Kuchen (Cake)

Kuchen is something very sacred to Germans. In my research group, it's basically required to bring cake on special occasions. There is an Einstandskuchen (when you start in the group), a Geburtstagskuchen (birthday cake), and an Abschiedskuchen (farewell cake). There are about 25 people in the group and although at most 10 people regularly come to coffee break, everyone comes when there is cake. So you have to provide a lot of cake. When one does not bring cake, it is frowned upon. When one brings store-brought cake, it is acceptable, but "es wird nicht gerne gesehen." Store-bought cake is brought mostly by foreigners (the ones who can't speak German) and boys whose mothers don't live nearby/refuse to help them. There is a lot of pressure to bring cake that tastes good.

I enjoy a good cake as much as the next girl, but Germans take cake eating to a whole new level. I'm really not sure how they eat as much cake as they do. I'd say that group members average about three pieces of cake at such an event.

Today I bake my Abschiedskuchen--my leaving cakes. There is so much pressure. Last time, for my birthday, I made Paula Deen's Southwest Georgia Pound Cake and Pineapple Marzipan Cake. It was someone else's last day that day and she also brought cake (store bought), so I am nervous that there won't be enough cake, as there were not toooo many leftovers last time. I'm planning on making cranberry cheesecake to use up the can of cranberry sauce I forgot about at Thanksgiving, as well as Nusskuchen (nut cake). I think this will not be enough, so I'm planning on making something from a mix or picking up one cake from the bakery. I think I will go with the mix option, so I can pass it off as my own.

I have much to document and I promise to try to catch up before I jet off (or ICE off) to Berlin this weekend. I will not fulfill this promise.