Stephen just for once I am going to question your logic.

When we returned to the UK (wife & I) we moved to Andover which is pretty close to Salisbury Plain and therefore packed with military,most of whom must have been in BAOR at some time.

There was not one German themed eating place probably nearer than London until one opened in a village just outside Andover. Great we thought, a taste of the old food. Before we could get there it had closed.

Apart from the odd bratty stall turning up at local shows there is no German food in the UK outside London. Why? I don't know.
The most popular cuisine in the UK is Indian/Bangladeshi. Again why?.The answer seems to be that it suits the UK palate. Here in Ireland there are very few Indian/restaurants I think again the food is too alien to the Irish palate.

So although we who have been privileged to enjoy the delights of German cooking, I think we are a minority. Our pleasure is not shared by all who have served in BAOR

Of course there is a very large Indian/Bangladeshi population in UK, especially in London, and many families in an attempt to 'get ahead' open their own businesses catering at first to their own ethnic group and from there to the larger population that 'discovers' the cafes, restaurants, sari stores, etc.

The closest analogy I can come up with is Jewish establishments in, for instance, New York...the delis and such that are now such a part of the fabric of the city but initially no "proper" gentile would be seen dead in such a 'foreign' place. Now? totally different.

German food, as we know, is quite heavy and appeals to the Canadian palate (we have long winters and recognize, if only on an intuitive level, we need to stock up on carbs and heavy foods) and our own foods are not dissimilar.

While UK cuisine has certainly improved from the boil-it-half-to-death mindset of years ago I think the British palate, apart from the current love of all things curry, gravitates towards far lighter fare than what good solid German food offers.

But, yes, I think you make a valid point with us being so exposed to it we acquired a taste for it and that, coupled with whatever good times we were having while consuming the food (thereby creating a connection in our brains), also created an appreciation for it. Foreign/exotic enough to be interesting, yet familiar to what we were used to (oh...no goat's eyes? Good!!!!) to not pose too much of a culinary threat LOL

I suppose there are those who served over there, be they BAOR or Brigade, who didn't like the food. I can't imagine it myself, but doubtlessly there were.

This is somewhat along the same lines of a conversation my mother once had with another Canadian Army wife back in 1960 when we were living out in Helle-Balve. Somewhere in there this woman was kvetching about how she hated Germany and how homesick she was etc etc etc. Not an uncommon situation for many of the younger wives, to be sure.

My mom, in an attempt to highlight the opportunities living in Germany gave us, made some mention of "all the history" we had around us, the old buildings etc.

"If they're that old, they should be torn down..." was the response.

Aaaaghhhh.....

So, yeah, some just were not willing to adapt whatsoever and consciously refused to do so. Wouldn't try and learn the language, wouldn't respect local customs, etc. And they ended up the losers for it.

There are German restaurants around, in the London area at least.

Last week, I had an appointment at Moorfields Eye Hospital. When I was walking away up the City Road afterwards, I came across a place called The Bavarian Beerhouse (190 City Road).

The menu on display indicated the sorts of comfort food dishes that you would expect. I can't vouch for the quality, as I didn't go in.

There used to be a Bavarian place in Ruislip Manor, of all places. Long since gone.

I've also stumbled upon those occasional "German Markets" that spring up here and there, particularly before Christmas. They always have one or more Imbiss stalls. Prices are usually quite high for an Imbiss.

generosity of my Canuck heart.[/quote]

Thats two sites I've read that on Ross,your a cruel man,drooling twice in a day is not good for me [/quote]

I did wonder Knobby if some one would pick up on that. Now we'll wait and see if Wrinkles picks up on it.

There was a small gasthof just outside the rear gate into Sennelager run by a retired British Army officer that served one of the best cold cutlets and potato salad for a long way. Can't remember the name of the place, but I used to stop in when I was up visiting friends in the 17/21 Lancers in the 60s. I'm sure he depended solely on the army to keep him going because there were very few, if any, houses around the area. Have I jogged any memories?

Can't help you with the name of the Seenelager gasthof, recce, but you mentioning how it was sort of out there all by itself put me in mind of a gasthof off in the woods near Balve, closer to Helle-Balve for those who might remember the area.

It was a nice little place, but quite isolated and literally in the woods. I have no idea why it was there but it had been for years and years. It was a good walk from the edge of town. Odd.

And there really was nothing in Helle-Balve except four 3-storey blocks of flats (2 for German families employed by the local light factory and 2 rented out to the Canadians), a couple of houses, and that was it, basically. It's changed now, of course. Even in 197os when we returned what had been open farmer's fields were now built up with factories.

Finally found the proper name for that variety of yellow flesh potatos we were discussing a while back: SIEGLINDE.

Cheers

Rod

For those of us who were priviledged to experience the German Sunday 'Kaffe and Kuchen' mit schlag sahne, served on the best china, is an experience one does not forget lightly!

One of the 'sense memories' I still carry with me is the aroma of a Konditorei. A mix of rich coffee (Arabic, I assume or possibly Ethiopian beans), baked goods, honey, chocolate, that rich whipped cream the Germans excel at making, the wax used on the wood, potpourri, newsprint, and pipe/cigar/German cigarettes.

My parents toyed with the idea of opening such a place once we were back in Canada but, as mom pointed out, Canadians at the time were not used to such refinements (she didn't phrase it that way) and added "Someone would probably come in and want a goddamned burger or something...." Probably true, too.

Now, out on the coast in Victoria due to the English influence out there, which is very strong, there are many tea-rooms which is about as close as one gets to Konditorei.

And, yes, I recall being invited down to the landlady's flat on a Sunday for "Kaffe und Kuche"...usually quite a spread! Very social and very...well....nice. Not posh or uppity, just nice. One of those little social conventions, like afternoon tea, that has been dropped from so many people's agenda. We're all too busy now to engage in such genteel past times. It's just not the same thing as a barbeque or having a few beers (also nice, of course).

Kafe und Kuchen

Back in the eighties Munster had two big Konditorie-Schucann (?) and Grotemeyer. The array of cake like objects in the windows was amazing, but they never quite lived up to their looks in the taste department. But the clientel were fascinating

Munster had a shop which sold just hats,for women and men. Again the variety was amazing, and both sexes,of a certain age ,wore them round the town. It was the kind of shop that the UK lost back in the fifties

The town was a mixture of scruffy students and the slightly snobby older generation who probably were looking back to the "glory " days. Those students must now have their own kids in the uni.

Ho hum I'm getting old

Yikes...ain't that the truth!!!

While I was aware of the years passing in my own life it still came as a shock to me to learn that my best friend, Juergen, had also aged. I mean, last I heard one of his two daughters had married and had kids, making him a -- gasp -- grandfather!!! No no no no, not possible!!