Rieth (sometimes in French with a thick Alsatian accent and sometimes in Alsatian), and listened attentively to her endless stories of growing up in Alsace during the war. Below is a picture of Mme. Rieth working in her kitchen. (She doesn't like her picture to be taken!)


When I arrived in Strasbourg, Mme. Rieth was immediately very warm and encouraging. Everytime I see her at church or Bible study, she commands me to open my purse and then fills it will walnuts or homemade jams. She always tells me, "We can't have you die of hunger while you are here!" Being far from home, Mme. Rieth's kind gestures always make me feel loved. Even though the bredeles were delicious, the best part of our baking spree was simply getting to know her better!

Passau, Germany

I was disappointed not to meet Inka's sister, Kirsten, during my visit to Hamburg, but thankfully, Kirsten and I were able to find a weekend to meet up in Passau, where she studies law! My train chugged into town on Thursday night and Kirsten met me at the station. Since we didn't already know each other, I was hoping that my photographic memory would kick in and that I would recognize her! No worries: the Fischer kids all look the same! :)

I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of student life in Germany: bumming around campus, attending a law class, eating in the dining hall, and grocery shopping. I'm such a sucker for the "insider's view" - seeing what I'd never see if I were just a tourist! Kirsten also showed me around the historic part of town and the beautiful cathedral. Friday afternoon, we welcomed in the Advent season by listening to Christmas carols and baking traditional Christmas stollen. We weren't convinced that it turned out quite right, but it passed the taste tests. Here are some photos of rainy Passau and Kirsten with the unbaked stolen!





Friday night, I tagged along with Kirsten to her bartending job before a couple of her friends swept me away to an Irish pub. Two of them had spent a year in the US and had all sorts of stories to share about Southern California and rural Arkansas: two very different American experiences!

On Saturday, Kirsten and I took the train to Munich to see their beautiful Christmas market complete with a choir and brass ensemble singing carols from the balcony of the town hall! We sampled a couple of different sausages, spiced wine and candied almonds! Yum!






On Sunday morning, we went to church and out for coffee at a favorite café before I caught my train back to Strasbourg. I really enjoyed getting to know Kirsten - and discovering how much we have in common! I am so thankful for her willingness to host me and show me a little bit of her life in Passau.