The latest article from the German Culture site at BellaOnline.com is a topical one:

MONK'S CHICKEN, A LENTEN RECIPE

Life in a German monastery during the Middle Ages was not particularly difficult. Monks were considered the 'go to' people for everything from medical treatment, using herbs etc. from their gardens, to supplying beer, and they automatically bent the 'Food Allowed' rules during Lent or any other Fast.

This recipe is based on one of their 'Cheating The Fast' 13th century Lent meals, which has been adapted to use chicken breasts rather than the original beaver tails.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art175645.asp

and at the time it was an alternative to what is now one of Germany's favorite meals MONK'S MAULTASCHEN

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art18702.asp



And now this week’s quirky German word - MORGENMUFFEL

If you are bright, breezy and raring to go in the mornings then you are definitely not a 'Morgenmuffel'.

If however you are either silent, sleepy or simply grumpy, at least until that first cup of 'whatever' containing some caffeine, or if it is really bad then out of sorts until at least noon, then in Germany you would be a Morgenmuffel.

Of course it could be because you work best at night and so go to bed as the birds wake, but unfortunately in Germany that is no excuse, a MORGENMUFFEL you will remain.




germanculture.bellaonline.com has many articles on German Life, Living and Culture, and a forum:

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=247

If you have any comments and questions I hope to hear from you, either in the forum or via email



Francine McKenna,
German Culture Editor

http://germanculture.bellaonline.com