Sweet shore leave on La Palma

The market hall of Santa Cruz de La Palma is cozy and clear. Many small shops line up around a square courtyard. It’s the usual offer of Mediterranean markets: fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, poultry, spices, flowers and a number of small bars for coffee or a quick glass of wine. But there is a special feature here in St. Cruz: freshly squeezed sugarcane juice – on request also with “shot” – that tastes like more.

“Stutenkerl” – a traditional German Saint Nicholas pastry

How many times did I put a pastry man – a “Stutenkerl” – into my children’s Santa Claus’ boots. And how many times did one of them land in our ready-made boots for St. Nicholas Day in my own childhood. But so far I had never baked such a pastry man myself, although it’s really easy. And the result is just fun!

Black salsify soup with trumpet royale

Waiting for spring. It’s cold again and stormy. Despite calendar start of spring. That makes you want a hot soup. And before we can finally harvest the first wild garlic, whose tips I have already discovered in the garden, there is again, probably one last time for this season, black salsify. A creamy salsify soup with trumpet royale mushrooms, garnished with lemon peel and our best olive oil.