Spring Summer Entertaining Guide

8/3/2019 Spring Summer Entertaining Guide

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entertaining with germanfoods.org

Temperatures are rising and it will soon be time to enjoy warmer weather outside which means it will soon betime for some outdoor entertaining. Though many Americans associate Germany with the heavy, high-calorie foods ofcolder months, the country also produces a surprising array of light and healthy cuisine perfect for spring and summer.Perhaps theres no better evidence of this than the countrys widespread celebration of asparagus season each spring.

Then theres Germanys long-held commitment to healthy, organic farming and food production. Germany is wherebiodynamic farming was introduced and the leading market for organic foods in the European Union.

Read on to learn about the countrys springtime celebrations and organic food movement and to get new German

recipes, including light options for food and drink in the warmer months ahead.

Explore the flavors of

the great outdoors
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EASTEREaster eggs, symbolizing new life,were first painted in Germany centu-ries ago. They were originally paintedwith bright colors to represent thesunlight of spring, and were givenalong with other gifts to children.

The Easter bunny (Osterhase) wasfirst mentioned in German writingin the 1500s, serving as a symbol of

the fertile ground of spring. Germanchildren believe that if they are good,

the Easter bunny will lay a nest ofcolored eggs (Ostereier) and hide

them around the home or garden.As in America, Easter egg hunts inparks and gardens are some of thefirst outdoor celebrations for families

each spring.

Germany produces some of thehighest quality Easter confections like chocolate bunnies and Easterchicks by Riegelein or Milka, choco-late Easter eggs by Reber or Milka,Marzipan eggs by Niederegger andEaster gummies by Haribo. Consider

giving some genuine German treatsas gifts this Easter many of thesebrands may be found in specialtyfoods stores. To find one near you,or to order products online, visitgermanfoods.org. Or to learn moreabout Easter in Germany, go togermanfoods.org.

MAIFESTSince May is the start of picnic

season, its the perfect time to bid thecold weather farewell and celebratespring like the Germans with aMay-festival, calledMaifestin German.Americans have been enjoying thefamed German Oktoberfest foryears, but theres no reason to waitfor Fall to have some German-style fun. Maifest celebrations, oftenbeginning on May first, are held in

towns large and small across the

country. And like other Germanfestivals, these are occasions when

good food is plentiful and beer andwine flow freely.

During Maifest, houses and build-ings are decked with green wreaths,garland and May flowers, and theresplenty of music and dancing. Grilled

foods, cheeses, summer salads andother picnic fare are typically servedat these celebrations. Chocolate Mai-kfer (May beetles) and Marienkfer(lady bugs) are also popular treatsat this time of year, especially amongchildren.

Maifest is an ideal time to visit Ger-many and experience the countrysfun culture. But if you cant make the

trip, why not hold your own Maifestparty? Many genuine German foodsmay be found in supermarkets orspecialty foods stores. To find onenear you, or to order products on-line, visit ourwebsite. You can learnmore about Maifest in Germanyonline there as well.

Celebrate with German

flair this spring
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SPARGELFEST SALADServes 4

INGREDIENTS20 young, pencil-thin asparagus spears,

washed and trimmed2 tbsp. olive oil2 tbsp. genuine German vinegar2 tsp. genuine German honey2 tsp. genuine German sweet mustard2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice3 tbsp. minced shallotssalt and pepper, to taste3/4 cup olive oil6 cups European Salad mix, pre-washed

and trimmed1 (19-ounce) jar genuine German red beet

balls, drained

1/4 ounces sliced paper-thin Black Forest-style ham or German prosciutto (suchas Abraham)

6 ounces crumbled genuine Germanblue-veined brie (such as Cambozola orBonifaz Bavaria Blu), divided

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts2 tbsp. butter4 slices toasted genuine German bread

(e.g. whole rye, Fitnessbrot, sunflowerseed or pumpernickel)

PREPARATIONPreheat oven to 400F.

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper,line asparagus on paper and brush with oliveoil. Roast in preheated oven at 400F for six

minutes. Combine vinegar, honey, mustard,lemon juice, shallots, salt and pepper in a smallbowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil to blend.

Line four salad plates with European saladmix, divide beets among salads, attractively rolland arrange ham/prosciutto over salads, topeach salad with five spears of grilled asparagus;sprinkle 2 ounces German blue-veined brieand pine nuts on salads. Stir vinaigrette andadjust seasoning if desired; drizzle over salads.Butter toasted bread; cut each slice in half and

then in half diagonally to form two triangles;sprinkle with remaining 4 ounces Germanblue-veined brie and place in hot oven just to

soften and warm cheese. Place four trianglesattractively around each salad. Enjoy with aglass of crisp German Riesling wine.



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The organic food movementAs a nation, Germany has been mind-ful of healthy eating habits for quitesome time. In fact, the organic foodmovement was born in Germany in

the early 1920s, when Rudolf Steinercreated a form of organic farmingnear Berlin. Though organic farmingstarted so long ago, it remained aniche market for most of the century.It wasnt until the early 1990s thatconventional retail chains began to

sell organic goods. Today, much likewe do in America, Germans valuefoods that are high in quality, fresh-ness and nutritional value andGermany has Europes largest marketfor organic foods, as well as naturalmedicines and supplements. Nearlyevery major retail chain in Germanynow offers at least a basic range of

these goods.

Though the pre-fix bio typicallyrefers to high-tech developments inEnglish (think biotechnology), its aword meaning the opposite in Ger-man Bio refers to goods that aremade naturally. In fact, the Bio label(called the Bio-Siegel in German)was created in 2001 as a stamp forproducts meeting the rigorous EUstandards for organic farming.

So important is the quality of or-ganic products to Germans, that anumbrella organization was formed

to shape policy, certification prac-tices and standards for those in thebusiness. The Organic Food IndustryFederation called the Bund kolo-

gischer Lebensmittelwirtschaft(BLW)in German was formed in 2002.This group is comprised of represen-

tatives from associations of organicfarmers, organic food processors andorganic retailers. One of the most im-portant members of this federationis an association of organic farmerscalled the Demeter-Bund. Its the onlyecological association that has built anetwork of individual certification or-ganizations worldwide, and is primar-ily concerned with upholding the highstandards of Biodynamic agriculture

originated by Rudolf Steiner.

In keeping with the countrys loveof healthy, organic products, Ger-many hosts the largest agriculturalconsumer show in the world. TheInternational Green Week (IGW),which takes place each January inBerlin, has attracted around 400,000visitors in recent years. More than1,600 exhibitors from countries

around the world present theiragricultural products and culinaryculture. Main themes include or-ganic and natural farming methods,wellness, and renewable resources.Moreover, Germany is also home

to the worlds largest organic foodtrade show, called BioFach, which isheld each February in Nuremberg.Nearly 3,000 exhibitors get topresent their organic products to

international representatives fromthe industry.

When you visit Germany, checkout some of the countrys organicand natural retailers, like Alnatura,Basic, Tegut and Reformhaus. SomeGerman organic products are evenavailable at specialty stores in NorthAmerica, including organic wholegrain

breads (like Mestemacher), organicnoodles (like Alb-Gold) and muesli(like Seitenbacher). Dark chocolates(like Vivani), organic beers (like Pinkus)and an increasing variety of organicwines from Germanys leading wine-growing regions may be found insome North American stores.

Find a store that carries Germanspecialty goods near you or order

products online at germanfoods.org.
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Recipes for spring and summerThe warmer months are a time for lighter fare. And Germany does indeed have its share of light-minded cuisine.Of course, there are plenty of options for meat lovers and sweet-tooths, too. Here are a few more recipes youmay want to try if youre planning to entertain friends this spring or summer.

GERMAN POTATO ANDLENTIL SALADServes 4

INGREDIENTS1 lb. boiling potatoes, peeled1/2 cup dry red lentils, picked over

and rinsed1/4 cup chopped genuine German

pickled pearl onions1 genuine German dill pickle, finely

chopped2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley1/4 tbsp. olive oil1 tbsp. Bavarian beer vinegar1 tbsp. genuine German mustard,

preferably Bavarian-style saltand pepper to taste

PREPARATIONCover potatoes and lentils with waterin a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, thenreduce heat and simmer uncovered untilboth are tender, about 25 minutes. Drainand let cool.

Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces.

Combine in a large bowl with pearl on-ions, pickle and parsley. In a smaller bowl,whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard

and salt and pepper. Pour dressing oversalad and toss well. Season to taste withmore salt and pepper.

Serve salad at room temperatureor chilled.


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STRAWBERRY PUNCH

INGREDIENTS2 lbs. strawberries

1/2 cup sugar2 lemons1 bottle dry Riesling1 bottle dry genuine German Sekt

(sparkling wine)Lemon balm for garnish (optional)

PREPARATIONWash the strawberries and cut out thestems. Place strawberries in a bowl andcover with sugar. Wash the lemon and cut

the peel into thin spirals using a sharp knife.

Finely mince one lemon peel spiral and mixit with the strawberries along with the juiceof one lemon. Place in the refrigerator (thesugar should have already dissolved). After2 hours, pour off the juice from the straw-berries and reserve. Cover the strawberrieswith the Riesling and allow to stand in acool place for 2 hours. Just before serving,hang the rest of the lemon spirals on theside of the bowl and pour in the straw-berry juice and the Sekt. Serve cold with asprig of lemon balm as garnish (optional).

JUICE SPRITZERS (Saftschorle)

Saftschorle is a mix of fruit juice (such as

apple, grape or orange juice) and naturalsparkling mineral water. Due to its healthyand refreshing qualities, Saftschorle is one of

the most popular drinks in Germany, withapple being the favorite flavor. To make itparticularly healthy and natural, use 100%fruit juice. The most common mixing ratiosare 1/2 to 1/2 or 1/3 to 2/3. Experiment

to find your favorite recipe and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS1 cup sparkling mineral water, chilled

1 cup fruit juice, chilled

PREPARATIONPour sparkling mineral water and fruit juice.

RASPBERRY BEER COOLER

INGREDIENTS2 (10-ounce) bags frozen raspberries*

1/4 (60 ml) cup raspberry syrup3 bottles of genuine German Hefeweizenwheat beer (for example , Paulaneror Spaten)

1 bottle genuine German Sekt(sparkling wine)

PREPARATIONMix fruit, syrup and beer in a large glassbowl. When fruit is defrosted, add sparklingwine and serve.

*Strawberries can be substitutedfor raspberries



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Spring Summer Entertaining Guide

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