Work Reflection

It has been a while since I posted about how work was going. So here it is… Fantastic! I have gotten used to the long 16 hour days, but now it flies by like nothing. The entire kitchen is used to us being around and all talk to us like we have been friends for longer than 5 weeks. I am learning so much, it is hard to describe. Entire philosophies of how a kitchen should operate, how simple ingredients can make the largest impact on a plate, and not to mention my overall skill. I have gotten to work with some new ingredients that I’ve never seen before. As well as work with some ingredients that I’ve seen before, but really learning how to utilize it.

My new pet octopus!

 I am still in Garde Manger for most of the days. I have become very comfortable and know what I need to do daily. The plates changed like they do every 4 weeks. Here are some photos of the new menus.

Spargel Salad with white asparagus chibust and green hummus.

 This is the Zander chibust



















Along with garde manger and being allowed to run the station on my own some nights, I have been offered amazing opportunities to learn and advance my skills in sushi rolling. Chef Straubinger had a sushi event for a party in the scheune. The scheune is the barn. We had a buffet of sushi, sashimi, nigiri, and an option towards the end for personalized dragon rolls a la carte. It was an amazing experience and a wonderful opportunity for Chef to give me. Here are some photos of that event.

The next week was Easter. Easter was packed full of people, full dining rooms, buffets and other events in the sheune. Every employee was working at the Burg, and everyone was busy. The menu for Easter day had special dishes that we all compromised on. As a second course, there was a sushi dish that I was put in charge of. Here is a photo of it. I have become the Burg’s unofficial sushi chef! It was a ton of fun. That day we worked 18 hours straight with no break. But the day was very successful and extremely fun.

This past week we have met some new people and gotten to have long conversations with them, for example the co-owner of the Burg Staufeneck Herr Schurr. He is the brother in law of Chef Straubinger. As we sat and had a wine lesson with him, we told him how appreciative we were for the experiences and hospitality the Burg has shown us. We told him of the experiences other internship students who have gone to Germany had, and how they’re internships nowhere measured to what we are doing and learning here at Burg Staufeneck. He shared with us that it is the passion and focus he and everyone else sees in us. That other students they had did not want to learn, did not have the positive charming outlook, and did not have the drive to work all day with no complaint. He said that it is a plus that we have good skills in the kitchen, but our passion is why they offer different opportunities to us. Flattered, we continued to talk through the night as more bottles of wine were opened. Here are some photos of what we drank that night.

 As a conclusion to this post, I want to say that I am enjoying it here so much. More than I thought. I am comfortable and happy. Even though I am tired some days, I always have my smile on. I will do anything and continue to learn as much as I can every day.

Munchen Part 3

We begin our second day in Munich waking up to a complimentary breakfast buffet by the Hotel Brack. It was delicious! At the table was all types of breads, jams and leberwursts, yogurts and cereals, soft boiled eggs or scrambled. It was a wonderful treat for us and fueled us for our long day ahead. Our waitress just as we were leaving wanted to inform us that is was -3 degrees today, and still snowing!

It had been snowing all night and was still coming down as we made our way to the street. The day's plan included going back to Marienplatz and seeing what we can before our train leaves at 6. The fastest route for us to take by foot was back across Oktoberfest field.

 We were having a little fun playing in the freshly fallen snow for the first time since we have been in Germany.

 However the wind chill did get to our noses..


So continuing on our adventure, we arrive in Marianplatz to the clock tower. We are able to walk under it into a court yard. The Rathaus of the city is inside the clock tower. To the right of us was an elevator door, that looked to lead to nothing. Beside it was a small sign that said "2 euro to the top. Pay on 4th floor" Intriguing. So we got in the mystery elevator and hit the 4th floor. to our surprise it took us to the top of the clock tower where you could walk around and see the view of the city. We got to the top just as the cuckoo clock went off. We could not see it from the top, but we did a bird's eye view of the people below watching the clock in amazement.

because of the snow though, the view was cut short. It was hard enough to see the buildings still in the city from the top, none the less the views the signs were telling us we could see. But what we could see was another tower with a man standing on top of it. I waved to him. We found out that it was St. Peters Cathedral. We walked down from the top of the clock tower and exited though cast iron doors and stained glass. A tour group saw us leave and a man gave us a weird look, not knowing where we came from. But we headed over to the cathedral which was on the other side of Marienplatz. As we walked inside, we were at a loss for words. It was gorgeous inside! Everything was in gold, painted with intricate murals to the ceiling, and set in marble. It was one of the most impressive Cathedrals I have ever been in. Sadly, those sights that I saw can only be in my memory because as we walked in, it was the middle of service. The sign on the door said no photos, and an usher was walking around making sure tourists did not disturb the service. So we quietly walked through the back, listened to the prayer in German, and exited out the other side. We were confused because we did not know how to get to the tower especially if there was service going on. On the other side of the church, we walked back to Marienplatz. I saw some post cards so I stopped to see if I wanted any, and out of the corner of my eye was a small yellow sign that read "Tower 2 euro" We went up to the cashier and said tower and handed him 2 euros. We accidently stumbled right were we wanted to go! But unlike the clock tower, this one did not have an elevator. It was narrow wooden stairs all the way up to the top. It had to be the original stairs because it even brings you through the bell tower room where you can see all of the different sized bells covered in snow. At the top the view was even better than the last tower, because this time you could see Marienplatz for what it is, plus the famous cuckoo clock.

It is beautiful!

Back down on the street, it was almost noon, so we got a good standing location and waited for the clock tower to go off. We took a video of the entire thing of the King's men and the dancers. But it is too large of a file to upload with my limited internet. However, I can tell you the personal experience I had while gazing at this historical landmark.

     I stood still, watching the figures dance under the clock, and I never blinked. I felt myself smile uncontrollable as I realized where I was. I am standing in Munich, as an adult and on my own. I was in Germany, living and working. Seeing places that I have never seen before. Doing things I had never done before. Learning things that I had never studied before. Still watching the clock, I said to myself, "Congrats". Because in that moment I felt successful. I am doing everything that I ever dreamed of. Going where I always wanted to go. I felt infinite and completely happy. The feeling still has not gone away.

Munchen Part 2

We slowly made our way through the city of Munchen, taking photo after photo of the buildings and all the famous landmarks. Using our handy city map we picked up from the hotel, we found our way onto Orlando Strasse and saw the illuminated blue sign that reads “Hofbrauhaus” I stood under the signature HB with a crown and was filled with so much excitement.

Even though every person we have met in Germany says it is just a tourist trap, it was something on my list of things I wanted to do while I was in Germany. I am very ecstatic that I actually made it. Inside, the hustle and bustle of waitresses in leotards distracts your attention only because you don’t want to run into them carrying 9 steins of beer at once, the old deco of the building, there are paintings from the floor onto the ceiling. There are pictures of different generations all sitting at the Hofbrauhaus drinking. The tables look like they are the same tables since the hofbrauhaus has opened, are covered in carvings of names and dates of people who have visited before. At the Hofbrauhaus, everyone sits together. If there is no open table, join a table! We found one with a nice couple sitting at it. We said our hellos and ordered our 1 liter of beer each.

 At the table next to us, a young man leaned over and asked if we were from Australia. He spoke English very well; him and his cousin who was visiting from England became our temporary drinking buddies. They were even nice enough to take photos for us.

As they left, our table filled up with a German family that was out drinking. Everyone was there from the children to the grandparents all ordering a liter of beer each! We finished our 1^st liter, and ordered another one. In the background there was a polka band playing. Every other song it seemed like would wild up the Germans at the table. The family would start singing, banging on the table, and cheers everyone within arm’s reach. But of course it’s not cheers, its PROST! A fun little tid bit, it is bad luck in Germany if you clink glasses with someone without making eye contact. We learned very quickly that it is very difficult to clink glasses with a family and make eye contact with everyone! I was more worried of not actually touching glasses.

Oh well. By the end of our second liter, it was getting dark outside and the temperature was dropping as we sat, and we have a long walk back to the hotel. We said our goodbyes to the family and bundled up for the walk back. It was about -1 Celsius and snowing, but we were so warm from our beers it didn’t even bother us.

This is us walking home, can you tell we've been drinking? 

Mini Holiday!

Since next Sunday is Easter, the Burg Staufeneck employees and us get 3 days off in a row as a little special treat. So with this wonderful news, Emma and I planned a two day trip to Munich!

We booked a hotel room for one night at the Hotel Brack on Lindwurmstrasse. We packed our small bags and we were all ready to go! Except one thing, it had snowed 6 cm the night before and was still continuing to snow all day. Here's what I looked like waiting for our train in Salach.

We thought maybe it was going to stop throughout the day, or it was not snowing in Munich. Once again, our anticipations were wrong. It was still snowing in Munich when we arrived, and not only just snowing, but snowing even harder than it was in Salach!

But non the less we arrived in Munich safe and sound and began walking towards our hotel. As we were journeying towards Lindwurmstrasse we came across a large open field with a gigantic statue of a woman and a lion in front of a Colosseum looking structure. We find out that it is the Oktoberfest Field where the famous even takes place every year.

 Each Picture I have the same pose only because of how cold it is.

Anyway we continued walking and found our hotel. It is very pleasant and they gave us the largest room, on the top floor in the corner with three windows over looking the streets below. It is very nice! It was more than we were expecting.

 After checking in and leaving our heavy back packs we set out again this time to sight see and head in the direction of our ultimate goal, Hofbrauhaus!

Salach and Burg Staufeneck

 Mirrors for cars around tight corners.











The river that runs through Salach

The Church in center of town

 FavaBella, Guardian of the Burg

Second Week Review

 Pumpkin Salad. The pumpkins are Pumpkin chutney in cream cheese and glazed with pumpkin squash soup.

Above is the Wegi Menu. Served with balsamic tapioka and green hummus.



 To the left is Veal and Foie Gras terrine. A Veal cristini, and pea paper.





Below is pike perch with daikon radish.











Below is Steak tartare with onion, and quail egg.

The days are going by faster and easier. I am able to veer off on my own, and complete tasks with little direction. It is easy that the same menu stays for 4 weeks so every day we prep the same things. Half way through the week on a normal day of about 25 A la Carte in the dining room, Herr Geiger, the Sous Chef of Burg Staufeneck comes up to me and states that instead of Amuse, I will be cooking at Garde Manger for service. I was ecstatic! I get to run the station by myself and the chefs trust me. The day went smoothly and there were no issues. Sadly that was the only day I got to run the station by myself. I understand on busy days that they schedule someone with me. Other than that it was a good week overall. Each day we feel more comfortable working and talking to our co-workers. These are some photos of the dishes I make in Garde Manger.

Stuttgart

Even though we are working so much, Emma and I do get two very needed days off together. This week we received Sunday and Monday off.
Since on Sunday's everything in town and generally all of Europe is closed we use that as our sleeping day. Sleep until about 12 then eat something and go back to sleep. Trust me, it’s much appreciated after a long week.

Monday is our day to go out and see this beautiful country we call our temporary home. This day we decided to go big and take a day trip into Stuttgart. Luckily, even though our town is so small, we do have a train station and an automated ticket machine. Its 18,80 Euros for a round trip to Stuttgart and back again.
42 minutes approximately, and we hear on the intercom “Nachster Halt, Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof.” Out the window on the right side we can see the gigantic Mercedes Benz logo slowly turning on top of the factory and museum. On the right side we see signs for the Wilhelma Botanical Gardens and zoo. Off in the distance in front of us is a huge Space Needle looking building overlooking the city. We later find out that is the TV tower with the Million dollar view of Stuttgart.
The train comes to a stop and everyone on the train exits, Emma and I more excited than ever to see where our Adventure has brought us. The train station, huge old brick in the middle of the city is surrounded with highway and bustling cars with no way across. Our goal this trip was to get to KonigStrasse. Luckily it was right across the impossible street. Soon we find an American couple having the same issue. To our right we see an underground tunnel filled with shops, cafes, and another entrance to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof. The tunnel leads under the street and right up to the beginning of KonigStrasse! We did it. It was huge. An outside mall like we have never seen before. To our left is a large sign and building that reads, “Tourist Information” Something that was quite convenient. Once there we found brochures to all the exciting things to do in Stuttgart, but all for another day. It was shopping day, and seeing where Konigstrasse lead us. As we walked down the pedestrian road, to the left and right 3 stories up were name brand clothing stores, jewelry stores, starred restaurants, and our personal favorite, WMF the kitchen ware store. On the street, thousands of people wandered around with their arms full of bags and dressed in the most European style. There was no doubting that we were not in America. In the middle of the street every block or so there are small street performers. A man with didgeridoos and metal drums, a man with a giant bubble blower for the children, and these two very impressive boys ant the tricks they do with a soccer ball. If the video will upload, I will post it today.
Anyway, the day was a success and was very enjoyable. In the middle of Konigstrasse, it opens up to Schlossplatz. This is a park with statues and fountains, and the courtyard of a huge building. The building which was unidentified by a sign, but is quite impressive. It is dawned with angel sculptures and two pillars at the front gate, one with a lion, and the other with a deer. These two symbols are seen throughout Stuttgart on signs, crests, and on top of other buildings. The park was filled with people, and unlike America, it was free for anyone to climb, sit, and lay on the statues and fountains. There were chain borders to keep people off, but everyone climbs over and sits. We sat for a small amount of time while taking some photos.

 This is a sign briefly explaining Schlossplatz. The middle is in English.

 In the background you can see the Angel sculptures that sit on the roof.

Towards the end of the day we sat down at a café in the middle of Konigstrasse and had a beer. The menu said free Wifi so we asked for the code. This was the first time we were able to really sit down and catch up. I got to Oovoo Mom and Ted and that made everyone very happy. It was a good ending to the day and of the first adventure out in Germany.