Easter 1932 in Germany
A beautiful, sunny weekend! We were able, on this Easter holiday, to put our snow boots away. Spring is finally here. We were dressed beautifully and ready to join the rest of the family to go to the Chapel at the Castle in the City. Today is “Good Friday” and I am looking forward to hear the beautiful Messiah.
On our way home we stopped at Espenschied Patisserie to pick up our dessert a “Herren Torte” (a Gentleman’s Cake) my papa’s favorite cake from the assortment Espenschied Patisserie creates.
For today’s dessert, my mama did not want the 12inch cake, but 14 individual little cakes, four layers of genoise cake separated with the coffee créme and one swan on top out of Pâté à choux dough, again filled with coffee créme. On a beautiful silver tray, decorated with a circle of big orchid blossoms, Mrs. Nietsche, presented these gorgeous desserts. YUM.
Tonight, we will have our great Easter dinner with all the family: Papa, Mama, Katja with husband, Frieda with husband, Lillie with husband, Mrs. Kramer and Mrs. Nietsche and us little people, Wolfgang my brother, Friedl my sister and I, Ilona. The kitchen is the place where you need to check if you follow the delicious, fragrant smells moving through the house. Both ovens were in use: A large rack of lamb, French boned, and a sauce made with Plum Brandy. The plums were caramelized, and so were the apple slices and sweet onions, thinly sliced, all caramelized, a wonderful side dish. Little potatoe balls with spiced croutons in the dough.
The adults started with warm and hearty greetings and Mrs. Nietsche passed the champagne glasses around. “We, the little people, only needed to be seen, not heard.”
After every one was seated, Mrs. Nietsche brought the food in and started to serve. My papa opened up and served the wine. There were plenty of comments, about the great food, lively conversation and laughter and after several hours, came the time for dessert. Beautiful plates with the round individual cakes and an orchid blossom on the rim, a lovely sight. Aromatic coffee and a heated snifter with brandy and for us hot chocolate. The happy conversations continued and after another hour, it was bed time for us little people. Mama came with us to spend some treasured time with us, before she tucked us in our beds. She brought a beautiful, white, fluffy bunny for my sister and one for me.
She held my bunny in her hand, had her hand cupped – holding some chocolate eggs in it, not noticable to me. Guided with her cupped hand the bunny hopped across the floor and dropping the eggs. I was delighted about this. After our mama kissed us and had left, I of course would not go to sleep until I tried this maneuver with my bunny, like mama did.
NO eggs of course appeared – “bad bunny” even “please” did not work.
Very disappointed, I was not going back to bed until I explored this a little further. I got a pair of scissors from a drawer, sat down and held the bunny on my lap and cut it open. Oh my, all there was, was straw, a royal mess!
I got scared and started to cry and my beloved sister Friedl was consoling me. Out of desperation all I could think of was calling: “Mrs. Nietsche, help please!”