My Melange

Hooray Le Creuset!

Martha has one.  So does Ina, Giada, Emeril and pretty much any chef that is worth his sea salt in the foodie community.

What I am talking about?

The Le Creuset Dutch Oven, of course!

You can spot the ubiquitous cast iron jack-of-all-trades pot in all the colors of the rainbow in magazines, cookbooks and cooking shows the world over.

Ever since I started watching the Food Network I got hooked on the versatility of this quality piece and have dreamed of one day having my very own multi-tasking French Dutch Oven.

Yeah, sure some of the popular celeb chefs like Rachel Ray, Mario Batali and even Queen Martha have created knock-offs of their own, for about half the price, but there was always one thing missing.

It was not a Le Creuset!

Sorry folks, but in this cooks opinion, nothing can compare to that classic French quality and reputation of  Le Creuset. 

Nope, not even Queen Martha or Molto Mario.

Le Creuset is a French brand that has been around since 1925 and is the world's leading manufacturer of quality Enameled Cast Iron cookware. They are the mainstay of French chefs.

The crème de la crème of cookware.  They have that je ne sais quoi.

This particular Dutch Oven is made from a cast iron mold.  The inside is coated in the highest quality vitreous enamel, the lid has a perfectly tight fit which ensures the moisture and flavor are retained in the cooking.  The knob is made from a heat resistant material which is oven-proof to 375*, so you won't get third degree burns stirring your soup.  Yep, we have all been there!

They are very versatile pieces as well.  You can cook on the stove-top, bake in the oven or store leftovers in the fridge...all in the same pot! 

Can you say easy-peazy clean up!

So, why I am I blathering on about all this you might ask?

Well, after 5 years of wishing and hoping, dreaming and drooling, today with a gift certificate in hand, I hauled ass over to Warren Cutlery this morning to be first in line for their 20% off sale. Needless to say, I am now the proud very proud owner of a new Le Creuset Dutch Oven in Cherry Red.

 
courtesy of Warren Cutlery

Isn't she a beauty?  I feel like a teenage boy with his first new shiny red Camero.  Can't wait for a test drive!

My only dilemma now? What recipe I should use to christen my new cookware?

My options are endless.  Risotto, soup, stew, Italian tomato sauce?  Or perhaps something I have never attempted before, like a Beef Bourguignon or Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic?

Oh, the possibilities...

Tell me, do you have a Dutch Oven?  Do you love it? 

What is your favorite recipe to make with it?  What do you think my first dish should be?

A Sunday Apéritif

The French call it apéritif, the Italians call it aperitivo.  Whatever it's called, I'm a huge fan and I 'm always on board!

Derived from the Latin verb, apirire, it literally means to *open the palate*.  It refers to the hour or two before dinner, where you can enjoy a small nosh or nibble of finger food, with alcohol, prior to the big meal. 

On occassion, depending what is on offer, apéritif can replace the large meal. Like in the heat of summer, when just the thought of cooking a big meal in my postage-stamp size kitchen, makes beads of sweat appear upon my forehead.

No thanks!

Today happened to be one of those days.  Plus, it's a lazy Sunday.  An apéritif was in order.

I am pretty familiar with the types of foods both cultures typically serve for apéritif, many of which are always on hand a casa. 

Part of the fun is having an imagination about what you would like to serve and combining that with what you have on hand.  It's a perfetto time to use leftovers, or items that you only have a few morsels of.

A common French drink, especially in the South of France, for apéritif, is Pastis.  An herbal anise drink which is usually diluted with water in a tall glass.  It is different from Absinthe, but closely related.

Italians will drink campari, prosecco or maybe even a bellini.   In recent years, wine has become an acceptable alternative to the classic campari and soda.

Today our apéritif consisted of:

* almonds

* olive

* vine ripened tomotoes dressed in olive oil, sea salt, pepper and fresh torn basil

* marinated cippolini onions

* toasted Italian bread, drizzled with olive oil and fresh rosemary from our garden

* Italian sweet summer sausage

* fresh local cheese- one cow's milk, one goat's milk

* a honeycomb

And to wash it all down, a chilled, crisp Sicilian vino bianco. 

Now, the one thing I didn't have on hand that is always on my table for apéritif, are sweet baby gherkins.  Cornichons are very much a French classic, but I prefer sweet to sour.

Other popular alternatives for noshing are pistachios, potato chips, grilled veggies like eggplant or zucchini, marinated favorites like mushrooms and artichokes, prosciutto and melone and whatever fruit is in season, such as figs, cherries or strawberries. 

I have admittedly read way too many memoirs containing story upon story of apéritif in the French Countryside and aperitivo in its Italian counterpart.  Each tale filled with deliciously prepared food of the season, friends and family gathered around the old wooden communal table dressed in white linen and placed under the afternoon shade of the nearest olive or fruit tree, sharing stories, clinking glasses of continuously topped-off wine until dinner arrives and it's all repeated well into the wee hours of the night.

Oh, what I would not give to be a part of that.

But today, myself and my vivid imagination were joined by Chris and Madison as we sat on the covered front porch, surrounded by fresh herbs, flowering plants, garden statuary and antique urns, and we enjoyed our Sunday apéritif. 

As I was daydreaming of taking an apéritif with friends in France, the clouds moved overhead and rain began to fall, gently, from the sky. 

Without missing a beat, Chris and I looked at one another as he said, "Now it really feels like Paris."

I guess I am not the only one with an imagination!

What are your favorite things to eat for apéritif/aperitivo?  What about to drink?  What stories do you have to share?

The Peony Prize

Peonies.  Prose.  And Prizes.

Large drooping blossoms

Bright pink, pale pink, white, even peppermint striped

 

They start tight as a little round ball

and gradually, silky petal after silky petal

they triple their girth

Those fat pom-pom like blossoms, cheering on the rest of the garden

Natures cheer.

Blooms so heavy their stems bow down from the weight, but never break.

I am the lucky recipient of this wonderful bouquet, courtesy of my dear friend Karen, who picked them, especially for me, fresh from her garden.

Aren't they delicious?

The peonies are lovely, but the real prize is her friendship.

And I feel the same about all of you!  Thanks to all of you for your friendship and your kindness! 

Leave a comment. A little note to let me know you are there. 

A little prize will come to one lucky winner, drawn at random.

You have until midnight on Monday evening.

Mon Petit Jardin

Unfortunately, I am not lucky enough to have acres of green land and sprawling flower gardens.  That's my Mom.

Instead I have a challanging situation.  I have a small porch. And It is longer than it is wide.

We have worked hard on it, but it is no way finished.  I like to refer to it as Mon Petit Jardin.

That sounds much prettier than My Plants on the Porch, doesn't it?

I'll have a big reveal, once it is to the point where I am happy with it. 

Chris would argue this will never happen, or at least not until the summer of 2015.

I scored a pair of shabby cream colored shutters for twenty bucks from a local salvage yard that will serve as a privacy screen once Chris adds hinges and rigs them to stand up. 

I would argue this will never happen, or at least not until the summer of 2015.

And of course, we are still sans our café table and chairs.  I can't wait until I can sit out there with a book and drink my morning café au lait. 

 In 2015.

Here is a sneak peak.  Click on the smaller image to see it in full size.

 
        

How are your gardens coming this year?  What are your gardening projects?

Video Endorsements

I really don't get into Politics that much, either in my daily life or on the blog, until this year.  This year something has changed.  I credit that to Obama.  As you can see...I proudly display my support for him on my blog, with a badge.

I am not going to get into a big debate today about the candidates, the issues or why I favor Obama over everyone else, but I thought I would give you a chance to look at two recent video endorsements that have surfaced for each democratic candidate. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on the videos, the candidates and the issues.

Jack Nicholson  for Hillary

We are the Ones... by will.i.am

Olive Season

In France and Italy, olive season is coming to a close.  It usually begins in October and runs through November.  In some parts of Tuscany though, it can begin as early as September.  It all depends on the weather and conditions of the season.

I think I have read too many books and seen too many movies about olives.  I conjure up all these images and fantasies about olives, olive oil, olive trees and the like. I guess I am just O-O, olive obsessed!  I love the knotted, gnarled tree trunks, the graceful branches, the shimmery silvery grayish-greenish leaves, that remind me of sage; the fat, plump fruit that is just bursting with golden, nutty, juicy nectar. 

For some reason I have this burning desire to be part of the harvesting process.  There is nothing I would like better than to be driving through the Tuscan hills of Italy or Provence in the south of France and happen upon rows and rows of beautiful terraced olive trees propping up wooden ladders, with miles of netting strewn about below catching the ripe fruit.  I would gladly swerve my car to the side of the road, run up to the grove and excitedly offer my inexperienced help!  I am sure at this point, the local police would be summoned to remove the crazy American from their land and I would be carted away quicker than a rancid olive, mixed in with the otherwise perfect bunch. 

If I was lucky enough to find an agriturismo to stay in during my next visit, I could become a farmer for a week and stay with a family in their home.  Never-mind the image of me in my overalls or the scratches, bruises and blisters that would cover my body.  I imagine sitting down at a large communal table after a hard days work and eating dinner with my fellow olive pickers, my family.  Our meal would consist of a hearty helping of country bread, drizzled with the freshly pressed oil, right from the mill that day!  I wonder, would the flavor be grassy, nutty, peppery or lemony?  And would they give me bottles of it to take home at the end of my stay (provided I left, of course) to share with my own friends and family?  Oh, if only *sigh*.

There is a mystery to this olive harvesting.  Everyone has a different spin on it.  Call it superstition, or years of local tradition passed from generation to generation.  Lets take the picking itself.  Some encourage the use your hands to pick, like milking a cow.  Others will swat you off your ladder sending you crashing to the ground, which would be followed by a tongue lashing of historic proportion if they saw you even touch the olive.  Instead, a bamboo pole is used to beat the branches until the ripe olives fall from the tree and tumble onto the netting, which is placed on the ground under the olives to act as a barrier and a collection tool. Many feel that an olive that touches the ground is, well, spoiled.    How is one to know what is best? 

The other thing everyone agrees on is timing. Timing of the picking and the pressing.  You have to wait for just the right moment to pick.  To soon and the olive doesn't yield enough oil, to late and the oil will be bitter and not a good flavor.  Don't pick in the rain or when there is dew or there will be too much moisture in the oil. Remember, that saying oil and water don't mix?  I knew I would need that info someday! Don't get me started on the color of the olive.  Thats a whole other set of rules!

The olives must be pressed as soon after they are picked as possible, to avoid mildew and for the best taste. Often this means driving crates of them straight to the mill the same day, to have them pressed.  If you are lucky enough to have the required kilos of your own olives, you will have pure oil that is only from your trees.  If you have less, yours will be combined with others that are below the minimum, and you will have community oil to share!  There are so many different kinds of pressing, but the best remains first cold pressing.  It is the first pressing, with no heat, which breaks down the delicate flavors.  It is the purest, best tasting, most sought after and therefore...most expensive oil.

Maybe it is the history of these trees that fascinates me.  One of the oldest trees, called the Olivier Millenaire, is in Roquebrune, France.  It is over 1000 years old.  To stand there in the grace of that beauty and history and wonder, how many hands have touched that tree? How many olives have weighted down its branches? What did the oil taste of and how many thousands of kilos has it produced?  How many have taken care to prune it and tend the fruit it would bare?  Who were those special gardeners and what was their preferred method? I would stand in awe.

So, if you live in olive country in France or Italy and are out in your olive grove, minding your own business, and are startled at the sight of a lunatic women, running full bore, arms flailing, yelling something that resembles, " I want to pick your olives"...well, um, it will be me.  And please, I beg of you, do not call the local authorities or you will be crushing a girls hopes and dreams.  And we don't want that now do we?

Photo courtesy of Beyond Provence

Bamyan

Whenever I travel, I try to fit in as much as possible.  I don't like to stand out like a sore thumb as a tourist.  By definition I am a tourist, though I prefer to think of myself as a traveler.  The easiest way to stand out as an American in Europe is to wear shorts and white Reebok's in the summer.  Oh, and getting drunk and rowdy in the streets isn't going to help your cause either!

My first time in Paris, I noticed that most of the women wore scarves.  Of all shapes, sizes and colors.  The older, put together ladies, tend to wear smaller silk scarves, with classic patterns, tied in a knot around their necks or larger ones spread out loosely under the collars of their coat.  Think Hermes.  The younger crowd usually opt for longer styles with fringe.  And the colder the weather gets, the thicker the scarf.

I was immediately taken by all the scarves.  Paris is a fashion capital, so these scarves serve a stylish purpose, but also a practical one, since Paris can get windy and chilly...any time of year, especially with all that rain. Keeping in mind my desire to *blend in* in Paris, wearing scarves seemed like a great way to resemble a local.  It is no wonder I found myself...quickly addicted to scarves.

It's hard not to be really.  You can find them anywhere and everywhere. Small ones, long ones, silk, cashmere, wool, viscose, pattern, no pattern, bold or muted colors.   The list is endless.  There are even kiosks set up in some of the metro stations, which is where I bought one of mine.  I seek them out, no matter where I go.  It is a goal of mine to buy a few new ones every visit.  They are a perfect accessory...like shoes and handbags...you can never have too many!

One of my readers, Jill, picked up on something I said in a previous post about liking to collect scarves and bring them home from Paris.  She asked me if I would share my favorite places to buy scarves with you.

I have purchased quite a few lovelies at various points in the city.  A few of my favorites are from the very touristy area of Montmartre. A funky pink printed accordion-pleat style, called my name from a window display in the very chic St. Germain des Pres, and came home with me.  But my favorite spot so far is a little gem is on the Ile Saint-Louis, one of my favorite places in all of Paris.  It is called Bamyan.  Not only do I love the quality of these scarves, but the service is what keeps me coming back.  Every time I go in, I gently rummage through the neatly fanned out stacks to find what I like.  Madam always nods that I can try one on.  Inevitably, she wanders over to style me pretty.  Apparently, I never pick my correct *color*.  She, finds my color, and like a magician performing a disappearing trick with a magic cape, she twirls, poofs, fluffs, ties, wraps, adjusts... and voila!  Yes, she actually says voila!  She is always spot on.  It never fails.  I always love what she chooses.  And more importantly, the gorgeous way she drapes and ties it on me.

Though my ego is a bit bruised because I obviously don't know myself like any real Parisienne should, I am elated and grateful for Madam and her beautiful scarves, but more importantly for her gift of just knowing what looks best on you.  It is a talent I have yet to acquire.

This past visit, I came away with this beautiful plum, fringed, raw silk scarf.  I wore it all over Paris for the rest of my trip.  With Madams help, and my new scarf....how could I not blend in? 

How about you?  Do you like to wear scarves?  Where are your favorite places to shop for scarves?  How else to you fit in when you travel?

Bamyan
24 & 72, rue St Louis-en-l'Isle
Paris, 75004
01 46 33 69 66

Smart-y Pants

When we were in Italy, we had the privilege drive a Smart Car.  We loved it, especially how it handled the twists and turns of the Amalfi coast, while still having the power to pass cars on the Autostrada.  They are actually available in the US now, and they get great gas mileage and are quite reasonably priced for a Mercedes Benz.  I may consider one someday.

They are ubiquitous in Europe and I must say *Smart* really fits them.  But there is a new trend over there in advertising, at least in Paris.  The first day we started walking around, we were spotting them left and right, but with advertising slogans covering them.  I think *Smart* was beginning to have a new meaning for these cars.

I started snapping shots every time I saw one.

These are like traveling billboards, advertisements on wheels.

This one is a feminine version, advertising a spa.  That butterfly is very graceful looking. Even the font is delicate.

This was double-duty at the Eiffel Tower.  It looks like someone turned *2*!

It was fun trying to guess who and what they were advertising.  Anyone want to take a stab at this one?

Others were pretty easy.  Some companies are universal it seems.  Century 21 Real Estate wants to sell you the good life in Montmartre!!  Perhaps that was Amelie's agent?

And perhaps no picture better exemplifies the very meaning of why this car was aptly named...the *Smart Car*.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Books

 

Well, here it is. My Oprah moment.  I like to read..and to get others to read. This is the only thing that Oprah and I have in common.  Well, other than that yo-yo weight thing.  Oh yeah and the fact that we would both get kicked out of Hermes in Paris.  The difference here..she attempts to shop at Hermes, where as I would could never.    Uh, back to Reading. Right. Reading.  I am passionate about recommending books, sharing books, talking about books.  Old and new, fiction and non, memoirs, paperbacks and hardcovers, cookbooks, murder mysteries, true crime, coffee table books, home decor, even a romance novel or two have graced my tired eyes, only to smack me square in the forehead as I fool myself into thinking I can stay awake, just to the next chapter.  I force myself to get in even 2 or 3 pages at the end of a long day, which (you do the math) can mean it takes me months just to finish a book.  But I persevere.  Why?  Quite simply, because I love to read!

This is how The Sisterhood of the Traveling Books got started.  Shelly and Jessica substituted books for pants and came up with the great idea of a starting a book club where each member donates a book from their shelf, sends it to the next reader in line on the sign up list, and so-on and so-on.  The concept offers members the opportunity to read great books without having to spend a fortune on new books, just pennies on the cost of postage. It also makes available books in English that may otherwise be unattainable for ex-pats or books that are out of print and unavailable in certain parts of the globe.

I put myself on the list when I first read about it for "At Home in Rome", the book that started it all.  Since then, I have donated two books of my own to the cause and I look forward to getting books more books in the mail that have been read, signed and discussed by readers before me.  I guess it's a kind of virtual book club!

So, if you are interested, dust off a book on your shelf and click here to apply for membership.

Happy Reading!  Oh, and eat your heart out Oprah. 

An Interview with Elke

photo courtesy of autographedforyou.com

I am starting a special series of interviews with some selected friends who have experiences with both European and American culture.  I thought it would be interesting for my readers to get to know these friends and shed some light on the similarities and differences between cultures, countries and life. 

Elke is a good friend that grew up in Germany, but now lives near me in Poughkeepsie NY.  We have become fast friends and I am sure you be able to tell from her interview...why that is. (hint: it has to do with her favorite place to travel). She will shed some light on the German culture.   You may wonder to yourself...gee she looks alot like Elke Sommers, well...that is Elke Sommers.  This has been an on-going joke...and now this her punishment for not getting me a picture for the last 3 months. It was either that, or a picture of my Westie, so I hope she is happy with my choice.

MM:  Tell me about yourself & your family.
 
E:  My name is Elke and I am 39 years old. Born and raised in Germany, I am the oldest of three children and the only one who decided to move to a different country much to the chagrin of my family and friends. I currently live in Poughkeepsie, NY with my wonderful husband and amazing 13 year old son. My family is my top priority, so I work only part-time for a Homecare Agency. I have a passion for traveling, love to read, be around my friends, cook and bake, have picnics on one of the amazing grounds of our old Mid-Hudson Valley mansions, attend theater and musical productions and most important of all take care of my little family.

MM: Tell us about your childhood.

E:   I grew up in a little town called Arzfeld, which is part of the beautiful Eifel region with my parents and younger brother and sister. In our town everyone knew each other and there were plenty of children on our road to play with. My mom was a stay- at-home mom and because of that we grew up with a strong sense of family values and morals. We loved to play outside, in the fields or woods surrounding our home. We walked to our elementary school every day and as we got older took the bus to a neighboring town for Middle/ High School. Our town was small and save enough to be negotiated by foot. We could walk to the post office, shops, doctor offices etc. We had a playground right on our road where we spend numerous hours of the day.

MM:  Describe your personality.

E:   I am a fun- loving, outgoing person. I consider myself organized and loyal. To be fair I have to mention, that I am reluctant to big changes and have a stubborn, willful streak. People tell me I am sweet, nice and funny..Boy are they in for a surprise. I must like adventure to a certain degree because I am always up to explore new places and look at me I moved across the Atlantic(what was I thinking???)

MM:  What is one misconception about your culture?

E:     Well where to start? I guess what has been bothering me for a while now is the assumption floating around that all German woman are big. I fit in a size 4 dress and my sister is probably below a 0. My friends are all skinny and I am not sure where this rumor started. We really are not all huge, beer hoisting girls that bust out of their clothes. We come in all sizes (wee, not so wee and friggin huge).

MM:  What is the one thing that frustrated/irritated you about living in Germany?

E:   At the time I was living there the endless days of rain. I do have to say that has changed though due to global warming or El Nino. Right now I would gladly trade places as far as the weather is concerned.

MM:  What are the Germans most known for in your opinion?
E:     Good beer and food, cleanliness and most Germans are incredibly industrious.

MM:  What has your experience been with Americans?  Do German people hate Americans?

E:     Most Americans that I have encountered have a very open and friendly mentality. Germans are more reserved and private. I hope I am not stepping on too many toes here but I think Americans can be too boisterous and loud, especially when traveling and seem to lack  the thoughtfulness to leave their habits and shorts and sneakers at home when traveling to a European country. That said Germans can be incredibly annoying tourists as well. I have taken vacations with both..and was ready to run the opposite way a couple of times. German people in general love Americans. There are so many US military posts all over Germany that everybody lives and socializes with each other. English is our mandatory second language and apart from some political views or climates there is no resentment toward Americans. You can’t even find a piece of teenager clothing anymore, that does not have some English slogan on it, which does not make sense all the time and often amuses my husband and son, who are trying to figure out what it was meant to say.

MM:  What was your initial impression of the US and its people?  How is that different from what you expected?

E:    I thought everything was very contemporary. It did not seem like things were made to last. Everything appeared to have been put up quickly and I was not too impressed with the trash on the roadside on the way from JFK airport in New York City. Coming from an Old World country this was quite the culture shock. Everything here seemed so different and frankly scary to me. We have so much history and definitely less malls and shopping centers in Germany. I was completely overwhelmed and just wanted to turn around and go home. As far as lifestyles go I was shocked to see how many crazy hours American’s have to work and how fast paced and stressful life over here is. Europe is much more laid back and allows more time to spend with family.

MM: I am proud to be German because...

E:   I love my country, it is truly beautiful. So many nice places to visit and incredible history to learn from. We had some dark times in our history and came back, compassionate and humble.

MM:  What is your favorite German dish to make?  Maybe a signature dish?

E:     You will be surprised it is not Sauerkraut. It is Rotkohl(red cabbage)my favorite German vegetable and homemade spaetzle(Bavarian pasta)

MM:  What is your favorite German food?
E:     I love Sauerbraten and Jaeger schnitzel

MM:  What is your favorite American food?
E:   Believe it or not I am a sucker for a good hamburger.

MM:  Who taught you to cook?

E:   I need to give credit to my mom for that. Though she seldom had me at the stove doing the actual cooking I was always in the kitchen around her and observed and memorized.

MM:  Who is your favorite historic German person and why?

E:   That is a hard one... Have been out of school for too long. I admire Ludwig van Beethoven. He was the most amazing composer and his music still inspires people all around the world.

MM:  Favorite Museum?
E:   Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C.

MM:  Favorite artist?
E:   Van Gogh

MM:  Favorite music/musician?

E:   My favorite 2 men are both very much into music. So I get to listen and enjoy a wide variety of different styles (some I like more then others). I like to listen to Andrea Bocelli and his American counter part Josh Groban .

MM:  Favorite movie?
E:   I really liked the movie Chocolat and The Notebook.

MM:  Favorite book/author?

E:  'Wish you well' by David Baldacci. I also am a huge fan of John Steinbeck and Barbara Kingsolver. I love to read and it would take me a while to list them all so I will spare you further details .You have some amazing literature and writers in this country.

MM:  Favorite historic monument?

E:   It has to be the “World War II” Memorial in Washington D.C. It is very impressive and well designed. I was impressed by most of the monuments in Washington DC and Arlington Cemetery. We had the benefit of enjoying all of this while we were living in Virginia for 8 years.

MM:  Favorite restaurant in Germany, why?

E:   A little restaurant called “Alte Abtei” in Pruem a town about 20 minutes from my parent’s town. You get very good traditional German dishes there with great presentation and the ambiance is very nice.  It is family owned and you can have a good time as a group there or have a romantic dinner for two.

MM: Favorite area of your country?

E:   I love Bavaria. The country side is gorgeous, the mountains (Alps) are very impressive and you can visit King Ludwig’s castles (the Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World is modeled after one of them). Another amazing place to visit is Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a walled city about 3 hours outside of Frankfurt dating back to the medieval times.

MM:  What is your favorite drink?

E:   I like girlie drinks, like Pina Coladas or Fuzzy Navels. But I also treasure a good glass of wine.

MM:  If you could have dinner with one person dead or alive who would it be..why?

E:   Brad Pitt because he is cute. Just kidding!  I would like to talk to Princess Diana of Wales. I think she was a wonderful person and had so much to give.

MM:  Which languages do you speak?  Which was the hardest to learn?

E:   German and English. They are equally hard to learn. German grammar is a nightmare but English can throw you for a loop too. It was a challenge but I love to learn new things.

MM:  What are your favorite things to do in your country?

E:   Visiting with my family and friends and of course traveling. Remember I am a “nomad” at heart.

MM:  How does the German diet compare to the diet of the Americans?

E:   We eat a lot of food with gravy's and sauces. Some of our dishes can be heavy but our lifestyle is more active and we eat our big meals mainly for lunch and have a small dinner. I find our food very well seasoned and our desserts less sweet then Americans. Just like in America we have regional cuisine and some things I like and some I don’t.

MM:  What is the biggest stereotype about German people?

E:   That Germans are rude, cold and not very welcoming, and it is a far cry from that. Also our diet consists of more then just Sauerkraut.

MM:  What is the biggest stereotype that the Germans have about Americans?

E:   I guess a widespread conception is that Americans view themselves as better than anyone else in the world and therefore can do whatever pleases them.

MM:  What is the biggest similarity between the German & American culture?

E:   We are both western cultures so many of our beliefs are similar. The same goes for daily routines and loyalties.

MM:  Biggest difference?
E:   Family values and work ethics.

MM:  If I could change one thing about Germany or German culture what would it be?

E:   History. I would love to rewrite history and change some of the world views of Germany and its people to the rest of the world.

MM: If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?

E:   I want to go back to Italy. I also am interested in traveling to Thailand. We have traveled extensively in Europe and went to Africa for our honeymoon.

MM:  Up to this point, where has your favorite place to travel been?
E:     Italy. Hands down!!!!

MM:  What culture do you wish to know more about?
E:   Asia.

MM:  Of all my accomplishments, I am proudest of...
E:   Being a mom and learning to live comfortably in a new world and fit in.

MM: I think being German is wonderful because...
E:   We are  proud and industrious people with a strong sense of loyalty and analytical minds.

Thank you Elke for your time and your honest, heartfelt answers!  I hope my readers enjoyed getting to know you as much as I have.