MISSIONARIES
It is still warm for winter here in November.  Yesterday it was up to 50F and it was sunny for a bit of the day.  I rode over to Ilvesheim to visit Bianca who had appendicitis a couple of weeks ago.  I brought some cards and candy and flowers from the Watson's and some banana bread that I made for her.

We've been grateful for the missionaries and all that they do for us.  We've had them over for dinner a couple of times.  We enjoy having them with us.

Elder Jesse Nelson & Elder Brady Craft

Apple pie I made when the Sister missionaries came over.  Finally this one turned out good.

The other apple pie I tried making before was too juicy, this one was good though. 

Sister Chloe Lehman & Sister Alison Shipton

 The Sisters invited me and Jennifer Wegmann to the Hansel and Gretel Opera the National Theater.

CHRISTMAS CANDY
Saturday we made some Christmas candy from the recipes that Steve's Mom used when he was growing up.  These are some of his favorites.  We had some help from our good friends Robyn and Macy Watson.   They helped us decorate the tins also.   We made fudge, caramels, pecan pralines and pretzels with white chocolate.  We put them into cookie tins and will give them to some friends for Christmas.  It was fun.

BIRTHDAY FOR STEVE
October 3rd is Steve's birthday.  It is also a German holiday, Germany's Unification Day so, NO work, nothing is open etc.  We are going to go on a hike with the church.  I made him a German Chocolate cake today.   I hope this will taste OK,  I made it from scratch.  He will take it into his office tomorrow.  In Germany if it is your birthday, you bring the treat into the office.  Since the office is closed on his birthday on Thursday, he will have the cake on Wed in the office. The recipe called for things I couldn't find here. I found a really small expensive packet of pecans (3 euros for about 4 oz.) so I used walnuts instead, flaked coconut which I can't find here so I used shredded instead, cake flour which I can't find so I used all purpose instead, German chocolate which I think any will do so I used baking chocolate instead. Hmm.. lots of substitutes. Now also if I can get it there in one piece on the bike tomorrow?  Maybe I'll take the tram!
 later edit - I did take the tram.  I couldn't fit it in my bike basket.

APPLE PIE

There is a lot of apple orchards around this area.  I have seen several wild apple trees so when I saw one tree loaded with apples next to the tram easement, I went on my bike and picked some to make a pie.   When I rode my bike up to it I saw that all the lower ones have already been picked by people so I had to climb the tree to get to them.  This is where I needed Christina, she is good at and likes to climb trees.  I did climb it but it gives me the heebee jeebees.  But I did get enough apples to make a pie.  These apples are pippin apples, I suppose, crisp firm and very juicy.  They are really hard to peel because they are so small and so slippery once you start peeling them.  I don't have one of those fancy peeling devices.  It took me quite a long time to peel them, they kept popping out of my hand and went flying through the kitchen.  The pie was very tasty but really watery/juicy.  So I have read up on the internet about that and have several things to try next time with these fresh apples.  Suggestions are, use a thickener like cornstarch or  tapioca which I have not been able to find in Germany, it must be called something else and isn't in the pudding section of the store.  Or I can cut larger slits in the crust to let more moisture out.  Or I can let the sugar set on the fruit in a colander over a bowl until some of the juice is leached out.  Or I can cook the apples a little before putting them into the pie.

Apples in my sink.  Some are really small.

Looks nice on the outside and was tasty on the inside just too much juice.
I poured off the juice to make it more normal.

BIKE TO BERRIES
Last week I rode out to a place where we saw a lot of ripe black berries (Bromberries).  This patch I found is about half way to Ladenburg beside a gravel/pit yard.  Blackberries grow wild all over the place here but they are not always in a place easy to get to, to pick them.  This patch is really accessible along a small road.  I found that blackberry bushes are full of thorns, every part even way down to the berry, even on the backs of the leaves.  There are so many good ripe berries that are too high to reach, I need to find a portable ladder that I can take on my bike to get to them.  But I did get plenty within my reach.  I had my bike helmet and bike gloves on, that helped a little bit with protection from the mean thorns, but I still ended up with more little bleeding scratches than I do when I bathe 2 cats.  The berries are really good and I made a pie, and 2 cobblers.  We took the pie and first cobbler to the church BBQ on Saturday and didn't bring any home, that was good.  The second cobbler I made last night was better I thought, and Steve and I enjoyed it warm with vanilla ice cream.

The small road to Ladenburg and the berry bushes on the right.

You just start picking one by one.... 

soon the container is full!

and soon another container is full!
I spent about 2 hours picking berries.

There is a price to pay in blackberry stained fingers.

and stained finger nails and little thorns.

Berries after I washed them and put them on the counter on paper towels to dry.

Globes of juicy goodness. 

First cobbler, like a cake with berries on top, before it is baked.

Cobbler when done and sugar on top.

Blackberry pie.

MAKING PEANUT BUTTER CUPS CANDY
It is rainy, cold, windy and overcast.  Christina is in town with some new friends.  Steve is at work.  The cats and I are listening to music on my computer with iTunes that Christina got working for me and I'm making peanut butter cups candies.