Dee.Dee wrote:
> "Gregory Morrow" > wrote in
message
> ...
> >
>
> I noticed that the article called it a Christmas cake.
>
> Do all consider it a Christmas cake -- or bread?
I consider it a cake, but then I'm not an "appellation expert", in German
it's considered a "brot" or bread...
:-)
BTW Aldi and World Market here in the states make passable store - bought
stollen, these are German but not from Dresden IIRC. There are also still a
number of old - time German bakeries here in Chicago that make very good
stollen...Zingerman's in Ann Arbor MI also supposedly makes a good one.
I've seen this place mentioned as one of the better sources in the US to buy
stollen, notice they call it a "bread" - I see that they are sold out and
taking orders for 2008:
http://dresdenstollen.com/
"In Dresden, Germany, friends and associates have long exchanged stollen, a
delicious sweet bread, to celebrate the holidays. When Irmgard Maron came to
the United States in 1938, she carried a traditional Dresden Stollen recipe
and began baking it for friends and relatives.
Sixty-nine years later, Dresden Stollen Bakers continues as a
third-generation family business dedicated to baking this deliciously rich
German bread to celebrate the holiday season. We hope you'll enjoy it this
year and share it with your family, friends, and business associates!
The Maron family was long established in Dresden, Germany prior to World War
II. As a result of the family's Jewish ancestry, the Maron family scattered
around the world before the war. Irmgard and her brother Hans Georg both
made their way to the United States, where they settled and raised families.
Irmgard began baking stollen, and, after 50 years, passed the family baking
tradition on to descendents of her brother.
Dresden Stollen is said to have originated in 1329 as a result of a contest
offered by the Bishop of Nauruburg. Bakers in the region produced a
wonderful bread baked with the finest butter, sugar, raisins, citron and
other specialty ingredients. The Bishop enjoyed the stollen so much that he
ordered a quantity of grain saved for stollen only.
Stollen at that time were baked in loaves weighing 30 pounds. Stollen became
such a part of Dresdeners' lives that it was cut and served with special,
stollen only utensils. It was also tradition that the first piece of stollen
was set aside and kept to ensure the family would be able to afford a
stollen the following year and the last piece saved to ensure the family had
enough food for the year.
While traditions change over time, the joy of eating Dresden Stollen has yet
to waiver. For more information on Dresden Stollen, visit the official
German Dresden Stollen website:
http://www.dresdnerstollen.com/english/e_index.htm
"Dresden Stollen ® - a masterpiece of baking - treasured around the world
The tradition of baking Dresden Stollen ® is a very old one and can be
traced back to around 1400 A.D. Originally baked without butter and milk,
the stollen (striezel) was a rather dull pastry. Elector Lord Ernst of
Saxony and his brother Albrecht appealed to the Pope to rescind the
so-called "butter ban" in effect at the time. The Holy Father eventually
gave in to their entreaties and declared (in what came to be known as the
"Bufferbrief") that milk and butter could indeed be used in baking the
stollen - this could be done with a "clear conscience and with God's
blessing", after making the "appropriate penance" "Butterbrief".
Around 1500, "Christbrote uff Weihnachten" were being sold at the Dresden
"Striezelmarkt", the oldest existing German Christmas market. From 1560
onwards, Stollen-bakers delivered one or two Christmas stollen with a total
weight of 36 pounds to the king of Saxony for the holy celebration. Eight
master bakers and eight apprentices carried it to the castle. In 1730
"August the Strong", Elector Lord of Saxony, commanded the Bakery Guild of
Dresden to make a giant stollen with a weight of 1.8 tons! To commemorate
that event, a similar stollen is baked every year on the Saturday before the
second Advent at the annual Dresden Stollen Festival.
The Dresden Christmas Stollen ® has been produced in its present superb
form since the beginning of the 20th century. Only high quality, very fine
ingredients (Zutaten) as well as natural flavours and exotic spices are
used. While a basic stollen recipe (Grundrezept) exists, every stollen
bakery (some 150 exist) uses its own secret family recipe handed down over
generations. For years, stollen-eating experts have orderd their stollen at
their favourite traditional Dresden bakery.
Dresden Stollen ® are exclusively produced by hand, using the original old
recipe, at the shops of some 150 special bakeries.
Here are some tips for you to enjoy your stollen to the maximum at
Christmastime.
Traditional stollen weight:
Traditionally, each Dresden Stollen ® has a weight of 2 kilograms. At this
size, ingredient blend and flavour are maximized. However, popularity of the
1,5-kilogram-stollen is on the increase. Dresden Stollen ® are also
available in 1 kilogram and 750 gram sizes.
To prevent drying up of the Dresden Stollen ® , ideally it should be wrapped
it in linen cloth and stored in a wooden box in a cool, dark place. However,
the Stollen may be stored in its original packing on a balcony or in a
closet. The ideal storage temperature is between 3°C and 10°C (37°F-50°F) at
about 70% air humidity. Avoid excessive warmth and frost. Do not
refrigerate.
The Dresden Stollen ® should not be cut immediately upon purchase. Buy the
stollen 2-4 weeks before Christmas, or before the first time you intend to
eat some of it. Cut the Dresden Stollen from its centre outwards to its
ends. Cut off only as much as you intended to eat at a given time. You can
prevent the stollen from drying up by keeping the remaining two halves
"pushed together" at the centre.
An original Stollen Knife is best for cutting the stollen (but any sharp
knife will do). The Dresden Stollen ® is a sweet pastry, so enjoy it with a
cup of coffee for a very satisfying taste experience.
There are 150 bakeries in Dresden and environs that are authorised to sell
Dresden Stollen with the offical seal of the Trademark Protection
Association "Dresdner Stollen".
Schutzverband Dresdner Stollen e.V.
Hohe Str. 22
D-01069 Dresden
Germany
Fon: +49 351 4715353
Fax: +49 351 4710100
Email
"
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