Festival, Cupakes vs. Muffins and Gasp! No Internet?

This week in Bremerhaven is the Bremerhaven Festival Week.

Needless to say... we were busy the whole week!!

I sure am glad I finally have a 3 day weekend to catch up on some sleep and relax a bit.  I can't remember the last time I had off 2 days in a row.

So what's up?
Other than dreams of the sugar plum fairy dancing around in my head with Pflaumenkuchen (Plum Cake), I made loads and loads of muffins and/or cupcakes this week.  For the festival we started mini muffins!  They were adorable and perfect.  Sometimes I find a huge cupcake or muffin to be too much.  Hence, perfect, bite-sized minis.

In the bakery we have regular sized blueberry muffins (delicious!) and mini lemon and chocolate muffins.  I use the term muffins because that is what they say in the bakery.  The distinction between muffins and cupcakes, here, isn't used like it is in the U.S.  The blueberry muffins were in fact muffins, but the lemon and chocolate "muffins," I believe, to be "cupcakes" because they had a sweet lemon glaze and chocolate glaze.


The 23rd B-Day was a success!  I was able to spend it with friends from all over the world eating and drinking.  It ended up being a great day, and I think the year to follow with be fun and interesting!

Now, it's Saturday and soon to come I will have no internet for about 2 weeks.  Gasp!  What will I do without internet? It's my connection to home and to the world!  Has it really become that important that I can't go without internet for 2 weeks?  Well, yea... kinda... I hate to admit that, but it's true.  I talk with my family on the internet, I deal with all my money on the internet, I catch up on what's going on in the world on the internet, ...and HELLO?! I blog on the internet!  What's going to happen to that for 2 whole weeks!  My best friend got way too excited when I told her and yelled through Skype, "This could be like a vacation for you!  You could read books!"

Yes, yes I can read books... and that I will do!  I will take my 2 weeks and do the things around the apartment to get more organized, read books, get back into sketching... and feel like a human being again... WITHOUT internet.

It'll be good... it'll be good.... it'll be good... If I keep repeating this to myself I can convince myself it will actually be great!  If I got my disconnect with the Internets second cousin... the dreadful cell phone... I can do it with this...

Really, I'm being dramatic...

Birthday Blues?

"This sucks... I don't want to be in Germany on my birthday..."

Yes, I said this... yesterday... to my mother...

I don't really mean it... well kinda.

It's just that I've ALWAYS been home on my birthday... and it's always been a special time.  Let me explain...

I am extremely fortunate to be in Germany... I love living here, and I love the things that are happening with my life... it's just this time of year
...
My older brothers birthday just so happens to be the day before mine... today... and we've always celebrated our birthdays together with all our friends, and had pretty much the times of our lives... every year... without fail...

It's not that we're extra special and have extra celebrations or anything... it's just that we're only 2 years apart, and we have a lot of the same friends... also, our birthdays are in the summer.  This means, that everyone is just about always on summer break and/or in prime vacation time.  It's convenient, and has always been a weekend where I get to see ALL of my best friends in one place having a great time.  Furthermore, the "place" I'm referring to just so happens to be the beach... in Delaware...

It would be safe to say that I'm missing home right about now...

But, when life hands you lemons!

Every year on the same day, there is an annual picture taken of me and my 3 best friends... guess which day that would be?! Yes, tomorrow, my birthday, the 29th of July....

Let's take a look back down memory lane...

2004

2005

2006

 2007

 2008

 2009

Sonntagsjournal Article!

Here it finally is! The article came out in today's Sonntagsjournal click here!. I did a translation of the article, after the original text, and as you may find... some of the sentences in English are a bit awkward. As most of you may know, there is really no one-to-one translation, so I did my best to fix it all to make sense in English!


You may see that my name was spelled wrong, "Katherin Masur" is incorrect. "Katherine Mazur" is my actual name... and some of the details in the article are a little mixed up. My roommate is German, not Spanish, but I do have Spanish friends in which I went to my German courses with.

"Alles ist ganz anders"


Amerikanerin wagt den Sprung in die Baecker-Ausbildung ohne Deutschkenntnisse


von Alexander Schmidt


BREMERHAVEN. 27 Sorten Brot, 30 verschiedene Broetchen, 30 unterschiedlich Kuchen und Feingebaeck, dazu 15 Torten sowie verschiedene Snacks und Salate - des alles wird pro Nach in der "Backstube" der Stadtbaeckerei Engelbrecht hergestellt. Von etwa 70 Mitarbeitern. Dazu zaehlen auch neun Aszubildende. Eine davon ist Kathrin Masur, die zur Konditorin ausgebildet wird.


Man kann es als eine kleine Premiere bezeichnen: "Katie," wie sie von den Kollegen genannt wird, ist die erste US-Amerikanerin, die fuer die Stadtbaeckerei arbeitet. Und die gibt es bereits seit mehr als 100 Jahren.


Katherin Masur befindet sich im ersten von ingesamt drei Lehrjahren, nach den Sommerferien beginnt das zweite Jahr. Sie lernt schwerpunktmaessig im Rahmen ihrer Ausbildung wie unter anderem suesse Gebaecke und Torten, Pralinen und Marzipan, aber auch Snacks und kleine Gerichte hergestellt werden. Und zwar mit Rohstoffen, die aus der norddeutschen Region kommen. Verzichtet wird dabei auf den Einsatz von Fertigmischungen, industriellen Fertigteigen und Konservierungsstoffen.


"Das ist alles ganz anders als in den USA," sagt Kathrin Masur mit Blick auf die herzhaften Broetchen und Brote, die in den mehr als 20 Engelbrecht-Filialen angeboten werden. In ihrer Heimat gebe es vor allem suesse Produkte zu kaufen.


Umstellen musste Katie sich aber nicht nur in Bezug auf das Essen, sondern auch auf die Sprache: Deutsch zu lernen, sei zu Beginn sehr schwierig gewesen. Geholfen haben ihr dabei zwei Kurse und der taegliche Kontakt mit den Kollegen. Mittlerweile spricht die 22-Jaehrige gut Deutsch, natuerlich mit amerikanischem Akzent. "Jeder war nett und hat mir viel geholfen." Unterstuetzt wird sie - wie auch die anderen 26 "Azubis" bei der Stadtbaeckerei - von zwei Ausbildungsbetreuern. Mit sich selbst ausmachen musste sie allerdings den fruehen Beginn ihrer Arbeitszeit: Unter der Woche geht es um vier Uhr los, and Sonnagenden um 2.30 Uhr. Bedeutet: Sie muss frueh aufstehen. "Am Anfang war das schwer," gibt sie zu. "Jezt ist es kein Problem mehr." Ihren Schlaf findet sie nach der Arbeit, die gegen 13 Uhr beendet ist. Dann geht's per Fahrrad nach Hause.


Als Katie vor wenigen Monaten nach Deutschland kam, bezog sie eine Wohnung in Bremerhaven. Doch wohler fuehlt sie sich in ihrem jetzigen neuen Domizil. Denn mittlerweile lebt sie in einer WG mit einer Spanierin. Gemainsam nahmen sie unter anderem auch an Deutschkursen teil. Kontakt in die Heimat haelt Kathrin Masur via Internet. Besuch bekommt sie im September: Eine Woche lang wereden Mutter und Bruder nach Bremerhaven kommen. Wie sieht es mit Heimweh aus? Das hatte sie bisher nur einmal, und zwar am 4. Juli, dem Unabhaengigkeitstag in den USA.


Lob bekommt die US-Amerikanerin von Geschaeftsfuehrer Gerd Engelbrecht. Katie sei sehr engagiert, "was sich ja schon daran zeigt, dass sie sich allein und zum damaligen Zeitpunkt ohne Deutschkenntinisse entschieden hat, nach Deutschland zu gehen und dort den Beruf des Konditors zu erlernen." Due Erteilung der Arbeitsgenehmigung hat sechs Monate gedauert.


"Fuer und ist es natuerlich sehr interessant zu erfahren, was Katie eines Tages mit ihren neuen Kenntnissen und Erfahrung machen wird," sagt der Unternehmer. "Ob sie in Deutschland bleibt oder dann wieder zurueck geht in die USA, um dor ihr Wissen einzusetzen." Kathrin Masur selbst weiss noch nicht, wie es nach der Ausbildung weitergeht.


"Da wir ja eigentlich fuer den eigenen Nachwuchs ausbilden, wuerden wir sie klaert Gerd Engelbrecht, dessen Familie sehr enge familiaere Verbindungen in die USA hat. Auch deshalb sei es spannend, die Ausbildung von Katie zu verfolgen.


Neben der Praxis in der "Backstube" findet uebrigens alle zwei Montate ein zweiwoechiger Berufsschulerunterricht in Bremen statt.

"Everything is different"

American makes the leap into the training of Baker without knowledge of German

by Alexander Schmidt

BREMERHAVEN. 27 varieties of bread, 30 different rolls, 30 different cakes and pastries, to 15 cakes and various snacks and salads - everything is made each night in the "Backstube" of the Stadtbaeckerei Engelbrecht. Of approximately 70 employees. This includes nine apprentices. One of them is Kathrin Masur, which is being trained a pastry chef.

It can be described as a small premiere: "Katie," as she is known by colleagues, is the first U.S. citizen who works for the Stadtbaeckerei. And since there are already more than 100 years.

Katherin Masur is on the first of a total of three year apprenticeship. After the summer vacation, the second year will begin. She learns as a focused part of their training including pastries and cakes, chocolates and marzipan, but also snacks and light meals are prepared. With raw materials coming from the northern German region, importance is placed on the non use of ready-mix, industrial self-done and preservatives.

"This is all very different than in the U.S.," says Kathrin Masur overlooking the hearty rolls and bread, which are offered in more than 20 branches Engelbrecht. In her home there are especially sweet products.

Katie had to adapt itself not only in relation to the food, but also to the language: to learn German is, at the beginning very difficult. Two courses have helped her, and the daily contact with colleagues. Meanwhile, the 22-year old speaks German well, of course with an American accent. "Everyone was nice and helped me a lot." It is supported - just like the other 26 "trainees" at the Stadtbaeckerei - two training supervisors. Account with itself, however, they had the early start of their working hours: During the week it starts at 4 am, and Saturdays at 2:30am. This means you have to get up early. "In the beginning it was difficult," she admits. "Not, it is no longer a problem." She finds her sleep after work, at around 1pm. She then goes home by bike.

When Katie came to Germany a few months ago, she moved into an apartment in Bremerhaven. But she feels more comfortable, presently in her new home. For now, she lives in a flat with a Spanish woman. Together, they took part in the German courses. Kathrin Masur keeps in contact at home with the Internet. She gets a visit in September: One week her mother and brother come to Bremerhaven. How about with homesickness? She had previously only once, on 4th of July, the Independence Day in the U.S.

U.S. citizen gets the praise of General Manager Gerd Engelbrecht. Katie is very involved, "which is apparent already in mind that she had on her own decided without German knowledge to go to Germany to learn the profession of pastry chef." Due issuing a work permit has lasted six months. "It is of course very interesting to learn what Katie will do one day with her new knowledge and experience," says the entrepreneur. "Whether she stays in Germany or then back again to the USA to use their knowledge." Kathrin Masur herself does not yet know what will happen after the training.

"We actually train for our own offspring, we would naturally like to keep her," explains Gerd Engelbrecht, whose family is very close familial connections in the USA. Even so, it was exciting to follow the training of Katie.

In addition to the practice in the "Backstube" by the way is held every two Months with a two week vocational school in Bremen.

Birthday Package!

So as the days get closer and closer to my 23rd birthday (9 days away)... I, of course, receive a package from my mother in the mail...

What would you get sent to you from America for your birthday from your mother?

This may seem like the strangest, most random package... but I find it to be exquisite.

No, your eyes are not seeing quadruple... That is 4... yes 4... packages of wheat tortillas.  

Strange, the things we end up missing when we're so far away from home...

Thanks mom!

They're Baaaaack

As plum season rolls on in... we got our first shipment of plums.... Nooooooooooooo!

Many of you all weren't with me about a year ago during the last plum season when the plum cutting began.  We used to spend hours and hours a day cutting thousands of plums for our Pflaumenkuchen.

Now, it's back and will be taking full force soon... be prepared... I warned you all...

Despite my total disgust for plums... I urge you all to use them in your baking during the season!  It really is a great, different way to spruce up your summer baking.  Strawberries and raspberries (though delicious) can be overused.  Why not go in a different direction and surprise your guests with something not always seen?

Before coming to Germany I hadn't seen a lot of plums, if any at all,  used in baking.  Now I seem to wonder why, because it's such a huge staple during this season here.

In this months Food Network Magazine, I saw a plum tart recipe and became immediately excited that another fruit was being used.  For those of you who don't receive this wonderful magazine... I will provide the recipe!

Open-Faced Plum Tart:

1 disk refrigerated pie dough (I say make your own pie dough, but if not, store bought also works well here)
1/4 cup fig jam
1 pound plums, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1 large egg
1/4 cup raw cane sugar
(optional) ice cream for serving... but I also suggest whipped cream!

Preheat the oven to 425.  Let the dough soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lay the pie crust on the parchment paper.  Spread the fig jam on the crust, leaving a 2-inch clean border around the edge.  Arrage the plums on top of the jam.  Fold the crust's edge inward, pleading as needed, leave the center of the tart exposed.  Press the dough lightly to seal.
Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.  Brush the egg wash on the dough and sprinkle with the sugar.  Bake until the crust is cooked through and golden brown, about 35 minutes.  Serve warm with ice cream (or whipped cream), if desired.

It's been a year... and a great one at that!

1 year ago today, I came to Germany to start my apprenticeship to become a pastry chef.  1 year ago, I started blogging about my experience...

1 year ago today...

I am stunned a whole year has passed.  The time has flown by me completely, and looking over the past year I wonder where all the time went.  I only have 2 years left?!  There's so much to do and so much more to learn!  I've heard from a few people that the next 2 years will go faster than the first.

Looking back, when I started thinking about coming to Germany to do this, I can honestly say that no one in the U.S. wanted me to go.  The people in my life didn't really understand why I was doing this, and what it was exactly that I was doing.  We don't have these official, professional apprenticeships in America.  Not to mention the fact that they believed I was doing it for all the wrong reasons.  But, when push came to shove, I was going... no matter what.  I knew it was the right thing to do.

It wasn't until about this time last year, for some... and a little later for others... that people warmed to the idea of me living in Germany for 3 years.  Now, I believe I have the full support of my family and friends and I want to thank them as well as ALL of my followers for all your support throughout my time here.

When I started, I had not a clue to what I was doing.  I felt like a chicken with its head cut off.  I really didn't know anything and I can't believe I survived the first few months here.  I'm pretty sure I cried everyday out of exhaustion, frustration, and probably pure insanity.

First, I had no idea if it was even legal for me to complete this apprenticeship here.  Second, I didn't know very much German at all.  There's only so far you can go with "Wie geht es Ihnen?"  And that was about the extent to my knowledge.  Third... what was I thinking?!

Well, I was thinking I had a lot of passion for what I was doing and what I wanted to accomplish in my life.  As it turns out, this is the single hardest thing I have done up to this point, but also the most beneficial.  What I have gained over the past year completely outweighs all the frustrations and struggles I've had.  The things I have learned, and not only in my baking experiences, I could not have gotten anywhere else, doing anything else.

If you were to ask me 2 years ago if I thought I would be speaking a different language in my lifetime... I would have answered a sure "no."  The fact that I'm having actual conversations with people in German blows my mind completely and is probably what I am most proud about.

I wouldn't change a thing.  I feel like I'm in the right spot, doing the right thing.  Compared to the last year, I can't wait to see what happens over the next 2 years and hope they are as valuable.  I really can't imagine they wouldn't be.

Thank you all for taking an interest in me and my blog over the past year... I hope you keep following along on my journey... It should be a good one!

Blueberry-Quark Filled Doughnuts

I recently just posted about the blueberry doughnuts that we were testing out.  It seems as though the doughnut rolls that I was describing will not make the cut, but the blueberry Quark-filled ones will!  These really came out amazing.
Have you all tried Quark?  No?  I bet a lot of you haven't... I suggest that you do.  We don't seem to have this in America, and typically use cream cheese where Quark would be used in Germany.  A specific example would be cheese cake.
This filling is a Quark based filling with fresh blueberries.  I could eat it by the handful.  Forget about the dough!  Just give me the filling in a bowl!  Seriously though, you can put fresh blueberries in about anything and I will eat it.  I can't think of anything that wouldn't taste good with them.

As it looks, I didn't make it into this weeks Sunday Journal, so I guess I'll have to wait until next week!

Blueberry?

Blueberry muffins?... yes
Blueberry cupcakes?... yes
Blueberry bagels?... definitely yes
Blueberry doughnuts?... ummmm I'm not so sure

Every now and then, a test will be made in some part of the bakery.  How else do you think we figure out how things work together and come up with new products?

Yesterday, we tested out a blueberry doughnut.  Normally, we make a apple roll with cinamon and sugar.  It's very similar to the coffee roll found at Dunkin Donuts.

Photo Credit

Both rolled, both fried... both delicious.  Now we're trying out something a little different.  Instead of the small apple pieces... we're substituting blueberries!  I love blueberries, and the health benefits from blueberries are phenominal.  Do they outweigh the fact that it will be fried in straight up fat... no... but who cares?  I'm excited for the outcome!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

I knew I would be sad to miss being in the States on this holiday... but I didn't know I would be this sad.  I love this holiday, and I really missed being home this past weekend.  I Skyped my family and saw the great food and good time they were having in good 'ole Dewey Beach, Delaware... and I couldn't help but wish I was there.  This is the only holiday that I have never been away from home... and this is one holiday that I never want to miss again.

Here in Germany, there is obviously no celebrations for the 4th.  Not many people even knew it was a big holiday in the U.S.  Some even thought that Independence Day was just a movie...  I asked some people when Germany's "4th of July" was, but no one actually knew, and it certainly wasn't as celebrated like the 4th of July is celebrated in the U.S.

I could really use a hot dog, Budweiser, and some fireworks right about now...

On the flip side....
I was interviewed today for 2 newspapers at work!  Why?  They were interested in my story!  I had about 100 pictures taken of me as well.  Some while working (I have to say it was a little embarrassing having a photographer running around shooting me while I was working), and some outside the bakery.  They thought it pretty humorous taking pictures of me pretending and actually eating a Amerikaner (big cookie made in Germany with icing-- yes, I'm not kidding it's really called that) and then having to "chew slowly" so he could get some pictures...
I was pretty worried about the interview because it was going to be done all in German.  I knew that after being here for almost 11 months, I would look like an idiot if I couldn't do this in German, and I really wanted to get it right.  Guess what?! I did it!  I successfully completed the whole interview in a different language.  I think I'm serisouly most proud of that.  I've been writing a lot in this blog about my lack of language skills, and when the reporter told me that he couldn't believe how well I could speak German with just 11 months of being here I was shocked.  Afterwards, I thought about it and realized that yea, I guess I can speak German.  Now wait a second... my grammar skills are minimal to say the least, I fumble with my words, and I know I don't always conjugate my verbs right... but I really don't care...

What did he ask about?
He asked everything he could about me.  Certainly nothing people here haven't already asked me before... but still a lot of questions.  What was the real reason I'm here?  How old am I?  Do I enjoy this? What do I like best? Where do I live, in Germany and in the U.S.?  Will I stay here or go back home when I'm finished? Do I miss home and my family?  ...and they went on and on and on... and some got pretty detailed and personal...

One article is coming out in the Sunday paper, and the other I believe comes out a little later (like next month) in another Handwerks paper.  I will be sure to let you all know...

I hope everyone, who celebrates The 4th of July, had a great weekend, and continues to have a great holiday!!!  This is the time to be grilling outside with the family! Do it!