Germany is well known for their bread. On holiday in other countries I've often seen a "German bakery" (or "Swiss bakery"). That's like saying, here we have some GOOD bread.
So interesting to hear about your impressions and experiences of living in Germany 👍. And I just have to say: you come across as extremely likeable, open and genuinely good people. Great to have you here!
I'm sure you are already doing this, but being a teacher I need to say it: learning a new language is hugely based on hearing it, so the more your kids listen to for example Benjamin Blümchen, TKKG, Bibi Blocksberg etc, the faster they'll learn :)
Sendung mit der Maus on RU-vid, so if you have trouble you can slow it down even more. Sendung mit der Maus is a documentary series for children showing how things are made but it's fascinating for grown ups too. Also, Loewenzahn is really good at teaching what is typical German behavior, also aimed at children. I started learning German with Benjamin Bluemchen (audio only) and learned that it is where Germans get their Earth-friendly indoctrination.
Incredible but recorded in the bread register: German bakers offer around 3200 different types of bread. You can read all of them at the German Bread Institute in Weinheim (Baden-Württemberg). The most popular is mixed wheat bread. Rustic wood-fired breads and Mediterranean breads are also in demand. No other country in the world has so many varieties. How important bread is to Germans is also expressed in the language: snack and supper. He's stupid as bread. Earning one's bread. It is his daily bread. etc
I was really slightly shocked hearing that the German bread tradition is not known outside of Germany. As Max said, there are really more than 3200 different bread types known (and produced) within Germany. I live in Weinheim (near Heidelberg) where the German Bread Institut is located, every year bakers from all over the world come here to actually learn how to make bread „the German way“. Usually, opening up a German bakery abroad is a lucrative business (from what i learned so far). So yes, kudos to that truly traditional craft.
France has good bread ??? Only has 6 types of bread! Germany has 3000 types of bread and the bread culture is also protected. Germans prefer to eat mixed breads, i.e. breads made from a mixture of wheat and rye flours, which make up 32.8% of all breads consumed. Toasted bread took second place with 20.3%, followed by breads with grains and seeds (15.2%), wholemeal breads (10.5%), pure wheat breads and rye breads, each with exactly 5.2% share of the bread market. In case you don't know, Germans love to be outside. But the forest is sacred to Germans. Buy a German home cooking cookbook, because then you will learn to eat like the Germans.The Germans also have more 4 star chefs than France. You have to try an "Zwiebelmettbröchen" or a "Matjes".
Sonntagsfrühstück is even a word in german, so yes: it is a widespread tradition. Mostly Brötchen, Bretzel and sweets. I would actually say Germany is quite famous for its bakerys (at least in europe) think Bretzel, Pumpernickel, black forest cake, german chocolate cake etc
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife german Käsekuchen is made with Quark, not creamcheese. Germans eat a lot of Quark in general. It's similar to Ricotta. Best Quark is 20% or 40% fat. You can use it sweet (with berries and honey) for breakfast or dessert, or savory with onions and herbs as a dip for vegetables for example. It's high protein and very creamy.
I don't know if you noticed, but the laundry soap is made for drying clothes outside, even after 30 years, I still remember the wow factor of how good freshly dried in the sun clothes smelled.
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife don't agree. Look up German Bakeries in New York or Esther's German Bakery (seems to be more Californian centered) or Old World bakery (also California) or Bernhardsgerman Bakery in Marietta GA. There seem to be some in Florida one in Ohio, in Tennessee, in Texas, in Virginia...
@@franhunne8929 that’s awesome that there are German bakeries around the country! There are places like in Pennsylvania where there are a lot of German and Dutch descendants and they do have more bakeries there. But what I’m talking about is the stereotypes Americans have of Germans. When you ask most Americans what they they think of when they think of a German, most will say - Oktoberfest, beer, pretzels, and sausage. Bread is not thought of.
But I find our family know we have many kinds of bread, but we take often same brown bread (Mischbrot) be, the one of for all days. Even father would love bread with more wheat flour in it, how he get in his childhood, good old German white bread. My mother love more the Multi-grain bread or coarse rye bread.
I've experienced this very often, where Americans address me in German and I was so excited to have a chance to use my English, and consequently the person was really disappointed. Please don't look at that situation as reflecting your language skills, I really think that Germans just enjoy having the opportunity to speak in your language and want you to feel at home. But of course, one should probably be more sensitive towards your situation and let you practice. You might have to tell your neighbors straight up! I love your videos and admire your family! I also really hope that Germany will open up again soon so you can finally enjoy the full experience! Chapeau!
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife As germans are very direct you should tell people if you don't like something. They usually will not be offended. So if you prefer to talk in german tell'em.
"Mischbrot" is a sourdough bread made with a "mixture" of flours: wheat, rye, maybe some barley flour - depending on how the baker and his customers like it. If you are still eating primarily "Feinbrot", try gradually going for more whole meal sorts and see how you like them. There is nothing better under cheese (or raw smoked pork!) than a very heavy "Vollkornbrot".
My experience in Germany is that their bread seems even more important to them than their beer or sausages. When Germans travel to other countries on vacation, they are very often astonished that they can‘t get good bread there. I‘m sure as you explore more kinds of German bread you‘ll realize that the bandwidth of varieties of bread and how good each kind is will make you think that bread in France and Italy, while very good, can‘t shake a stick at German bread. If you can, try to find a Hofpfisterei bakery. They are all natural, “bio” and expensive, but they are worth it.
You are absolutely right! I grew up like this, buying fresh Brötchen for breakfast every day. It’s not expensive, but it feels so good to smell it ❤️ I can’t live with our bread. And I have heard from a friend who is a nutritionist that carb-reduced diets are popular all over the world- except in Germany. (Of course many people also try to eat carb-free here, but for many Germans this idea sounds really tough)
@@Alexander-dt2eq there are no French Bakeries in small towns, from the top of my head I only know the one in Münster, Westfalia. German bakeries don‘t do Croissants like the French, but there are enough really delicious other choices that a French Bakery doesn‘t stand a chance
@@lynnm6413 just coming back from France, it is still true. get baguettes/croissants/pain chocolat/pains aux raisins en France und den Rest ist D mind. genauso gut
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife It's not uncommon to buy/have an extra freezer unit that you put where there is space and an outlet. I do, too, because my fridge doesn't even have a freezer compartment. :)
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife An extra freezer is also helpful if you like to take advantage from delivery services like "bofrost" or "Eismann". Both companies have a vast choice of frozen meat, veggies (plain/naturaly or pre-cooked in sauces), potato products, complete dishes, pizza, cakes, ice-cream, etc. that is brought to/into your house.
I don't know if somebody already answerd the Mischbrot'mystery': it usually is a mixture of rye and wheat. The bakery will answer how the mix ratio. Yes we love our bread! 💖Love Your channel
I'm a German, living since 15 years in Aussie and one of the things I miss most is a "propper bread"... made with sourdough. Mischbrot (Mixbread) is part Rye, part wheat 👍
I agrree. I am fortunate enough to live not too far from a proper german bakery in South Australia run by expats and all their bread is sourdough. My favourites are the heavier breads Their pretzels are superb and there is a great rangecof breadrolls. . Some of the german bakeries are not very authentic and they make a feew german specialities but the bread is more like local bread ..light fast processed and just not substantial.
I'm officially guilty of switching to English when talking to foreigners. And I once read, it's an efficiency thing. We tend to want to solve any problem as soon as possible, and so switch to the more efficient language. We forget that learning German is a goal by itself.
Oh gosh, yes, we are doing this for efficiency. Never thought about it, but it is so true. A lot of people here speak okayish English, first because of school, second the internet and third a German village has a church, a bakery and an international market leader for some niche product 😂
Germans have more bakeries and eat more varieties of bread than most other countries in the world. According to the bread register of the German Institute for Bread (of course there is such a thing 😀), there are more than 3,200 officially recognized types of bread in the country. And German bread culture was officially added by UNESCO to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2015. Bread is a staple for most meals in Germany: at breakfast, break-time (sometimes called Pausenbrot, or "break bread") and dinner or Abendbrot, literally the "bread of the evening. "It sells like sliced bread" is a German proverb describing fast-selling items.
The beginning reminds me of something that happened at an easter, when my elder son was four. We never boght them much chocolate, but at easter they of course had their choco-bunnies and were sitting at the table, stuffing their mouths with it, choco was oozing out at the corners. That was when my son said, with utter satisfaction in his voice: "We are rich." :-D
I know the issue if natives switching to English, when I moved to Norway from Germany people would always speak English to me although I wanted to learn Norwegian really badly! Just remind them that they're really helping you out by speaking German :) I guess Germans see speaking English to you as a nice opportunity to improve their English with a native speaker :D
I am not fully fluent in German, but speak enough for everyday situations. Whenever a German hears my American accent though, they inevitably switch to English, and I wish they continued in German to help me improve my language skills.
you have to insist to speak German. Just answer in German and don't switch otherwise you'll never learn German and never integrate. Everytime I'm in Germany I insist on speaking my bad German, never change and German's are fine.
I tell you a trick to pronounce the "ei" and the "ie" always wright. Look at the second letter. For "ei" pronounce the i like "I", the way you do it in english. For the "ie" it's a long "ee", like in "knee". Long story short, look at the second letter and say it the way like you would say it in the alphabet in english. There are only ecxeptions in combined words like "beinhalten = to contain" , where you pronounce both letters seperatly.
I just love your videos - I am an Austrian-Canadian and I totally relate to your experiences and those of your four children in Germany (oh yes, I forgot the cat) Thank you for sharing. Every video is just a joy to watch.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful trips with us from Germany. It is so beautiful there and it is awesome that you are sharing your excursions and knowledgeable insights about this amazing country. Yes, the food is awesome too. Love the bread!!!
a lot of dryers have options of leaving clothes semi-dry. We usually use that option for clothing and hang it up afterwards, that way it doesn‘t wrinkle and you don‘t need to iron stuff, but it‘s better for the clothes than drying all the way. With language, I‘d recommend watching TV in German, even if you don‘t understand anything, you‘ll learn a lot about the sound and flow of the language, it will help your pronunciation and understanding. I don‘t recommend doing subtitles, German or English. You‘ll just start to read them and not listen. Maybe start with films and shows that you know already, do you’re not completely lost on what’s going on. Watch Disney films with the kids in German and so on.
Very brave of you to move to Bavaria of all places in Germany as language is concerned! Really interesting view on my home country and very personal and lovely approach to a new culture! Hope you will love and enjoy your time in lovely corner of Bavaria!
I live in Germany and I’m myself an immigrant from Russia. I’m also a nurse and so I meet a lot of different people at work. Mostly it’s not the not speaking the language it’s the not wanting to learn the language of the country you live in. I’ve met people who lived 10-20 years in Germany and could not speak a word and I’ve met people who lived a few months and spoke very well for the time there have been here in Germany.
Damn - every time i want to give you a second like my first one disappears. OK now i know i have to click 3 times. Anyway, i love your positive and free spirit your curiosity and open mindset. Greets from Frankfurt
Germany is famous for its bread. Perhaps not in the USA but in other countrues like other Europa counties. It has the most varieties of bread (>300) in the Wold.
Trying every food and item in the grocery store which interests you is really the way to go. ❤️🤗 Love how adventurous and open-minded you are. You are lovely people.
Grandgrandpa here: ( Urgrossvater 70). I live to 50 like you. Raising 4 Daughter in Germany. Now 20 Years in Louisianna. Learn English by my Southern Bell and Sesamstrasse. Watch Movies was I have seen bevore in Germany. English is easy. German much more tricky. ( Grammar). Viel Glueck fuer Euch und Eure Familie. Bernd😀
What you might like for drying cloth for the summe is a thing called "Wäsche-Spinne". You stack it in the garden in a really sunny place and have the cloth dryed by sun (in summer takes only 2 hours).
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife If you want to really install a permanent into the garden you probably have to ask your landlord for permission. It is easier and more stable to have it embeded in concrete. How to do that you can find on youtube.
Kevin: speaking Swedish helps you a lot with German - so many similar words. And most words that are neutrum in Swedish are in German too, while utrum in Swedish splits into male/female in German.
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife BTW I can recommend Volkshochschule language courses - these institutions offer courses often in afternoon or early evening, many languages, also German for non-natives, at every level. - It is the way I learned a bit of Swedish. - Now most of this is closed, but bigger Volkshochschulen offer online courses. It is quite affordable, afaik, something like this does not exist in the US (but in Sweden - folkhögskolan). Search e. g. for VHS München.
Same applies to Dutch. Also with the gender thing for many words. Like Swedish and Norwegian, Dutch has only neuter and masculine/feminine combined (or the same)
Sie sind eine sehr nette, erfrischend intelligente Familie und sicherlich eine Bereicherung für Deutschland. Insofern sind Sie bei uns herzlich willkommen. Nun, ich bewundere Ihren Mut und Ihre Entschlossenheit, einen Lebenstraum zu erfüllen und mit Ihrer ganzen Familie in ein anderes Land und sogar auf einen anderen Kontinent zu ziehen. Ich denke, Sie sind sehr aufgeschlossen, lernbegierig und bereit, sich an die Kultur Ihrer neuen Heimat anzupassen. Deshalb bin ich überzeugt, dass sie Erfolg haben und alles erreichen werden, was sie wollen und hoffen. Auf jeden Fall wünsche ich Ihnen viel Glück damit. Da Sie schnell Deutsch lernen möchten, schreibe ich meine Kommentare zu Ihren Beiträgen auf Deutsch und füge die englische Übersetzung unten bei. Ich hoffe, es wird Ihnen helfen, Fortschritte beim Deutschlernen zu machen. Translation: You are a very nice, refreshingly intelligent family and certainly an asset for Germany. In this respect, you are very welcome to us. Well, I admire your courage and your determination to fulfill a lifelong dream and move with your entire family to another country and even to another continent. I think, you are very open-minded, eager to learn and ready to adapt to the culture of your new homeland. That is why I am convinced that they will succeed and achieve everything they want and hope for. In any case, I wish you the best of luck with this. Since you want to learn German quickly, I write my comments on your posts in German and attach the English translation below. I hope it will help you to make progress in learning German.
Dads going to the bakery on Sunday morning absolutely is a thing. Getting chocolate croissants is open for debate I'd say. My dad, and basically all the people I know, usually bought different rolls and brezn (bretzels). I love how dedicated you are to learning the language. Don't feel bad for having an accent or saying stuff wrong. Everybody will be impressed by Americans speaking German, no one cares if it is perfect or not. As for the snow: it's very uncommon to have snow in April, even in Bavaria. The weather in the last weeks has been insane. There is a German saying that April weather does what it wants, but usually April definitely is spring meaning a mixture of rain and sun. So much snow in April is rare and you probably won't experience it in the next couple of years. Concering future videos: I would love to hear about your experience with German school and Kindergarten so far :
@@S_Black thanks to your answer! Very interesting to hear how the situation is in other European countries. I have to admit that I love snow, so I don't mind, but it definitely is very unusual and surely an issue for agriculture.
I do not even remember my father going to the bakery. But sending the kids (we were 3) was the usual way to get Brötchen on Saturdays (that was before they opened Sunday). My mom only went to the grocery once in the week with my Grandma, who had the appartment in the basement, in toy - and the Saturday mornings started with a big breakfast with bread rolls etc. Then we were sent to butcher etc. to do small errands and then it was big "cleaning" day in house, garden and street. Some days we were ready by lunch - sometimes it took until Kaffee and Kuchen. Spending the afternoon with Kaffee and Kuchen in my Granny's kitchen or on her balcony listening to the football on radio was as profilic for that Saturday afternoons as the bath hour at 5 or 6 and then watching the big Saturday evening TV show together afterwards.
'Mischbrot' is part rye, part wheat flour but in a normal bakery not usually wholemeal. That is made from 'Vollkorn' Weizen (wheat) or Roggen (rye). You usually find that in the organic supermarket (very yummy).
It‘s only two or three days that I discovered your channel, binge viewed all of your videos and I‘m already addicted waiting impatiently for my next piece of dope coming straight out of your merry family life and your enthusiastic way to tackle ALL obstacles! You‘re doing great!😅🌹
i would really love to see a video about your kids.. How they perceive the changes, the environment, other people, etc :-) Moving to another country is often "forced" on children so, seeing their opinions about the new life they live in germany would be really interesting :-)
I do agree with your point of learning a new language but we have a neighbour that lives here (Switzerland) for over 10 years now and I never heard him talking German or Swissgerman. I don't expect anybody to speak Swissgerman but a least German after such a long time.
Thank you so much for mentioning how hard it is for mothers moving with the family to a foreign country! How much we have to whoop! I have learned English, moving to the US, in school in Germany, but just School British English.... My kids started their school career in Elementary in the US and I have learned WITH them through Spelling Test etc. It is so much easier to move with children. Since, you get in contact with the locals through the kids! The younger they are the easier! Just my experience! Just learn the basic words you will use all the time! Ask people to don’t hesitate to correct you! Americans have a hard time to correct people because they think they might be rude, but I have asked for that! I still, after 18 years, try to get reassurance how to pronounce certain things! Loose your fear, the sooner you know things! You will learn it very quickly! You know already so many words! Kevin might learn different word and sentence than you, Sarah! Your brain will be constantly challenged what is a good thing to avoid aging;))))) Much love and support from afar (North Carolina)!
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Here's a trick to make sure Germans don't identify your nationality and address you in English. Just say you're not American but Albanian. The Albanian accent can be easily mistaken for the Anglo-Saxon one.
Fun fact: Frozen vegetables are better than "fresh" ones, except you mean fresh like directly from a farm and just harvested. Frozen vegetables are frozen only hours after harvest, so they keep most of their healthy stuff, meanwhile "fresh" vegetables in a supermarket may be a few days or even weeks old.
Hi there, I just stumbled upon this video and couldn't stop watching, it's really nice hearing the two of you sharing your impressions! A lot of things have been commented here, but one thing that has not gotten much attention yet is the ventilation, seeing you window slightly opened ("gekippt") almost gives me physical pain... Yes, in Germany it's crucial to ventilate the rooms by opening the windows because we usually don't have air conditioning. It's not only that we "like" fresh air, if you don't do it, the humidity in the air maight lead to mold, that can be a health-risk, especially with kids. Maybe you're already aware of that and you just showed a short clip where you did it differently, but having been raised here I have always been told that the only proper way to ventilate is called "Stoßlüften": brace yourself for cold air (maybe put another sweater on), turn off the heating, FULLY open as many windows as possible and let the air flow through the room/ house for a couple of minutes. Then lots of the air has changed, you close the windows completely and -if necessary- put the heating on again. But even without heating, the room temperature should readjust itself within half an hour. I ventilate like that every day, especially in the bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom, and even in winter. There have been studies that this is the most energy-efficient way to exchange the air in the room, and due to our German "Gründlichkeit", there are even some tips from the corresponding ministry :) here's the link, maybe an online-translator is helpful: www.bmu.de/themen/gesundheit-chemikalien/gesundheit-und-umwelt/innenraumluft/richtiges-lueften-und-heizen Take care, keep up the exciting videos, I'll be glad to follow your experiences here on youtube!
Yes such a great tip! We didn't do that the first month or so that we were here, but then started to air out the bathrooms after showering by opening the windows all the way. We did noticed that before we were properly airing out the rooms, mold was growing on the tiles i the bathroom. We got it all cleaned up, though.
I love a good breakfast on sundays. Brötchen, ham & eggs (yes, the british bacon xD) Kaffee und Orangensaft! edit: The sundays actually are a food fest. Good breakfast, a special dish for lunch (try Rouladen, you can fill em in 3 different styles), coffee and a cake at 1600 and in the evening, you'll probably watch a movie with the family with popcorn or chips/crisps.
I think most people will respect your effort to speak German but maybe not always have the time to do wait till you find the right word 😉 As most people in Germany under the age of 50 or even 60 had English lessons in school , so may speak it rudimentary or younger people even more fluently and are amazed to get a chance to use it. And in spring / summer (when this pandemic is over) you'll be invited to a new form of BBQ called "Grillen" a very famous hobby of many Germans, the "Angrillen" (1st time firing up the grill after winter) is usually a big event in German families !
The Germans love to practice their English, so yeah, it makes it hard sometimes to force yourself to keep up the deutsch. But be patient, stay open minded and it will come with time...
To practice their English.. Yes.. But US English isn't easy.. They have different words for the same thing. Rooster. =Cock Toilets = Restroom Huge = Bigly ( according to Trump)
Be careful. They live in the deepest bavaria. It could be end as like my direct neighbor. He is an italian and is now speaking german bavarian style ;)
Mischbrot is a mix of wheat and rye, might be called Weizenmischbrot or Roggenmischbrot depending on what is the majority of the used meal. I like to do "random bread testing": when I come into a bakery, I look at the halved loaves waiting there (when someone before only wanted half of a loaf) and buy one that looks interesting. And yeah - you have a "Hacken-Porsche". They are so great, no more carrying heavy things :) We have a dryer, but only use it during the cold months. Perhaps you might invest in a "Wäschespinne" for outside - way better for drying if you have a lot of clothing to wash, especially bigger things like linens or towels.
"April, April, macht immer was er will!" That`s a german weather related rhyme, maybe centuries old. And it holds up very well today. Welcome to Germany.
It's not quite the same. The capricious April weather is a thing and it has an explanation. But that usually refers to very short cold snaps or changing weather during the day. Like sun followed by a bit of hail or rain, and then sun again. A week long cold spell with snow is not so normal. This is the coldest April in almost a century! The last year with average April temperatures this low was 1929
Hi guys, after having followed your journey to Germany for a while, I finally subscribed :-) Mischbrot is called that way because rye flour and wheat flour are used and mixed for the dough. In some areas it is also called Graubrot, which literally translates to grey bread.
A simple Mischbrot or Graubrot may have a 50/50 percentage of wheat and rye flour. If you're more on one side look out for the "lighter" Weizenmischbrot (higher percentage of wheat) or the more darker and tastier Roggenmischbrot (more rye in it). And these are only the "normal" bread types. Not to mention the whole grain, 5-grain, 6-grain bread...
You are both right: Mischbrot is a mix of white wheat flour and rye flour, but rye is always the whole grain. It is THE run-of-the-mill bread in Germany, you should get it everywhere. I for one like it best, especially when oven warm with butter and a little sprinkle of salt or with butter and finely cut chives. Oh, and I have a laundry warning for you!!! When drying your laundry outside now in spring you might notice that your white clothing gets a bit yellow and can also smell strange - that is pollen. This year we had a long winter and chances are that soon ALL trees and flowers and what not will spread their pollen all at once, in these years you see everything dusted yellow.
Germany has 3300 types of bread how could this not be know in the rest of the world? Maybe thats why we go so well together with France: they have more than 3000 sorts of cheese... And btw: what is a beer or a sausage without a fresh loaf of bread? We have a dryer but use it only in "case of emergency" when the weather is really, really bad and we're out of "hanging space" or if we're in a hurry for whatever reason. So not very often. To learn the language, Germany offers language courses for (nearly) free. Just ask at the authorities, they can help you. Otherwise i rarely see people being impatient with "aliens" to learn german. Maybe you'll get a strange look if you're in Germany for more than 20 years and still don't know how to order your groceries but generally you'll not be blamed. Thanks for your lovely video! And YES we want to see more in the future! Take care and stay safe.
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Ask for a "Roggenbrot" or "Brot mit möglichst hohem Roggenanteil" in your local bakery and give it a try. This typically consists of 90% rye and it's both delicious and healthy. An interesting tasting sensation are also slices of bread slightly-to-medium toasted in a toaster - just put butter on it, you'll love it.
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife what I like as well as a quick dinner is dark bread with Speck (bacon) and cheese (or whatever you like) and putting that in the oven until the bread has a nice crunch and the cheese is melted. Dark bread really works well with stronger meats and cheeses. Your kids you chose their own toppings etc. Also my mother would usually not just make Schnitzel but also fry some vegetables as well, like zucchini (which you have to eat quickly or the crust gets soggy) or celery. Personally I prefer mushrooms. It's a good way to get your kids to eat some vegetables if they are a bit picky. Everything tastes better when it's fried :) Oh and do you know Bärlauch (wild garlic)? It grows in the woods where it is moist. If it smells like garlic somewhere around you, go there and get some. It tastes great as a spread on bread (with quark or cream cheese) or as a soup. Just be careful the underside of the leaf has to be matte and when you rip it up it needs to smell like garlic and each leaf grows individually from the ground and multiple out of a stem otherwise it would be Maiglöckchen which are toxic.
I know what you mean when you say the bread in other countries is more famous. Who writes odes about pumpernickel bread after all? Much more likely to happen for a ciabatta. :D For myself I do not like bread that I need a ton of liquid to swallow it. Pumpernickel and even most Mischbrot goes under that for me. What really brightens it up for me are seeds mixed into them. My favourite bread is propably "Weltmeisterbrot" because it is such a solid Allrounder. You can find it in propably any kind of chain store. It's fluffy, still a bread, and has a tons of nutritious seeds in it (and yummy!). My to-go-bread for my lunch box every day!
I dont know about your town specifically, but a lot of small town and villages have the "volunteer firefighters". A lot of kids go there and learn a lot, have some fire fighter adventures and it is a great way of making friends and being welcomed into a small town communities. They have a lot of fests together and grill events and whatever else :D
Very pleasant to see you still do not seem too annoyed about having moved from lovely Georgia to Old Europe ! "Mischbrot" usually means the bread is made from a mixture of wheat and rye but definitely not from pure wheat. If you look for seasonal vegetables, the asparagus season has just started which is something a lot of Germans are obsessed about and kids typically like it, too. It is white asparagus (meaning it was harvested before dawn, daunting work) which is best eaten steamed (about 15 minutes depending on thickness) typically with potatoes and Sauce Hollandaise. You can add some slices of ham if you wish to have some meat in the mix. It is not the cheapest meal to have but it is worth it and the season only lasts till June 30th (St. Johns Day). I personally prefer buying the asparagus at booths in open air markets ("Wochenmarkt") but you can get it in supermarkets, too. And, from about mid-May, the strawberry season starts ! (better avoid the pesticide-laden strawberries from southern countries that you can buy now) Makes for a delicious dessert after the asparagus, especially with whipped cream and optionally a scoop of vanilla icecream. And Kevin: "rognons" are delicious imho if handled appropriately by the chef. I believe you just have to avoid overthinking what precisely you have on the plate sometimes.... (And no, I have never eaten frog legs and I have no intention on so doing)
Asparagus is super expensive right now because it's still pretty cold and there isn't a lot yet. Better to wait a bit. Even then Covid will probably cause issues with harvesting since it's all manual work
I always thought Germany was especially known for its bread outside of Germany, next to the beer. Sadly many small bakeries had to close because bakery chains starter to pop up all over Germany and grocery stores like Aldi and Lidl started to sell semi-fresh baked goods very cheap so people stopped going to the small bakeries. At least that is how it is in many cities, hopefully, the small bakeries survive in the countryside. Edit: The new language thing, actually isn't that obvious I'd say. Because many many Germans nowadays, especially the younger generations, tend to speak English very well. I'm not totally sure how it is in the countryside but in the city, as an adult, you could definitely survive without learning a lot of German. It sure is better that way but I don't think it's mandatory as someone who speaks Engish.
Yeah I agree about the language. We are all learning German because it makes living here much more interesting, easy and fun! But actually there have been times where we really did need to know German.
NRW here. Sunday is Bakery time. Just a hint Ü Oh yes, we live by the Motto "Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, es gibt nur schlechte Kleidung" - "There is no Bad Weather, only bad Clothing." The Weather is not an excuse to not go Outside. Most of the Times we overdo it with the Equipment. The Outdoor Clothing Market is huge. If you ever go to Cologne, go and Visit the Globetrotter Store. It's heaven. We don't have that many Nature here like in the US, maybe that's why try to (over)compensate it with the Outdoor Stuff. Oh, and seeing it at 7:32 min. in, the Fork on the green Bike is the wrong way around, is that on purpose? It looks funny though Ü
Love this lifestyle.... My German husband and I always, always open our house doors and windows when we get up in the morning! Need that fresh air, even here in the U.S.! Oh, the memories your kids are going to carry with them to adulthood!
Hi, the green bicycle of your son, the front wheel is built-on incorrect I guess. Maybe you should to turn by 180°, to do this you have to disconnect the handlebar and re-connect afterwards.
To be more precize: you don't have to touch the handlebar itself... just loosen up the central bolt on the stem, turn fork and front wheel so that the slight curve of the fork swings to the front side and the short end of the fender points to the front as well. In this position at the moment the frontend is to steep. ;-)
Fresh bread is the best. But you should try bread with sunflower or other seeds. It stays fresh 2-3 days. "Mischbrot" gets dry within one day. But if you toast it it´s very delicios, too. You can store sliced bread in the refridgerator and toast single freezed slices when you need them. An interesting vegetable you might not know is "Kohlrabi". You can eat it raw, that´s my favourite, but you can also eat it cooked with "Sauce ´Hollandaise". You will find it in every German Supermarket in the section for fresh vegetables. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohlrabi
Hi Sara and Kevin, I'd like to know how your media consumption has changed (if at all) since moving to Germany? Are the kids watching German shows? Where do you get you news from? How is TV different here compared to the US? Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. are all available here, so you could still watch most shows in English. Have you started watching stuff in German yet?
Everytime you mention Italy as being known for its bread, I‘m so confused. Maybe I’m ignorant and need to do some research. But is there more than ciabatta? 😁 same with France. Sure they have baguette. But is there more? (Croissant, pain au chocolat I wouldn’t count as bread but pastry.) BTW, although I’m German, I don’t eat a lot of bread. 😉
It is the limited perspective of Americans on Europe. They don't see the big variety and diversity. If countries like France or Italy have each just ONE characteristic bread this makes them to bread nations. One product is easy to advertise. "French bread", "Italian bread". Which one is "German bread" - what, there are hundreds?? - forget it.
@@euphores_ I did not write about the real situation but about the perspective of Americans. - There is not the single one German bread which would be called "German bread" and known and sold in the US as such. Go to the English wikipedia and seach for "french bread" (you are directed to the entry for baguette), "italian bread" (to the pane section of italian cuisine) and "german bread" (non-existent). This is the point.
We Use the dryer mostly in the Winter or when it is raining. As soon as it is nice outside, we live to dry the laundry outside. I smells soooo good and it drys pretty quickly
Hallo Merry und viele Gruesse von einer deutschen Familie die seit nun 5 Jahren in Chicagoland lebt. Was wir hier in USA vermissen ist in der tat das deutsche Brot und besonders die Brezen aber auch Wurst und die deutschen Lebensmittelpreise. Schnee und Natur haben wir hier auch zu genug. Was wir vermissen wenn wir Deutschland besuchen ist im Sommer unsere Klimaanlage, aber auch gute Steaks die in Deutschland nur schwer zu bekommen sind, ich rede von richtigen T-Bone oder Porterhouse. Das waren auch schon die gravierenden Unterschiede fuer uns die in 2 Welten leben. Liebe Gruesse und stay healthy and safe
7:35 The front wheel here is mounted wrong or the handlebar. The brakes have to be before the fork not afterwards. I hope you see this and have already changed it, this can end up quite messy.
Welcome to Germany! I am glad you are enjoying yourself. One thing to consider: As were still in a pandemic, daily shopping trips seem a kinda unwise thing to do. A little more planning and restrain may get those restaurants open sooner.
@@MyMerryMessyGermanLife Hey! I just watched a couple more of your videos and came back to apologize for my smart alecking (?) I didn't know that 1. you are a family of 6 (grew up with 4 siblings myself) and 2. you didn't have a car. Way to go for those grocery hauls on foot and by bicycle. So, you do you and don't let yourself be disturbed. 👍😎
Nobody needs a dryer. You know the Wäschespinne? It is perfect to dry outside and can be stowed away. They are very common in Switzerland and there known as "Stewi". In winter the humid laundry near the stove helps keeping humidity in the room in a good range.
Good luck with your plans! Give Hessen a shot! Different from Bavaria... but just as nice. Especially places like Marburg, Limburg, Bad Nauheim, Kassel, Darmstadt. Frankfurt might not be pretty (and it's expensive) but it has nice Stadtteile and is the greenest City in Germany.
Ich sehe mir immer eure Videos an.Es ist für mich als Deutscher interessant wie sie unser Land und unsere Gesellschaft Empfinden und Sehen.Liebe Grüße.Alles Gute weiterhin. I always look at your videos. It is interesting for me as a German how you feel and see our country and our society. Greetings. All the best.🙋♂🙋♂
Dont stress yourself with learning german. Most people understand that it takes time and can be difficult. Set yourself some daily goals like 5 words a day and some grammar on the weekend or something. Also dont give up. You are DEFINITELY going to struggle with this language. Pronouns, cases and articles will definitely be a big big problem. Focus on speaking, you will get it right eventually without thinking about it. It needs to get into your ear :)
Mischbrot is a mixture of wheat and rye flour. You get them in different content of rye, so is is lighter or darker. If you see Dinkel, that is a protein rich form of wheat, while Einkorn and Emer are some mediveal wheat varieties. Dinkel bread dries very fast almost over night, while rye bread can be stored for some days. For food I would recommend to learn how to make Spätzle and Semmelknödel. Very easy, very tasty and bavarian. For the Spätzle (or Spatzn) you need a Spätzlehobel or a Spätzlepresse. And Spätzlesmehl.
No worries about learning the language. Yes, it's not a language one usually learns in a year or two, there are easier languages. But it'll come. Most interesting aspect of learning a foreign language (I am a native German) to me is the phenomena to switch to a different mind set or mentality at will. Usually, sub-consciously, we are resisting this change of our "identity". But everyone that has gone through this process also develops the capacity to function within different "mentalities", more like a citizen of the world.
Hallo it will be easy to you sarah to learn german just along the way ,and during these time be sure most germans speak or understand english.and by the way if you are my neighbours it would be very pleasend to practice my english skills.have a nice and safe day.
Hallo again may it will be helpful ,take a look at simple german ,they do exellent contend about living in germany and they do it quiet entertaining but Easy to understand and how it really is to live and deal with us the ordinary german.
I love how positive and openminded you are and how well you are adjusting ! No wonder your German neighbours are friendly - how can anybody resist a nice and friendly new family in the village ? And yes, you are right about eating at a restaurant being more interesting than taking your food home. Nevertheless I have just finished a delicious meal I took home from one of our two restaurants in the village not only because they make incredible dishes but also to support them during the pandemic . It's so important to help our local businesses to get through these hard times. How are your kids doing in their German classes ? Are they learning and understanding some German yet ? Usually it's much easier for kids than for adults to pick up a new language but you have only been here for a short while. Funny what Kevin told us about teaching your little one some German word and the person starting to speak English to him . I love little situations like that where you surprisingly get in contact with a stranger, it always makes me smile all day. As far as the food goes I noticed that Americans eat a lot of meat and I think people in southern German places do as well, but in general we are becoming more and more aware of the environmental aspect of animal mass production and consumption so that you'll find quite a number of natural food stores ( " Bioladen" ) and stores connected to farms ( "Bauernhof - Laden" or "Hofladen"). Meat, fruit and vegetables are more expensive there but after getting used to consuming less meat you can eat "bio" meat with a better conscience. Have fun adjusting even more and exploring ! Best wishes from Lübeck ( a place worth visiting once you have a car ) P.S. and Kevin, give my kind regards to the cat ( wink, wink)
Although you organize your househould very well I suggest a freezer. For special offers or larger quantities (e.g. for holidays like Christmas). - Greetings, Heinz
😂 you made me really laugh. Yes, we have a dryer and just use it for towels and some other stuff. Mama always said, the tshirts are lasting much longer... and funny to say, the dishwasher mostly not used for the potts and pans 😂 ....
3:55 The German diphthongs "ei" (AYE) and "ie" (EE) are ALWAYS pronounced like the second letter as a standalone in English (mnemonic). So "Kreidel" would be KRAYE-DEL and "Kriedel" would be KREE-DEL. :)
Mischbrot with a sch at the end. :-) :-) :-) In einem Jahr sprecht Ihr gut Deutsch und in zwei Jahren sprecht Ihr es perfekt. ;-) All americans love german Bäckereien, why don ´t you like geman „Wurst“ and „Metzgereien“? German „Wurst“ is so good!!! Viele Grüße aus Freiburg
We use our dryer only in the cold months. But when the weather is sunny, but freaking cold, we hang out laundry and put it in the dryer for a few minutes to rest dry em!
April weather in Germany is all over the place, often within one day multiple times. You more than likely have experienced that yourself. But usually as soon as the year hits May the beauty of the weather starts to creep in. Beautiful long summer days, due to the northern latitude, but thanks to the Gulf Stream still wonderfully warm, lush summer nights. While Germany may not be known internationally for its bread, we hold the proud record of most bread types in one nation at over 3200 registered types of bread. We Germans are very, very proud of our bread, often more than our beer or sausages. Because we know that there are other nations that are at least as good with sausages or beer as Germans (the Polish and the Czechs come to mind, respectively), and probably some are better at specific types of each. But bread is the one thing we are absolutely proud of, and I believe, rightfully so. It probably is the one thing we miss most anywhere else in the world. Mischbrot usually consists of different types of grains, ground into different coarseness degrees. Usually it is wheat and rhye, but the ratios vary a LOT. Other types of grains may be spelt, oats, all either whole grain or kernels only, depending on the bread. When you get any kind of Vollkornbrot, this usually means several kinds of very dark breads with actual whole grains. Often very heavy and dense, with a slighty moist body with virtually no crumb. You might know Pumpernickel. Very similar to that, but it often comes in vaccuum sealed tins. In those tins, depending on production methods, these breads can last from MONTHS to YEARS in storage. These are not the whole grain breads you know from the States. That is Vollkornmehl / whole grain flour baked into standard breads from standard yeast or sourdough types. Sonntagsbrötchen and Sonntagsfrühstück is still pretty much a huge tradition for families with kids. Young couples without kids often like to sleep in on Sundays, so this often changes to late brunches. Kevin just going 'Ahh, they can make it' when talking about his kids biking to school shows how much he has become absolutely germanized already. At least what German dads often think. Their kids need to toughen up, and a little water never hurt them. Dryers: again, get one if you're not strapped for money or space. It will make your life so much easier with a family of six (or seven). Did anyone really give you grief for not speaking German perfectly? Really? Who was so insensitive towards you? That you attempt to speak German and are willing to learn should give so many brownie points in every German's books that I was astonished that anyone should have given you grief for it. Fun fact: most Germans speak some English, some are more at the smattering level (or as Kevin called it, baby English), others a bit more advanced, some speak almost fluently, with some oddities thrown in here and there. Lüften: really, you already accepted that as your daily rotation of chores? Wow, that was quick. Lüften is something so deeply ingrained in Germans it is something so many ex-pats mention as noteworthy, or even a bit strange. But with thick, insulated walls being the norm in Germany, with no central air conditioning, or air vent heating, an exchange of air is absolutely necessary to prevent mold or the dreaded Mauerschwamm (a type of fungus growing inside wet concrete or brick walls) from growing inside otherwise little ventilated rooms. The Mauerschwamm can cause brick and mortar walls to become brittle over the years. Once it has settled inside walls it is very difficult to get rid of. My architect told me that roughly 9-10 times the total volume of all interior rooms should be exchanged with fresh air each day to keep the atmosphere healthy. Old, drafty doors and windows, or walls with minor cracks and holes allowed that exchange naturally, but obviously allowed heat to escape as well. With modern insulated walls, doors, and windows this rate can often drop to as little as only 2-3 times the volume through osmosis or standard opening and closing of doors. Unless you open windows and doors wide at least once or twice a day for at least 10 minutes or so you wont achieve the 9-10 times volume rate. 15:38 ha, I knew it: Spaghetti-Eis would get your kids hooked. While the flavor is nothing special, it being simply vanilla icecream with a strawberry sauce and white chocolate sprinkles, the pressing into the shape gives it that special something. Have you been infected with the Döner Kebap bug yet? If not, find a good Dönerladen in your vicinity (I can guarantee there is one somewhere close to you) and get yourself a "Döner". Get ready for a flavor explosion with this Turkish-German fastfood. Compared to many other fast-foods it is even pretty healthy, due its large ratio of veggies.
So many good nuggets in this comment! We appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us! And yes, we do love Döner! There is a place in our village that sells them!
April weather usually means very short cold snaps, or a mix of a sun and clouds + rain. Sometimes a bit of light snow and hail. Plants freezing from very short sudden frost is not unusual. But the stereotype is about a quick succession of different weather types. These relatively harsh cold periods lasting many days are not at all normal. The reason for this is that the sun provides more energy and warmth now, but polar regions are still cold and bring lots of cold air south depending on air pressure.
Something nice to eat: put sone olive oil into a saucepan and a lot of thin slices of leek (german: porree or lauch), stirr it after 3 or 4 minutes, then give some spoonful of "Schmand" ( a kind of creme) to the leek, stirr. Then salt, pepper and currypowder. Besides that some meatballs and mashed potatos. Yummy to me.
Love your videos a lot. I've been binge watching them since yesterday. We have a dryer in our household but we rarely use it or at least not in the summer, only when it's very humid and cold outside.