After Work Dinner and Drinks at Holzkrug

After Work Dinner and Drinks at Holzkrug

When I first started working at my current school, our group of new people really made an effort to go out together to get to know one another. Maybe for that reason or simply by chance, we all clicked. Our restaurant of choice on such occasions was a tiny German pub called the Holzkrug (meaning wood jar) hidden on a side street in the town close to work. In fact, the nondescript exterior wouldn't have turned our heads if it hadn't been a favorite of some of the more seasoned staff.

Even today, after a late night at work or after a particularly hard week, I like to go out for a drink with my coworkers at the Holzkrug to catch up, release some steam, and enjoy the traditional delicious German food at Holzkrug. I had just such a week that was both busy and late, and so one day after work my coworkers and I walked down to the pub for a long overdo beer after the holidays...

German Wine Tasting at the Stuttgarter Weindorf

German Wine Tasting at the Stuttgarter Weindorf

I find it rather fortuitous that the Stuttgarter Weindorf started this year on my first day back to work. I've had a particularly busy past couple of weeks, and the Weindorf provided a nice distraction (especially on the nights when neither I nor my husband felt like cooking). And so after three visits and multiple glasses of wine later, I finally feel able to write this post and accurately present the wealth of wine and food available to you. 

About the Weindorf

The Stuttgarter Weindorf is a 1-1/2 week festival in late August/early September that celebrates the wine, food, and culture of the Swabian region. I've been to the event for the past two years in a row, and enjoy myself every time. The event features a good many stands selling Swabian food and wines to go, along with several sit-down locations from which you can enjoy a more formal meal. As such, there are many ways to experience the Weindorf...

Pizza Delivery (in Germany?)

Pizza Delivery (in Germany?)

One difference that continues to fascinate me between eating in Germany and the United States are the delivery places here. In the US, we usually ordered delivery from our favorite Chinese restaurant or pizza parlor, where they specialized in one kind of food or at least one food from one region. In Germany, however, (or at least in Stuttgart) this is not the case. Delivery places seem to specialize in "delivery food", meaning anything from Asian noodles to Mexican tacos (or so they claim). 

I remember the first time we tried to order pizza in Stuttgart. We had just moved into our apartment, and our kitchen was yet to be delivered from IKEA. (Yes, you have to supply your own kitchen -- sink, fridge, oven, etc. -- when you move into a German apartment.) We decided to try a pizza place that we saw advertised on our street called Sky Pizza. To our surprise, Sky Pizza served not only pizza, but also American burgers, German maultaschen and schnitzel, "International" fish and chips and chicken wings, Mexican tacos and quesadillas, Indian curries, Chinese noodle and rice dishes, and even beer and wine. We were obviously very excited. Who wouldn't want quesadillas and chicken masala all in one meal?...

Back to School with German Candy

Back to School with German Candy

There is a very special tradition in Germany dating back to the 1800s that on the first day of school for children entering the first grade, they get what's known as a Schultüte (meaning school cone or bag). Much like a Christmas stocking, a Schultüte is a paper cone that should be decorated and filled with toys, sweets, and school supplies to start the year off right.

I had never heard of this tradition before I moved to Germany, and so I was really surprised when on the first day of my teaching year at my current international school, my "buddy" (another teacher who volunteered to help me adjust to life at the school) presented me with a tiny Schultüte of my own. I think at that moment I felt a little bit of the joy that German first graders must feel when they get their own Schultüte. It was an acknowledgement that something new was beginning for me, and even though I know thousands of German school children (and some international school teachers) across the country were also getting Schultütes on their first day, I still felt incredibly special...

A Decadent Sunday Brunch at Pier 51

A Decadent Sunday Brunch at Pier 51

Today I had the pleasure of eating brunch with a good many of my dear friends and coworkers. We decided to convene before the official start of the school year at our second annual Sunday brunch at Pier 51. Why Pier 51? Their brunch is one of the few "American-style" buffet brunches that I've found in Stuttgart, and while it is a bit pricey at 32€ per person (half price for children), I think we generally eat our money's worth given what's offered. 

When you pay for the Sunday brunch, you get a good many choices including breads and toasts with butter and jam; yogurt and milk with many different kinds of cereal and müsli; fresh-squeezed juices, teas, and coffee; a hot buffet with bacon, sausages, eggs, waffles, and pancakes; and, my favorite section, a cold buffet with sliced meats and cheeses, smoked fish, grilled vegetables, salads, and other antipastos. The price of the buffet also includes one glass of Sekt (sparkling wine). And if you go early (around 11 am) and stay long enough (around 1 pm), they switch the hot buffet from breakfast to lunch, so you can help yourself to an additional array of pasta, vegetables, rice, fish, and meat along with a dessert table with fruit and mini-cups of various sweets...

My Philosophy on Food (After a Mediocre Meal)

My Philosophy on Food (After a Mediocre Meal)

Although I will be the first to admit that Stuttgart lacks the same culinary variety as some of the larger German cities, I am consistently amazed by the high quality of the food that I tend to find at some of the smaller establishments in and around Stuttgart. One of those establishments is Patrick's Stop, a Jamaican Imbiss and Take Away in Möhringen. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find Jamaican food even in Berlin, and if you did, Patrick would definitely give any restaurant a run for its money. 

We chose to sit outside as the weather continues to hover around a pleasant 70ºF in Stuttgart. After ordering a bottle of mineral water, I once again chose the käse spätzle while my husband opted for a spinach and feta pasta. So far, so good...

A Taste of Jamaica At Patrick's Stop

A Taste of Jamaica At Patrick's Stop

Although I will be the first to admit that Stuttgart lacks the same culinary variety as some of the larger German cities, I am consistently amazed by the high quality of the food that I tend to find at some of the smaller establishments in and around Stuttgart. One of those establishments is Patrick's Stop, a Jamaican Imbiss and Take Away in Möhringen. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find Jamaican food even in Berlin, and if you did, Patrick would definitely give any restaurant a run for its money. 

I first heard about Patrick's Stop a few months ago from a close friend of mine who raved about their goat curry. She insisted that I had to try it, but that I had to go on a Tuesday when it was served. As my summer vacation is winding down to a close, I figured I'd better go before I return to the classroom, so my husband and I headed out to Patrick's Stop last Saturday to check it out...

Ice Cream And A Stroll Through The Park

Ice Cream And A Stroll Through The Park

The weather has been practically chilly here lately, which is new to me coming from central Virginia where it stayed warm with high humidity through much of October. Even last year it felt like it was warmer this time of year in Stuttgart. This week the thermometer stayed in the mid-sixties for the past four or five days with rain most of the time. So today when the temperature shot up to a sunny 72°F, I decided it was time for another taste of ice cream before the summer slips away. 

My destination today was Killesbergpark where a new business complex opened up about a year or so ago at the Killesberg u-bahn stop. There's a large Aldi, Edeka, and Alnatura there for groceries, a DM for other home and body products, a furniture store, a paper store, a Mediterranean foods store, and a couple of banks. My impression is that the offerings will continue to grow as more people and businesses move into the area...

Walking Off A Large Meal In And Around Stuttgart

Walking Off A Large Meal In And Around Stuttgart

I love going out to eat, and when I do, I tend to splurge a bit and over-order since I don't go out as often as I would like (mostly to save my bank account and my waistline). And so, going out is still very much a treat for me. In order to eat as much as I want without feeling guilty about it later, I like to take a lot of long walks, usually with my husband and Leo (our beagle), to enjoy the fresh air and burn off some calories.

If you're in a similar situation and looking for some nice walks in Stuttgart, then here are my top six walks in Stuttgart (in no particular order)...

Sunny Days at the Stuttgart Sommerfest

Sunny Days at the Stuttgart Sommerfest

Have I mentioned yet how much I love the festivals in Germany? There's always something to celebrate: the spring, the fall, the summer, beer, wine, food, culture, Christmas, Fasching...the list goes on. This past weekend was a celebration of summer at the Sommerfest in downtown Stuttgart in the Schlossplatz.

This is the third year we've gone, and we've enjoyed the festival each time. The celebration is a chance for all the caterers in the area to pitch up make-shift restaurants, cocktail bars, and food stands to show off their wares while local bands play on various stages. The atmosphere is very relaxed with various kinds of food and shows geared towards all age-levels...