Blog - Page 2 of 3 - Querbeet [ˌkveːɐ̯ˈbeːt]

April 7, 2019April 8, 2019

My Easter

Growing up in Germany, Easter was a much beloved holiday. It came with a ton of traditions involving two-week school vacations, egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, egg decorating, and the excitement of big bonfires. In my Protestant family, it was also filled with the music of Bach, as this was the time to perform all his beautiful Passions as well as Handel’s Messiah. All in all, Easter almost rivaled Christmas.

Easter crafts

Easter week was filled with crafts. We decorated numerous eggs, blown out by my mom first and by us kids later, when we were a bit older and ready to handle the delicate shells. As fun as that was, it meant eating scrambled eggs until they came out of your ears… wasting food was never an option. The eggs were used to decorate the Easter branches in the house (cut from the cherry or apple trees at just the right time so they would bloom on Easter Sunday) and trees outside, and reused until they broke. In addition to the eggs, we would decorate the garden and house with Easter figurines of all kinds. The figures, like those for Christmas, originally came from the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountain Range) in Saxony, the German region famous for its nutcrackers, smokers, angels, and pyramids.

Good Friday

Good Friday was the solemn day amidst all the fun stuff. As kids, we were not allowed to play outside or be noisy in any way. Aside from gas stations, not a single store would be open. All of Germany shut down to reflect on the Crucifixion. Only the churches were filled with the musical story-telling of Easter. All of Germany? Well, not entirely… there was this little rebellious jazz club in my hometown that left their doors unlocked in case people happened to, you know, coincidentally find themselves in front of the building. Maybe there even was beer and some acoustic jamming, but I obviously would not know anything about it!

Easter Sunday

On Easter Sunday, we would color hard-boiled eggs in the morning and then go to church to sing our hearts out. Because as every musician knows, Easter has the best keys. Sorry, Christmas! Church was followed by family visits and activities, and of course lamb for lunch.

Egg hunts

Egg hunts (not actually limited to eggs) were an important part of Easter Sunday. I love to think back to Easter hikes through the forest, finding surprise Easter treats at the side of the trail. How on Earth did the Easter bunny know we were coming this way? It took us a while to figure out that my dad, hiking ahead, was cleverly dropping them for us. Since my grandmother was confined to a wheelchair, her egg hunts took place inside. We found chocolate treats and colored eggs in the piano, metronome, couch, and potted plants – wherever she could reach. After she once found a rather “unhappy” Easter egg in autumn, she started to write down every hiding place to make sure we kids did not miss a single treat.

Easter fire

One of the most impressive Easter activities in the countryside was and is the Osterfeuer. When I was a kid, the local fire brigade would collect Christmas trees and tree trimmings for months to build a huge pile of wood to set ablaze at dusk. The countryside was dotted with the glow of fires near and far. There was competition between villages and much mischief as the youth from one village would try to burn down the pile of the neighboring village prematurely. There never was a fence around the fire or really much consideration for safety. We played right next to several-story-high flames while our parents indulged in beer and grilled sausages. The fires were so big that we would go back the next day and make baked potatoes in the hot coals. Those were the days!

Present-day Easter

When you grow up with traditions, it takes a while to get used to different ways. Imagine my first year in the US when my work team had an offsite in Napa to go wine tasting. Wine tasting on Good Friday! I felt guilty from the first sip to the last, not that that stopped me! Also, why weren’t Good Friday and Easter Monday federal holidays? Did I choose a barbaric country to live in? Egg hunts came with their very own challenges here in California. I learned that the hard way when one of the eggs I had hidden turned into a chocolate creek flowing down the pool slide in my friends’ backyard. There were also musical surprises. In the US, you can hear Bach’s Passions all through the year, but the Messiah is done mostly for Christmas. What?!

I have always wondered why Easter isn’t a big thing here in the US. In the end, the answer probably is that it is harder to commercialize than Christmas.

Either way, I still keep up some of the traditions I grew up with. No, I don’t burn huge bonfires in my backyard, but I do an Easter vase each year. Mind you, that is actually easier said than done. When I came here, branches were not readily available in any store. After years of frustrations, we planted Forsythia in our garden. The plan was to grow our own branches. Unfortunately, our gardeners did not understand the branch concept and trimmed the bush nicely as a hedge… Nowadays, you can get pussy willow and corkscrew willow branches in places like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market, but blooming branches are still a scarcity. I only know of one place in the Bay Area where you can find flowering branches around Easter and that is Ladera Garden & Gifts in Portola Valley. Please share if you know any other!

The famous Lindt Goldhase (chocolate bunny) with the red ribbon and golden bell that every German kid after 1952 grew up with was originally not an easy find here either. That has changed, though! While some years ago you still had to go to a specialty store to buy it, it can now be found almost anywhere, including major stores like Target, CVS, etc. There is just one difference; the US bunny does not have the trademark golden bell. I have not figured out why that is. My guess is that there is some weird choking hazard law that forces Lindt to sell them without the bell. Or it has something to do with shipping weight or pricing.

The famous “Goldhase” with bell (the US version lacks the bell)

If you like German egg colors, go to Gourmet Haus Staudt. They carry the original IRIS-Eierfarben and everything else you need for Easter. Aside from the Staudt, Cost Plus is always a great place to find European chocolates as is probably any other European-inspired store that you frequent for your Adventskalender chocolates or Christmas treats. Jutta’s Flowers in Berkeley is a good bet if you are looking for painted eggs and Easter figurines. And just today, I walked into Market Hall Foods on 4^th Street in Berkeley and was delighted (albeit very surprised) to see a whole array of Niederegger Easter treats. Those Italians… who would have thought?!

By the way, did you know that the Easter Bunny comes from Germany? The first written mention of the bunny goes as far back as 1682! And just like so many other traditions, it came to the US in the luggage of immigrants.

What are your favorite Easter memories? Please share in the Comments!

March 24, 2019September 2, 2019

Craving German food? You can fix that right now!

German restaurants in the Bay Area & beyond (part 3)

In Europe, we love to consume our meal or drink outside. No matter if we are enjoying a pint, a coffee and croissant, bocadillo, currywurst, poffertjes, or a nice cup of gelato, Europeans love to be outside. In Amsterdam, London, Paris, Barcelona, or Berlin, you find tables and umbrellas at every market square, in the shadow of church spires, along rivers and lakes, and even on boats. In Stockholm, we visited a coffee bar that had blankets on every chair outside so that people could enjoy the sun as long as possible. In Germany, I convinced my partner that it was perfectly fine to eat our gelato outside. I mean, really, what are down jackets and woolly hats for? I think it was that same day he learned about the German saying: there is no bad weather, just inappropriate clothing!

Early morning at the Market square in Hildesheim, Germany

When I came to mostly sunny Northern California more than 20 years ago, I obviously pictured a similar outside culture, except on steroids, considering the endless blue skies and warm temperatures here. Now, imagine my surprise: There was hardly any place to sit outside, except your own backyard or picnic area in your local park. OK, there was another surprise: It gets cold here in the evening! But that’s a different story.

Fast forward to today. We are still a society focusing on cars; we don’t really have pedestrian zones, and a lot of people are still enamored with air-conditioned spaces. And yet, things have changed significantly in the Bay Area. Cities like Mountain View widened sidewalks to provide space for tables, and others are experimenting with temporary street closures to get people out of their cars. Coffee places and beer gardens have popped up everywhere, and I dare say that they have played an important role in moving us out of cold restaurants into the California sun.

Here now is part 3 of my German culinary trip: first, to the City we go…

San Francisco

San Francisco has a number of interesting German restaurants, from Schroeder’s, the oldest German restaurant on the West coast, to Walzwerk, which features decor from the GDR days. Walzwerk has a few typical Eastern German food items on the menu. This is the one place where I can get Soljanka, a soup I used to eat as a kid when returning from family visits behind the Iron Curtain. My favorite German place in SF, and go-to restaurant before concerts in Davies Symphony Hall, is Suppenküche. The food here is always good; the only problem is that it tends to get crowded, so plan for ample time! A very recent addition to the German scene (and a place I have not managed to visit just yet) is Mauerpark. Looking at the website, it has a small and simple menu, coffee drinks, and a few beers and wines.

East Bay

A number of great German restaurants are located across the Bay. Enjoy organic slow-food at Gaumenkitzel in Berkeley, another place that is not typical Bavarian. The menu has a nice variety, and this is one of the few places where you can stop in the afternoon for the beloved German tradition of Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake). If you are in Alameda, check out Speisekammer. They have an interesting menu – always featuring a few fish dishes – and are the only German place, where I have heard live, wait for it, Honky Tonk music 🙂

Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes) at Speisekammer

Stuck on 880 on a sunny day? Get off the freeway and visit Brotzeit, located on the waterfront. I would venture to say that this is the only German place where you can enjoy your beer with views of sailing boats. A favorite here is the Sausage Platter which features two brats, sauerkraut, spätzle, and a bretzel. They also offer family platters, which are great for groups, and an interesting cocktail menu. As far as I know, the owners are not German but their food is pretty spot on.

Austrian-Swiss-German

As I said when I started this series, some restaurants included in the search results for “German food” are from other German-speaking areas in Europe or feature a mixed cuisine.

Probably the most famous Austrian restaurant is Naschmarkt in Campbell. Since it is on the expensive side, I would call this a place for special occasions. You don’t get huge American portions here, and that’s good because you should treat yourself with one of their delicious soups and also keep space for dessert! If you are in Carmel and love cheese, visit Swiss Bistro Lugano, which is located in the Barnyard. In this old-fashioned looking place, you can address your cravings for fondue, but no worries, they do serve other dishes as well.

Another Austrian (Alpine-inspired) place is Leopold’s in San Francisco. It’s a boisterous place, where the beer flows, waitresses wear Oktoberfest outfits, and thirsty people can try their luck on 2 or 3 liter boots. Did I mention I never saw beer boots before coming to the US?

I don’t want to leave you without mentioning a San Jose staple since 1971: Gunther’s. While Gunther is from Northern Germany (you can read about the immigration history of his family on their website), I don’t consider Gunther’s a German restaurant but rather a New York-style deli. Except for the sandwiches (Reuben, Pastrami, etc.), most of the food comes from the steam table, which makes this a good place for a quick bite. You can find a touch of “Germanness” in the Favorites menu though, including a German Platter (sausages, kraut, and potato salad), Jägerschnitzel, and Kohlrouladen (stuffed cabbage).

Aside from these places, there are now quite a few beer gardens in the Bay Area. Some of them might have a somewhat German-sounding name on the door, like Steins Beer Garden, but are actually an American take on the German idea. That does not mean they aren’t great places to hang out with your friends! In the end, it’s all about having a good time!

What is your favorite German place in the Bay Area? And which places have I missed? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

March 17, 2019September 2, 2019

Craving German food? Wirklich kein Problem!

German restaurants in the Bay Area & beyond (part 2)

Dia duit and happy St. Patrick’s Day! OK, it’s the day you probably won’t think of German food … but just in case you do, here is part 2 of my write-up on German restaurants in the Bay Area and farther afield. In the last post, we looked at our two main German hang-outs in San Jose and ventured to Seaside and SLO. Today, we’ll travel up the Peninsula and check out what’s cooking there.

Peninsula restaurants

Our first stop leaving San Jose is Hardy’s Bavaria in Sunnyvale. To be quite honest, I hardly ever go to Hardly’s, I mean, Hardy’s since I have two great German restaurants close by. But from what I remember, they have good food, bit pricey, and slow but nice service. I also remember I was wearing my DFB soccer jersey last time I visited 🙂

Next, we visit Esther’s German Bakery in Los Altos. Although mainly a bakery, they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and feature a cozy little Biergarten in the back. That means that, yes, you can get beer here too. Among my favorite dishes are the Bauernfrühstück (an omelet with potatoes, onions, and bacon) and their crispy potato pancakes with salmon. The bakery also puts on a variety of events such as the ubiquitous Oktoberfest and German live music concerts and jams. In the past, they have collaborated with the German school and supported a Laternenumzug (children’s lantern procession) on the day of St. Martin’s. You can find info on this and more on their Facebook page. The founder, Esther, sold the bakery recently, and unfortunately, I have seen the quality slip in some of the baked goods. However, they still make the best pretzels around.

Bauernfrühstück at Esther’s German Bakery

Another must-know place is Gourmet Haus Staudt in Redwood City. I remember when this was a dusty little old shop with two tables for food service; boy has it changed! The new owners (or new generation of owners) have turned this place upside down. The store is still there but cleaner and more spacious, with pretty much everything you might have on your German shopping list.

They added a dining room and Biergarten in the back which is always hopping. They may not have the most elaborate German food menu, but you gotta love their selection of local and German beers! This is where I had Weihenstephan Vitus on tap for the first time and that alone makes the Gourmet Haus an important stop on my way 🙂 What I also love about the Staudt is their friendly and caring staff and the fact that they embrace other cultures. The other night, we had a fabulous time listening to Irish live music, eating corned beef and enjoying Guinness on tap.

A relatively new space on the peninsula is the Wursthall in San Mateo. It’s located in a great airy space and features a lot of brats on the menu, hence the name. They have a nice local beer selection, while their German selection is not very extensive. The food we tried was disappointingly far removed from authentic though.

That’s it for today. San Francisco and the East Bay will follow in the third (and maybe last) installment of our German restaurant round-up!

March 13, 2019September 2, 2019

Craving German food? Kein Problem!

German restaurants in the Bay Area & beyond (part 1)

The San Francisco Bay Area is a wonderful place for people who like food! Almost any cuisine that one could wish for is represented in our melting pot, be it in fancy street blocks or run-down strip malls.

German food has always been in the picture. While a few of my favorite places have long since closed their doors (Elbe in Palo Alto, Joan & Peter’s in San Juan Bautista and Nuernberger’s in Monterey), new gems have popped up in recent years alongside the old standbys.

Quarkkeulchen, a sweet pancake-like dish from Saxony. The only place where I ever had it in the US was at Nuernberger’s in Monterey. This photo was taken in Dresden.

Now, before I go into details, let me straighten out a few things! When you google or yelp for German food, the results are generally … how shall I say it … inclusive? Your results probably include restaurants that are Austrian or Swiss. And a number of the German restaurants are, strictly speaking, Bavarian, meaning that they represent southern Germany only. Hey, wait, were you just thinking of crispy Schnitzel or steaming plates of Sauerkraut and grilled Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle)? Well there, QED! Just picture an “American” restaurant that only serves shrimp and grits and you can see what my beef (or rather shellfish) is.

And it’s not just the menus that are limited. I swear, everyone who opened a German/Bavarian restaurant in the past seems to have bought the same CD (or more likely, cassette tape, now that I think about it) of German “folk” music. I am at the point where I can predict reasonably well which song will accompany my next sip of beer! Seriously, I’m still waiting for the day when I walk into a restaurant and hear modern German music (or at least a selection of Neue Deutsche Welle). I have no idea what I would actually do!

I’ve thought a lot about why most German restaurants in the US serve Bavarian food and play oom-pah music. I have thought about it even harder because I come from the opposite side of the country. Finally, my partner suggested that southern German cuisine and culture may be over-represented due to decades of servicemen and women who were stationed at US military bases, all of which were located in (you guessed it!) the south of Germany. When they came home, they brought along memories of the food, beer, and culture they discovered. Add to that the success of a drinking party phenomenon called Oktoberfest and you can see why northern and eastern cuisine has taken a back seat to Bavaria. But that is slowly changing! New restaurant owners have learned that they can offer a more varied cuisine, as long as it is “Bavarian” enough to meet American expectations.

Here is another fun fact! One of my personal checks into how many generations the owners might be removed from Germany is the menu. If the menu has tons of errors in the German part but is well written in English, the food is probably on the old-fashioned side. If the German writing is good but the English is funny, they are probably fresh from the boat and authentic. Very scientific, I know! 🙂

But enough talk! Let’s go and check out some places! The list is long and by no means complete; you could say this is just a taste…

Restaurants nearby & farther afield

San Jose

One of the older restaurants in the South Bay is Teske’s Germania, founded in 1980. The decor, menu, and music are all very “Old World”. The dining room is dark, and the big hall is traditionally decorated with stuffed animal heads. Teske’s menu has a number of mistakes in the German (see my theory above) … but if you think I don’t approve, you would be wrong. Teske’s has a place in my German restaurant cravings, especially on Friday nights in summer when they offer live jazz in the enclosed Biergarten and I don’t have to listen to THE tape. They are also a good option for work team lunches as they have plenty of space and offer family-style platters (just don’t look for much in the way of vegetarian options). My favorites are the Wiener Schnitzel, the Wurstplatte and the occasional game dishes. Their prices seem high but dinners include salad, soup and dessert. I do wish that they offered an a la carte menu for those with smaller appetites or wallets!

*Family-style platter at Teske’s Germania*

The new kid on the block is Ludwig’s German Table. As it happens, they are just around the corner from Teske’s. The founder is from northern Germany and opened one of those restaurants that is “just Bavarian enough”. They have a nice Biergarten, celebrate Oktoberfest and have quickly become one of the main Oktoberfest caterers in the Bay Area. In addition, they got you covered for other culturally important events such as the Fußballweltmeisterschaft (Soccer World Cup), Fasching (German carnival), and Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market). Their relatively small menu manages to represent different parts of the country; you can usually see on Facebook what’s cooking. The decor is more modern, and so is the vibe. No wonder then that Ludwig’s has quickly become one of my happy places!

*Flammkuchen, a flatbread with onions, speck, and sour cream, is a speciality from the region along the German-French border. Here is the version at Ludwig’s German Table.*

Seaside

One of my favorite stops after hiking somewhere along the Big Sur coast is Stammtisch in Seaside. It is quite old-fashioned, gothic font, furniture, and all! It also is amazing that they manage to survive considering there is probably zero foot-traffic and the owner can be a bit grumpy at times. But if you crave Schnitzel and Bratkartoffeln (pan-fried – never deep fried – potatoes), this is the place to go, albeit a bit pricey. My go-to menu item here is the Stammtischschnitzel.

San Luis Obispo

If you ever have German food cravings in San Luis Obispo, try Beda’s Biergarten. We felt right at home, when we walked into their place for a New Year’s Eve celebration at 3PM (German midnight) a few years ago. The owners handed out free champagne and party favors and visited every table for a little chat. Since they are originally from Düsseldorf, they also celebrate German carnival. I love their Frikadellen (little German meatballs) and Beda’s stew. Inside and outside seating is available.

Ben Lomond

One of the best places to enjoy a beer served by dirndl-wearing waitresses under towering redwoods is the Tyrolean Inn in Ben Lomond. If you know your geography, you might like to exclaim: “But Katja, Tyrol is in Austria and Italy!” And you would be right. But according to their own website, they are serving authentic German cuisine, so there… Who am I to judge?! The food is hit and miss though. I used to really like it, but with changes of owners came changes in quality, and I don’t find the place reliable anymore. It is always good for a beer though. This is also the place that made me laugh when I saw Ganz Brust (totally breast) on their Specials menu one year. I can only assume they meant Gänsebrust (goose breast).

What’s coming next?

In my next blog posts, we will visit restaurants on the Peninsula, in the East Bay, and in San Francisco. Who would have thought there are so many! Not me! Until I started writing this…

For now, I leave you with a wise word from Heinrich Heine, famous German-Jewish poet: “Im Himmel gibt’s kein Bier, drum trinken wir es hier.” (In heaven there is no beer, therefore we drink it here.)

I concur. Prost!

January 20, 2019September 2, 2019

Elephant seals – Alpha or out

In my last post, I talked about the potential extinction of the amazing Monarch butterfly. Today, we are doing a full 180, visiting an animal that was at the brink of extinction in the 1900s, has since made a great comeback, and can weigh several tons: the northern elephant seal.

Some numbers

The northern elephant seal is the heavyweight amongst our seals. While female seals are on the smaller side, males come in around 5,000 pounds, and some massive alpha bulls have tipped the scale at a whopping 8,000 pounds and a length of 16 feet! And that weight came with a toll. In the 1800s and 1900s, these seals were hunted for their massive layers of blubber, which was used to produce gallons and gallons of oil. It is believed that the population was down to under 50 when the Mexican government followed by the US government finally decided to protect them. Today, their numbers have bounced back to somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 animals.

Sea elephant bull with battle scars, Año Nuevo rookery.

Mainland rookeries

Elephant seals spend 80% of their life at sea. They only come to land to give birth, breed, or molt. There are several rookeries along the California coast, where these colossal animals can safely be observed. Año Nuevo State Park, located between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County, is the largest mainland colony. Other significant colonies can be found at Piedras Blancas near San Simeon and Point Reyes National Seashore. Aside from these, I have seen the occasional juvenile male sea elephant in places like Pacific Grove and Pigeon Point.

Seal viewing calendar

Seals can be seen almost year round. However, the best time for action is December to March. This is the time when bulls arrive and fight for domination and the right to build a harem on their stretch of beach. It is incredible and quite graphic to see 4-ton bulls charge at each other and to witness the bloodshed. It is also something you have to be lucky to see. If the opponents are mismatched, the weaker male often concedes before it comes to an actual fight. And because these bulls are so heavy, fighting is an activity more pronounced when it is cold. What you always hear though, up to a mile away, is their loud vocalization snorts.

Point Reyes colony calendar, sourced from the Point Reyes National Seashore website.

On the other side of the cuteness spectrum, winter is also the time to see the birth of new pups.

*Sea elephant pup looking for a sunset drink at Piedras Blancas..*

In order to control crowds, make sure animals are not harassed and prevent visitors from doing stupid things like getting between two charging bulls, some special breeding season limitations apply. From December to March, registrations are required to go on the famous guided elephant seal walk at Año Nuevo State Park (although you might be lucky and get an early morning standby spot). Visitors to Point Reyes are required to take the shuttle to the overlook. No registrations are required at Piedras Blancas, where the elevated viewing trail (wheel-chair accessible) provides everyone with safe access.

So, when will you go?

PS: Of course, if you are from Germany and my generation, you can never think of sea elephants and not have this special guy in your mind!

December 30, 2018September 2, 2019

On colorful wings

The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is an easily recognizable and much loved North American insect, and winter is a great time to see it in select eucalyptus or cypress groves along the California coast.

Fascinating migration

This butterfly species, with its beautiful orange wings, is the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration just like birds do. And what a complex migration it is! First, three countries are involved in the migration: Canada, the US, and Mexico. Thankfully, no passports are required in the effort. Monarchs that live on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains migrate to Mexico; monarchs from the western side migrate to California. What’s even more fascinating is that unlike birds, who repeat their migration flights year after year, butterflies do not live long enough to take advantage of their own “memory”. As a matter of fact, it takes several generations of monarchs to do the round-trip. The migratory generation of monarchs heading south from Canada has the longest life-span with up to 9 months. It covers the whole southern trip, using air currents and thermals to fly 2000-3000 miles to their overwintering locations. I guess that is the reason why these butterflies often look quite disheveled. In early spring, these same butterflies initiate the journey back towards Canada. They become reproductive again, lay their eggs, and start the first of 3 or 4 much shorter-lived generations that are needed to make it all the way back to Canada.

A monarch butterfly rests on a sign describing its migration in Pismo Beach

Overwintering sites

If you live in the Bay Area, you are in luck because there are two overwintering sites relatively close by. In Santa Cruz, the official Monarch grove lies within Natural Bridges State Beach, clusters may also be found at Lighthouse Field State Beach. In Pacific Grove, check out the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Further south, another nice grove is in Pismo Beach. For a complete overview, visit the Xerces Society.

When it is cold or windy, the monarchs huddle in clusters hanging in the trees and look unassumingly like bundles of dry leaves. But when the day warms up, flashes of orange start to hit the clusters as the butterflies pump their wings and start to drop out of the warming congregations.

Declining populations

The first time I visited the grove in Santa Cruz, the overwintering numbers peaked at 120,000 butterflies. A few years ago, the population at that same grove was under 500. According to the Xerces Society, the numbers of the western population have declined by a dizzying 99% since the 1980s!

While there are some natural causes to fluctuation, the most impactful factors of monarch decline are loss of overwintering habitat in Mexico, loss of natural habitat/way stations on route, pesticides, and climate change, which messes with thermals and creates extreme weather conditions. In addition, recent wildfires destroyed several overwintering sites in California.

What can you do?

Create a pollinator-friendly garden. A lot of nurseries can help you find plants that attract butterflies. They often come with the bonus of attracting hummingbirds and bees as well. Monarchs rely on “way stations” and even your backyard can add to the success of their migration. According to the Xerces Society, the plants you choose should ideally bloom in early spring (Feb-Apr). If you live near the coast, find plant that bloom in winter (Nov-Jan). Check out this plant guide for more info by region.

Plant milkweed. The milkweed is the only host plant monarchs lay eggs on and the only plant the larvae will eat. No milkweed = no monarch butterflies. One caveat: make sure the plant site is more than 5 miles inland from overwintering sites. Milkweed does not naturally grow close to the coast north of Santa Barbara. Milkweed too close to overwintering sites can interrupt natural monarch behavior.

Don’t use pesticides such as Roundup and make sure that the plants you buy have not been treated with neonicotinoids!

And lastly, go and enjoy this true wonder of nature.

October 13, 2018January 20, 2019

An apple a day

During my recent trip to Germany I visited the Alte Land, a beautiful sleepy region near Hamburg. This marshland stretch along the river Elbe is famous for its half-timbered houses and endless orchards. It is also Northern Europe’s biggest contiguous fruit-producing area, and apple harvest was in full swing. Farm stands offered a wide variety of apples and related products like apple spirits or freshly baked cakes. Even my bed-and-breakfast was on the bandwagon and offered delicious cold-pressed apple juice from the neighboring farm.

Where can we go to get our fix of fresh apples in the extended Bay Area, you might ask? While wine has largely taken over areas that used to be producing cherries and apples, there are still some great places to discover.

Please note that some of these farms mentioned below do not allow dogs or outside food. Make sure to check their websites before you go. I am planning to visit at least one of the farms this weekend 🙂

Apple picking from Watsonville to Sebastopol

My favorite place to pick apples is just north of Davenport at Swanton Pacific Ranch. This little u-pick orchard operated by Cal Poly University has a nice variety of apples (some of which are unusual) and a low-key vibe. During some visits, we have had the place to ourselves; during others, we enjoyed seeing families with little kids picking apples and then picnicking on the property. Since this is not a big orchard, the picking season often ends earlier than in other locations. I believe this might be the last weekend to go, but best to check their website.

A popular place to visit is Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville. Gizdich has a lot to offer (and is therefore sometimes quite crowded), from their famous fresh pies to jams to freshly pressed juices, an antiques shop, nice picnic grounds, and u-pick opportunities. Check their website for more information.

Other orchards in the Watsonville area are Clearview Organic Orchards and Live Earth Farm. Clearview’s season of weekend apple picking usually goes till the end of October. This friendly family farm also offer squashes, local honey, lavender, apple butter, and baked goods on the premises. Find more information here. Live Earth Farm is an organic CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm. They have special weekends dedicated to specific varietal picking. Check their schedule for the next apple picking dates. They have a nice farm stand on the premises and currently also a pumpkin patch.

One of the original fruit areas of Northern California was located around Sebastopol. While a lot of the original orchards have been converted to vineyards, there are some reminders – like the annual Apple Blossom Festival and Gravenstein Apple Fair – that this once was a prime apple-growing region. Here are some farms you can visit while in the area: Gabriel Farm (membership is required for this CSA, please check their website) and Apple-A-Day Ratzlaff Ranch (long picking season, picnic tables, award-winning juice).

More apple-y stuff

My favorite, favorite, favorite apple is the Cox Orange Pippin. We even planted a tree in our backyard despite the fact that San Jose has nowhere near the climate this apple likes. This year, the little tree delighted us for the first time ever with not the usual 2 apples but some 30 or so! In the end, we still only got 2 because a mob of irreverent squirrels looted the tree long before harvest time. They just gnawed their way through the netting… There is ONE farm I know of that sells Cox Orange and that unfortunately is a bit of a drive up north. But whenever I am up in Anderson Valley, I make sure to stop at the Gowan’s Oak Tree farm stand. This 100+ year old farm along Highway 128 offers an incredible variety of apples as well as cider, peaches, and plums. This is not a u-pick destination. Also in Philo and close to Gowan is The Apple Farm. Here you can peruse the farm stand but also rent cottages or book one of their Stay & Cook packages.

Liquid apples

Finally, if you prefer to drink your apples, check out The Cider Junction in San Jose. Opened exactly a year ago by a fellow German from Hanover, this bistro has 26 rotating hard ciders from California and select countries on tap and offers 30 more in bottles or cans (they also have a few beers on tap). The best thing to do at the Junction is choose a flight and let your taste buds experience different fruits, regions, and alcohol levels! Just be aware that hard cider tends to go to your head, so make sure to pair it with some food. The Cider Junction offers a simple but tasty menu to make sure you are covered.

Enjoy!