Kaffee und Kuchen

Ready to learn a little German culture?

The stars of our German culture hour today are
Big 'Ol (nickname comes from Big Ol' Prince)
Sweetheart (guess who?)
Mommy
Daddy
4 pieces of delicious cake
(a light & fluffy vanilla and mango concoction)
2 caffee lattes
&
2 very exciting sippy cups

Kaffee und Kuchen. Coffee and Cake.

You see, German isn't that hard, is it?

Kaffee und Kuchen is very much a part of German culture. Every afternoon around 4pm in almost every house a lil special treat is being eaten...mmmm...we are living in the right country! For Germans, their big, hot meal is at lunchtime, 4pm is cake time, and then later they have a lighter dinner of maybe some bread, cheese and deli meats. For the kuchen, it is either homemade or I am guessing most often you have something that you bought earlier that day at the local bakery. Just so you know, in our one block radius, we have at least 5 bakeries to choose from. Our favorite is Konditorei Boyens, which looks to us like the best in our little town--it is always busy. The sweet scents that waft out of that place every time I walk by are heavenly.

Getting hungry yet?

So these pictures were taken the very first time we had our first official Kaffee und Kuchen in our new apartment, which was a few weeks ago, on a lovely Sunday afternoon. We have lived here since May 1st but we hadn't become part of proper German society up to that point ;). So like a good German, I went to the local bakery, got some yummy looking cake, prepared the coffee (you can have tea as well) and set the table all pretty. We promptly sat down (because the kids were going bizserk at the sight of the cake--perhaps they have German blood because they already knew the drill). Buddy had the idea of getting the camera out, so I did. No sooner had we begun our special time--almost feeling like a sacred religious ceremony--kidding on that but you know what I mean, we felt very German, when Gracie says,

"More cake."

"No, Gracie, no more cake. Mommy told you that this was your only piece. No more cake."

(I need to tell you that I specifically had to have a 'special talk' with Grace before I gave her her cake, as I knew what she may do when her cake was finished. USUALLY if I explain to her before hand, she can handle it when she is reminded minutes later, no more.)

"More caaaaaaake."

"NO MORE CAKE Gracie Anne. We are all done with the cake."

"MORE CAAAAAAAKKKE!"

and then what she did next was the icing on the cake--

she took her fancy glass cake plate and flipped it over in protest.

She's a smart cookie, this Grace. We would have burst out laughing if we could have, but that would have ruined a teachable moment, so I promptly got up and put her in her crib, and closed the door. Time for a lil time out.

Here is Grace's empty seat, with plate turned, bib off. The scene of the crime. Now although Grace had fiercely wolfed down her cake, the rest of us weren't finished. So we continued to TRY and have a very distinguished coffee and cake time while she was in her room screaming. Now you get the added bonus of learning a bit about our family culture as well :). Our sweet princess just needed a few moments to compose herself. Maybe this German culture cake at 4pm stuff is just a bit too much for our Grace!

As for Jose, he is just fine with it. Mommy and Daddy, too. Maybe next time I need to attempt to become a real German Hausfrau and bake my own cake so Gracie can have a 2nd piece? We shall see...and any afternoon, know that you are always welcome at our table. Who knows, it could be quite an exciting event!