A few of my favorite things~ Candy in Germany

The other day I blogged about my favorite foods you can buy in German grocery stores. I am sure you have been waiting for my post about all the delicious candies and sweets I constantly buy and send family and friends back in the States. 

Here is a list of my top favorites (in no particular order):

Böhme Fruchtkaramellen
I have always enjoyed getting these little treats at restaurants after a meal but FINALLY learned they sell them at the grocery store down the street. These are very similar to Starbursts but are WAY better!

Happy Hippos
These are everyones go to item when I take the to a grocery store in Germany during a visit. I admit, I do not blame them for bringing an extra suitcase just for Happy Hippos. They are made of a wafer biscuit, shaped like a hippopotamus and the inside is filled with chocolate and vanilla icing.

Ritter Sport 
My all time favorite chocolates! Ritter Sport is family business that started when Alfred and Clara (over 100 years ago) decided to dedicate their lives to make chocolate and this today means a square chocolate bar that comes in many flavours/mixes.  
My top favorites are: Honig-Salz-Mandel, Alpenmilch, Erdbeer yohgurt, Espresso and Nugat

Milka
Another tasty chocolate bar that has numerous flavors from Oreo to hazelnut. They are all delicious.

Haribo
All German supermarkets sell the HARIBO and it is almost overwhelming to pick one when you see all the different kinds they have. Also, the Haribo gummy bears here in Germany taste so much better here. Don't quote me on this but I think that they use different better ingredients on their Germany candies. 
My top favorites: Goldbären, Happy Cherries, Happy Cola, Balla Stixx, Lasso (I usually can only find these ones at Globus or at festivals) 

Kinder Surpise
These funny chocolate eggs are illegal in America because of the bite sized toy that comes in every Kinder egg. My husband is usually not a fan of candy but enjoys these layered chocolate and vanilla flavored eggs.

Kinder Bueno
These little chocolate bars are hazelnut cream filled wafers with a chocolate covering. 

Tofifee
These bite-sized treats are a carmel cup filled with chocolate with a surprise hazelnut in the middle. 

Nutella
Oh Nutella... I had to post this one because this is the stuff everyone asks for. Yes, you can buy it in the States BUT it is definitely different ingredients. The stuff here in Germany tastes WAY better and is WAY cheaper. I can buy a huge jar of this stuff for 3euro while a smaller sized jar is $8+ in the US.

*I just want to say that while I wrote this I ate a whole bar of Ritter Sport Honig-Salz-Mandel, lol 

A few of my favorite things~ German style

As we are starting to get ready for our big move back to the States, I have been coming up with lists of what I will miss most in Germany. One of the things I love most about Germany is the food! 
I have been avoiding the commissary on base and shopping exclusively on the economy the past couple years. I will have to make a separate post about candy in Europe.  

Here is a list of my top favorites:

Thomy Scharfer Senf
LOVE this stuff! It is a little spicy so you can get the other one (with a blue top) and it is not as spicy.

Kräuter butter
You can make your own but I just buy it at the local store for cheap. I will have to learn to make it when we move back to the States. This surf is amazing with pretzels or other bread and vegetables! 

Müller milch, reis, johgurt, desserts EVERYTHING!!!
Seriously, everything I buy from Müller is amazing! I love it all! I even bought some crazy looking flavor mike and yogurts and they were the best tasting thing I have ever tasted!

ButterKäse
I love cheese and this one has quickly become one of my favorites. It is smooth and creamy and is a semi-soft, cow's milk cheese. This has also become one of Rand's favorites. I buy it in slices for sandwiches and get it cubed for snacks. 

Knorr Karibik sauce
I enjoy lots of Knorr products but this one if one of my favorites. It is great for fish but I love it with grilled pineapple. YUM!

Joghurt kräuter

Germans definitely know how to make a spectacular salad and it is only right that the dressings are just as amazing! Joghurt Kräuter is my all time favorite dressing and I think half of my household goods will be jars of this stuff ;)

Pesto Calabrese

I have been obsessed with gnocchi lately and this stuff is fabulous with it. I usually just boil the gnocchi and after draining, mix this stuff with it and bake it with more cheese for a few minutes. It is seriously the most amazing sauce you will ever buy at a grocery store.

Lotus Speculoos Cookiebutter and Biscuits

Cookiebutter?! Yes, you heard that right! This stuff is like crack. Just slab some on a cookie or mix it in to make a cake or other dessert and your taste buds will be dancing all night. You will find tons of recipes online on how this little jar of heaven can upgrade any recipe instantly. 

Schweppes Bitter Lemon
Nothing tops an iced cold glass of this carbonated soft drink flavoured with quinine and lemon. This has quickly become my go-to beverage while in Germany. My Dad is also a big fan of this drink.

I could honestly go on for days abut my favorite things to buy at the grocery store... the bio fresh produce, the cheeses you can sample, the jams and the bakery aisle, all the yogurts ... it is all amazing. You will probably need to swing by a few grocery stores to find the products you want. For example, I love grocery shopping at Lidl but I know I need to go to Kauflands or Edeka for other specialty items.

One of the first things I noticed while shopping in Europe is that plastic or paper shopping bags cost money. Usually anywhere from ,50 euro cent to 1 euro. I quickly bought a few canvas bags but my favorite shopping bags are actually a Reisenthel carrybag and easyshoppingbag.

I highly encourage you to go out and grocery shop on the economy. I know it is overwhelming the first few times but it is worth it. You will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the products and food along with the low prices. I honestly think that shopping off base for food is much cheaper.

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Chocolate & Cheese Tasting in Switzerland

A friend of mine (whose son is friends with Rand) and I have been talking about taking a "Mom's day out" trip for a while. We came across a tour given for military members nearby with MWR. We left very early (around 2am) and headed off to Switzerland for the day. 

In the morning, we arrived at the Nestle/Cailler World Headquarters for a tour and tasting. The tour was short and entertaining but I was very excited about the smorgasbord of chocolate! All of it was amazing and after tasting all the delicious chocolates, we visited the gift shop and the cafe. We heard the hot chocolate was to die for... so of course we got some and we were not disappointed. 

Our next stop was the La Maison du Gruyère cheese factory. We got a little tasting during our short tour that were 3, 6 and 9 months of aging. After the brief tour (that is self-guided) we enjoyed some fondue in their restaurant. 

During our free time in Gruyères, we visited the historic Château de Gruyères, built in the 1200’s and designated a Swiss Heritage Site of National Significance. We also came across the terrifying H.R. Giger museum but we passed it and got a drink at the bar across the street instead.