TLG: Grains

Continuing The Long Goodbye series, today we look at 'grains'- so baked goods and cereal.

Baked Goods

The Germans have a breathtaking variety of breads (3,200 kinds are officially recognized). We enjoyed the variety but didn't partake often (and have no particular favorites), because whenever I was in a bakery-which was all the time- I focused on their pastries.

Ahhh, German pastries. Clockwise from upper left, my favorites were Karlschens (from Backhaus Schröer), Kirschplunders (many places- Aldi had good ones), Quarktaschen (also from Aldi), And Streusels (many places). We only recently discovered Franzbrötchen (below), which quickly became another favorite. 

We enjoyed the Berliners (jelly doughnuts) and other products from time to time, but nothing compares to the above.

Waffles

I call out waffles separately from other baked goods because they stand alone. When in Belgium . . . one eats liege-style waffles as frequently as one can. If you pass a store and see the below in a window, you stop and get one (or two . . . or more). Plain is amazing enough, but covered with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or other toppings heightens the experience. And one place- Vitalguafre- shoves chocolate rods into the rows, which then melt in the warm interior, for a true delight.

Cereal

I enjoy routine, and every single morning I breakfasted in our house, with almost no exceptions, I had Schokomüsli mit feinherber Schokolade. Every. Single. Morning. Served with Oatly oat milk. I ordered this stuff by the crate- buy six, get one free on the website, so I'd order 14 at a time- can't risk running out. There's no better way to start the morning.

Of all the foods we love here, I'll miss the baked goods most of all. They were staples to start my morning, and the bakeries were necessary stops on my longer bike rides. I'll miss them so.