Kaffee und Kuchen

 

Kristi and I enjoy Afternoon Tea, Anglophiles that we are.  I returned from my British Holiday in the late 1990’s eager to learn more about the custom, and enjoy it Stateside.  We started dating shortly after that trip, and taking tea was something we have always enjoyed, as well as preparing and hosting Tea.  Years ago, we even had a tradition for a number of years to “take Tea” at a gorgeous hotel on New Year’s Day. (Our humble opinion is that in Chicago, one cannot find a better Afternoon Tea than in the Palm Court of The Drake Hotel.)  The Garden View Tea Room at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort has our other favorite Afternoon Tea on this side of the Atlantic.

 

With our current thoughts toward the upcoming German Journey, I nosed around the Internet and was reminded of a German custom I already knew.  Kaffee und Kuchen.  Literally, “Coffee and Cake.”  This is the corresponding custom in Germany, instead of Afternoon Tea.  It also is a time in the afternoon to take some refreshment, so that one isn’t famished by the time the Abendessen (evening meal) comes around.

 

In the 16^th Century, both tea and coffee came to Europe from their differing sources and continents.  While tea became more enduringly popular in Britain, coffee became the caffeinated drink of choice in the German-speaking states. 

 

Many British homes today may simply have scones with cream and jam for tea, or perhaps some biscuits (crisp cookies.)  But a full Afternoon Tea will have three courses: scones, savories (assorted finger sandwiches), and dainty, beautiful sweets.

 

On the other hand, Kaffee und Kuchen will serve large pieces chosen from one or more cakes available.  These are homemade or purchased from a local bakery or confectionary.  In either country, this is quite filling and satisfying, but perhaps our German friends will find their delicious treats on the heavier side.

 

Another German term regarding coffee is Kaffee Klatsch – Coffee Chatter.  It emphasizes the socializing that is part of the Kaffe und Kuchen culture.  Lutheran congregations in the USA to this day often have older members who call certain church socials or even informal Bible studies with coffee and sweets “Kaffe Klatsch,” or remember their parents doing the same.

 

Kaffee und Kuchen is meant to be a time to slow down from the business of the day, relax, and visit.  For some this can be a very social time, invigorating in that afternoon slump.  Yet even for the introvert, it is a time to catch up with a close friend over some delightful caffeine and sugar.

 

So when you hit that low-energy time in the afternoon, pour a cup of coffee, and if you feel “British” that day, enjoy some cookies or scones; if “German,” then a big slice of cake.  And no matter what, don’t forget to enjoy it with a friend.