The German McDonalds Experience

I’m not sure why this spikes my interest so much but it just seems so fun to me that each McDonalds prepares food that is considered “normal” for the country it’s in. For Americans…it’s milkshakes with loads of whipped cream and a cherry on top. For Germans, just a milkshake…no extra fluff…aka calories. I don’t eat at McDonalds anymore unless we are stranded and nothing else is available, for the record.

Take a look at some of the things German McDonalds offers that America doesn’t.

First up, I present the “Chicken Bagel” – Chicken on a sesame bagel with rucola salad, cream cheese, and a lemon pepper sauce. Hmmm….it’s supposed to part of the “American” promo they have going on but we all know we don’t put chicken on bagels!! Not sure which “American” advised them of this but they clearly have been living in a cave. Am I wrong?!

This is pretty common and was weird when I first saw it but here we have “Golden Corn Nuggets” – Chicken nuggets in a corn flake outside with corn and melted cheese in the middle. Any of their ‘crispy chicken’ items are crispy not breaded. The Crispy meaning literally rice crispy treats! So strange!

Next up, the “McFish” – Similar to the Filet O’Fish but with ketchupy tomato chunks on top instead of the usual cheese and tartar sauce.

Getting into the breakfast items is my favorite, this is where I really could see the difference between the US and the Germs. Take exhibit A: “Classic Breakfast” – Typical German breakfast with rolls, jelly,butter, nutella, or honey.

And something similar yet different is the “McGriddle” – In the US we know this as a pancake like bread with syrup cooked into it, sandwiching a sausage, egg, and cheese. Kinda of wild and actually disgusting but the Germans have their own take. It’s just two pancakes and you’re given a bit of honey to dip it into…not syrup…honey.

Would you eat any of these? Looking between the two you can really see the differences of over the top FAT and proportionate. The big breakfast plate options in the US are disgusting, and over doing it but at the same time…thats what makes us Americans. Not necessarily the fatter foods but the eggs and sausage and bacon. Thats us! The Germans breakfasts are normally rolls with cheese or bologna or ham. It’s a different world out there, friends! Taking it all in stride one difference at a time!

Until next time, Readers!!! xoxoxoxoxoxo

A Trip To Stuttgart Zoo

This was the first weekend since I’ve been here that Toblerone had a free Sunday (Usually this is utterly devoted to soccer games…sigh)! So, we wanted to take full advantage of this and regardless of a few scattered showers, lightening, and thunder to boot we decided that the Stuttgart Zoo would be a perfect day trip!  Harley went to visit and play at Omi and Opi’s house so we had no time limit, thankfully!

So to give you a little background of this place. Yes, it’s full of animals – duh! But, it’s also the largest zoo and botanical garden combination, and If I’m not mistaken the only one, in Europe. It’s open 365 days a year (yes I want to go on Christmas Day) and is in the middle of a city. Totally wild! (haha…get it…wild…wild animals…ok..tough crowsd.) Equipped with an umbrella and a camera…take a look at what there is to offer at Wilhelma Zoo in Stuttgart.

It was absolutely incredible. They had everything from gorillas to a full aquarium and butterfly house. Really gorgeous and would LOVE to have one of our wedding receptions (Yes there will be more than one..) in the botanical gardens at night. I bet it’s so beautiful!  We walked around for 4 hours and still didn’t get to see everything. We were so exhausted from it all!

Please check out the slide show below for more of the interesting things we came across. Zoos aren’t just for kids. In fact, I wish there weren’t any kids there. I wanted to kick them…all of them. That was the ONLY annoying thing. All these screaming kids running into us with their ice cream cones. PEOPLE!!! CONTROL YOUR ANNOYING MISBEHAVED CHILDREN! This is what the leash is for!!  Ok, I’m over it. Just had to vent.

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All in all it was a wonderful weekend and we finished the evening with a beer at the Biergarten over looking the city of Stuttgart and then dinner at a friend’s restaurant where I ate to my heart (and stomach’s!) content with schnitzel and spaetzle! 🙂

Until next time, readers!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Oh how I love long weekends! It’s awesome to see Toblerone more and also to relax a bit. Not to mention the weather is phenomenal! I’m talking almost 70’s here. (Sorry to all the folks back home, I know…it’s been crappy weather!)

So we started off the weekend with a birthday party for my sister-in-law-to-be, which ended up with me trying every type of alcohol that was put in front of me, eating massive amounts of pretzel sticks, and sleeping wherever I fell that night. I love how these people can drink even ME under the table. They seriously know how to party here, and I’m an expert!

Friday was great too, minus the hangover, we went to Toblerone’s parent’s house where our puppy had been staying overnight, (He likes to go for sleepovers with his Omi and Opi!) So tradition says that you can NOT eat meat on Good Friday. Fish is acceptable and that is precisely what we had. Ok, so stop for a moment and picture yourself at your worst hungover state. I mean, wanting to puke at any movement, sounds at a whisper are too loud, etc. Got it? Image in place? Ok…then….imagine someone putting this in front of you on your plate.. (and wait…there is more…)

Let me try to explain to you what this is:

Tomatoes, 2 different kinds of peppers (somewhat hot) with cream cheese-like filling, Rye bread with butter on top, and fish that is cold and has a very distinct taste. It’s almost sweet, I guess.

 So, I gulped that down with my nose plugged and prepared myself for what was next. I knew it was going to be something that could quite possibly send me over the edge. A few minutes later, I was graced with this spectacular item:

This was a first for me. I’ve never had fish with eyes and mouth….and TEETH still intact.

 Hangover status: There are no words to describe the feeling.

Once all the gross bits were taken away from me and I was left with just the meat, It was delicious! Very very very good actually. I’ve had a few fish dinners here and some people just really know how to do it, I find. So, after dinner Harley played in the water from the hose for a bit with Toblerone. He absolutely LOVED it!

That evening we hosted a game night where we built up our foosball table (I bought this for Tobi for x-mas last year) and had some snacky foods! I made my favorite, Avocado Feta Salsa as well as some White Wine Sangria. I made little mini pizza’s for everyone and afterwards we played “A Game of Things” bought in America, but all in German. It was great practice for me and since I know so many bad words in German, my answers were easy to guess.

Saturday morning Toblerone and I went up to the woods to gather moss to make our own easter nest. Traditionally here, you don’t have the giant easter baskets. You normally make your own out of moss or hay or whatever you can find really and hide it outside. So, I received a wonderful Easter box from my mom back home which was filled with reese’s eggs (omg…how I miss those!) and Cadbury eggs as well. Two things you can absolutely NOT get in Germany. Anything with peanut butter is a negative. Nowhere to be found. So, I’ve been craving that like you can’t believe!

Mine is the one with the rock in the middle. I’m trying very hard to try out these new traditions and customs and find a way to incorporate my own that are so special to me. I’m a little nostalgic when it comes to traditions and don’t really feel like changing. That’s the fun of starting a family right? Including a piece of everyone’s family story and tradition. This is new….VERY new for me. I normally don’t change a hoot for no one!

We went off to Toblerone’s soccer game to be followed with a BBQ with the teammates and their girlfriends. That was a lot of fun, we were some of the last to leave but all in all it was a great time! I got to use my German more and found a hair dresser as well as got to know Toblerone’s friends that he grew up with.

Sunday morning came early and I thought I would die. Another night of drinking (seems like all I do here, huh? Well SOMEONE had to finish all the wine!!)  but I was up early and ready to find our Easter basket/nest thingys!  I was so excited! I got a German cookbook and a spaetzle press! Spaetzle = noodles, people. Plus loads of candy and my FAVORITE – Mars bars!! No, not the American ones. When my dad lived in England, I would literally buy two 5-packs of these and they would be gone in a couple of days. OBSESSED!

Of course the Easter bunny ALSO came for Toblerone and Harley! 🙂 Harley I think had the most fun! And Toberlone and I have enough candy to last us all year! I had to assign a special cabinet just for all of our chocolate. There is NO WAY we can finish this by next Easter! There is just too much! Harley had a great time playing with his new (and quite young) girlfriend named Mia. She’s the next door neighbor to Toblerone’s parents. So the two of them run free and after each other like crazy!

To make sure Harley was beyond exhausted we decided to take him on a hike to a little river/creek to swim around. Little did I know that it was straight down a mountain and then to return home, it was straight up. Lordy, Lordy…look who feels like forty!  It was of course raining as soon as we get to the bottom of the mountain but it was still warm outside so that didn’t matter. Whats a little soggy sock? Nothing to worry about! All the same, it was incredibly beautiful even without the sunshine. This is the stuff that inspires me to do what I love.

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday weekend and you all have more chocolate than you ever wanted or needed.

Until next time…

xoxoxoxoxoxo