My first full day in Elsendorf involved a brief shopping trip, a visit to a former synagogue and intact cemetery, a visit to a brewery, and a taste of heaven in Sylvia's kitchen.
After breakfast, we headed to the next town over to do a little grocery shopping. Even though it was just a little ways away, we were stopped by a train--twice!
It wasn't a hardship though, because it afforded us a longer look at the lovely countryside.
The grocery store was the size of neighborhood grocery stores in the U.S. which, unfortunately, are disappearing.
The big difference is, this one had some pretty nice looking baked goods at the checkout counter.
I love German pretzels! They bring back memories of the six months I lived in Stuttgart with my family. My sisters and I used to go to the neighborhood baeckerei and buy pretzels for breakfast.
After shopping, we headed back to Rainer and Sylvia's and helped pick up walnuts which had fallen to the ground and in the alleyway behind their home.
Sylvia then places these nuts in a machine which dries them, which I assume is necessary before they are cracked and the nutmeats removed. This was my basket, but Leonore and Susan had full baskets as well.
Once we completed our chore, we were on our way for a little adventure. Our first stop was a home in the nearby village of Aschbach which had once served as a synagogue. Sylvia had arranged with the current resident for us to visit. It was an unassuming home tucked away in a quiet alley.
The floor sported a stare which was original to the house.
Our host led us to the second level where I perceived services were held.
I think I understood our host to say that the elevated level was where women sat (apart from the men). I noticed one small piece of Judaica in the home.
This menorah featured the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Our host then led us to another building on the property
where he revealed a mikvah.
I was curious about the source of the water, because, according to Jewish law, the water for the mikvah requires moving water: "Any "natural" water, as a pool, pond, creek, stream, river, or
lake, whether these waters originate from a spring or accumulate
in a
natural way from rain,
melted ice, or snow, or the waters of the sea or ocean, are proper
for immersion and purification from the state of Nidah, except that
when a running stream is used for Tvilah, it must be ascertained that
this stream originates from a spring." Leonore ascertained that when in use, the water was accumulated during rains in cisterns.
We said farewell to our host and headed over to the Jewish cemetery in Aschbach. As we drove, we passed this mural painted on the side of a building.
It was for a business called "Sylvia's Salon." I love the various murals painted on homes and small businesses in German villages.
I visited the Jewish cemetery in Aschbach when I was in Germany five years ago for Leonore's 80th birthday. This time, I wanted a closer look, so I climbed over the wall (this is where the "follies" come in). Not only did I make my raincoat filthy, I inadvertently broke my camera. I was able to take a few shots, but truly...it wasn't worth the 149 Euros I had to pay to replace it.
Sylvia was able to wash my coat, fortunately, It looks better than it has since I bought it. The camera gave me a few more shots, but then died an absolute death the next day. I'm an idiot!
Our next stop was a brewery--which was Steve and Susan's major motivation for coming to Europe, that and celebrating Leonore's 85th birthday.
We visited the Brauerei Zehendner in Mönchsambach. Everyone was pretty rhapsodic about the quality of this beer. I think I understood them to say their brewing process takes six weeks. I think its about one week for some U.S. craft beers. We had a private tour, which was very kind.
After buying two cases for our hosts, we headed back to Elsendorf and took a really long nap--or at least Steve and Sue did.
We got back to Rainer and Sylvia's around 7, and were introduced to two friends of theirs who became part of our group,
Bärbel and her husband Markus. They had come over to help celebrate the harvest with Onion Tart and Fresh Wine. According to one website, "If you travel in fall through the wine growing areas left and right of
the Rhine, you will find inns, restaurants and many vineyards offering
sparkling new wine (Federweisser). They often serve it together with
freshly baked Zwiebelkuchen." We weren't in the Rhine, but we were following the same tradition.
This is not Sylvia's Zwiebelkuchen, but I didn't get a photo because we were all too busy eating. Needless to say, this was a treat and a half. Sylvia's dough is fantastic. The filling consisted of three eggs, heavy cream, creme fraiche, MANY sliced onions, and speck (bacon)--although Sylvia made a vegetarian version for
Bärbel. There were three "pies" all together, and the nine of us ate them all! We were warned not to mix Hefeweizen bier and Federweisser at the risk of a killer hangover. Since we had all started with beer, we were really cautious about the Federweisser. It was really delicious--more like a fruity soda, along the lines of Squirt, but since it's "young" it's still fermenting. In fact, it's not really sealed, so it continues to ferment event after it's been bottled. It's effervescent, but potentially killer.
We had a grand time eating and drinking, drinking and eating, and then eating and drinking some more.
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