TheObessiveBaker

Hi Lavandula,
Thank you
So my plan for now is to travel to these following countries, most likely, in these order as well (better geographically speaking) - flying into Copenhegen, Denmark, from there I'll work my way down to Germany, then either Austria or Switzerland (or both if I have enough time), France, Spain, then probably back track to Italy, Amsterdam after that it would be to England and Ireland.
I am looking to try anything new in all these countries, dessert wise, and see if anything is way too awesome that i will make it my selling star for my catering business (eventually to be a bakery). I have been reading all the comments that are left on this discussion and they have helped a lot! I might take a couple short classes, like a day or 2. Since the injury to my back, I can no longer stand for more than 3 hours at a time .. so full time classes are out of the question.

cathies

Many years ago I ran a catering business and it wasn't unusual to stand for 16 hours per day in a busy week. I don't mean to be negative but your dream of a catering business and then a bakery sounds like a pipe dream with your sort of back problems.

TheObessiveBaker

Hi Sparkchaser,
Sorry, I forgot to ask you on my previous post, you said Ireland is 90 days ? I thought Ireland isn't in the Schengen Zone. I researched and only mostly the connecting countries in Europe belong in Schengen Zone. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area ]
Or is it only Northern Ireland is allowed under the six months and England and Ireland will both still be considered in the Schengen Zone ?

TheObessiveBaker

Hi Ribeirasacra
Thank you very much for the detailed listed links for Spainish desserts.. though I think they are all in Spanish so I can't really understand it. But I will still research the names of the desserts you provided to find the English recipes


Hi Hetismij2,
Yes, I keep forgetting it's 90 days not 3 months. That takes away a few good days.


Hi Odin,
That's great news! I didn't know the best bakeries are in Copenhagen, good thing I booked my ticket to fly in there first! I am still a little unsure if I have the time to squeeze in Sweden or not, but since there aren't any decent bakeries, it helps me decide easier.

bilboburgler

The British Isles are not in the Schengen zone. This includes Eire, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales plus all the other states like Isle of Man, Jersey etc.

sparkchaser

Ireland is not in the Schengen Zone. Neither is the UK. The UK limit for an American on a tourist visa is 6 months. Ireland limit for a tourist visa for Americans is 90 days. It just happens to be a coincidence that Ireland and Schengen Zone are both 90 days.

The UK includes: England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland.

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, and Gibraltar while not part of the UK are British Crown dependencies and as such fall under the Common Travel Area and maintains a full customs union with the United Kingdom. What that means is that you're under the 6 month limit that the UK enforces. If I am incorrect on this, I will be set straight.

TheObessiveBaker

Hi Cathinjoetown,
Do you happen to remember the name of the croissant place in Spain ?
And yes, I agree much more research is needed. I am doing that as we speak! I just wanted to get everyone's opinion on where they think its best and why. It helps to get people's opinion rather than only basing what I find online, without talking to live people.


Hi MissPrism,
Thank you for the suggestions on the pastries!
I don't know why the sponsored by Betty's thing pops up .. I didn't do anything for it to be there.


Hi Tulips,
I've been planning but everything is still in a brainstorm. I will check out the Harrod's Foods Hall, it looks interesting and containing a lot of information.

TheObessiveBaker

Hi Lavandula (again, sorry, I saw your earlier message first and wanted to reply it and didn't see your later message until now!)

The big bakery chains you mentioned in Germany, which one is the best one, in your opinion ?
I don't trust chains as much sometimes, because once they grow, the quality goes south. They start using cheaper ingredients to save cost in order to mass produce.
I love it when cities have bakeries on every block!

sparkchaser

<i>The big bakery chains you mentioned in Germany, which one is the best one, in your opinion ?
I don't trust chains as much sometimes, because once they grow, the quality goes south. They start using cheaper ingredients to save cost in order to mass produce. </i>

I live in Franconia and my favorite chain hands down is Der Beck. Fuchs is also very good. Both are only found in Franconia. Both are better than most of the smaller bakeries around here.

sparkchaser

I hope when you pack that you bring some clothes that are a size or two bigger than what you currently wear. All of these pastries and limited mobility sounds like a sure-fire recipe for an extra 10-20lbs.

TheObessiveBaker

Hahahaha, i hope to walk a lot and maybe some cycling so I don't gain all that weight!!

Thanks for the recommendations, I've noted Der Beck down and Fuchs.
Where are you located now ?

TheObessiveBaker

Oh wait, sorry, I just read there you said you live in Franconia.

Odin

<<I am still a little unsure if I have the time to squeeze in Sweden or not, but since there aren't any decent bakeries, it helps me decide easier.>> I hope no Swedes are reading this thread. Baking in Sweden is excellent. I only said that small towns/villages will not have local specialities/local bakeries in the same way that you get in France/Spain/Italy, where in small villages you almost always have a baker/patisserie. Sweden is a big country sparsely populated in areas, so to reach local food producers, you will need a car and plenty of time. Swedish cakes include:
Semlor- a cardamom bun baked for lent, with marzipan and cream
Princess cake - layered sponge with jam & cream covered in marzipan
Kladdkaka-gooey chocolate cake
Lussebulle- saffron bun similar to those found in the UK
Scandinavians love marzipan.

http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/Th...od-traditions/

Stockholm has a famous central market. It is the most beautiful city in the summer.

http://www.ostermalmshallen.se/en/

If you don't have time to go to Sweden, you can visit a Scandinavian cafe in central London, where they bake their own cakes:

http://www.scandikitchen.co.uk/?page_id=30

This link will give you the top bakeries in Copenhagen, the photo with the wedding cakes is Conditori La Glace. They bake macaroons too.

http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copen...es-patisseries.

LucyStanmore

I think Spain is great in September - not too hot and not too cold. However, as my other fellow reviewers said, there are not many pastries or delicacies in Spain. Have you thought about going in some of the Eastern European countries as well? I've been to Romania, for example, and they have an extremely large variety of delicious cakes, pies and pastries. I think they're all traditional to that part of the continent, so maybe you should take them into consideration.

sparkchaser

While in Germany, it might be worth your while to stop into one of the larger Döner restaurants, i.e., a place that has more than 4-6 tables, and sample the Turkish pastries.

Cathinjoetown

The pasteleria in San Sebastiàn/Donastia with the great croissants is in a large square behind the city hall. Of course I don't remember the name, but it's in the northwest corner of the square, which is actually a long rectangle.

The coffee is excellent, there are tables and chairs outside. A good variety of pastries.

I love San Sebastiàn but would not go just for the croissants!

lavandula

Hi ObsessiveBaker, in answer to your question, I don't have a favourite bakery chain - I don't live in Germany anymore, but return often. Kamps is one of the bigger chains, along with the Wiener one. Ditsch has more savoury stuff - salami mini-pizzas, for instance, or bread rolls made of the same stuff as Brezeln (Laugenbroetchen or Laugenstangen). I only know Le Crobag from railway stations. Mostly we buy bread or treats from the bakeries in the supermarket where we are at. When I lived in Wiesbaden I often used to go to the local Wiener Feinbäckerei because it was close, and open Sunday mornings (most businesses are not allowed to open Sundays). The quality is good, even with the big chains in my opinion, because there is so much competition. It would not surprise me though if there were fewer regional specialties baked in the big chains. Ditsch has pretty generic food; I have not noticed regional specialities there, but I'd be happy to be corrected on that.

You will find that there are some baked goods that have different names in different regions. Berliner Pfannkuchen (fried jam doughnuts) are called Berliner in some places; in Wiesbaden they are Krapfen, and in Frankfurt they are Kreppel. I don't know where they originated; let's suppose it's Berlin (!), but they are available pretty much everywhere. Bread rolls also have different names - Brötchen is the least regional, but they are also known as Semmel (S. Ger), Wecken (S. Ger / Austria) or Schrippen (Berlin).

Good luck, I think you will need to create yourself a food map. You've cast the net very wide!

Lavandula

IMDonehere

Here is the matriarch of the family in Spain making filloas. She uses a tilted stone that is heated underneath by a wood fire. She pours the batter from the top and by the time it gets to the bottom the filloa (a rustic crepe) is formed. It is always uneven but with a rich smokey flavor.

In the next town they add cow's blood to the batter.

Please let me know if you cannot open the photo.

https://plus.google.com/u/1/photos/y...41271811111555

TheObessiveBaker

Hi Odin,
Wow, I didn't know Sweden was that big on pastries! I will definitely have to make time to go there. Or maybe I save Sweden for a much longer time for the next trip (6 months after this first trip). I would need to spend probably a month or longer there to fully absorb all the goodies you mentioned. I only know of about half of what you've listed. I've been concentrated more on French desserts rather than Swedish.
And thank you very much for the links to London's cafe. I'm bookmarking it.
Also many thanks on the links to the bakeries in Copenhagen. Looks like I'm diving right in on the first day of my trip!

TheObessiveBaker

Hi LucyStanmore,
I have, I want to go to Poland, Romania, Hungary and Turkey. Those countries will be saved for the second trip to the EU. What would be the best time to go to that region, in your opinion ?


Hi Sparkchaser,
Hmm, that sounds like a great idea! Are there a lot of Döner restaurants and would they be easy to spot ? I will sample some Turkish pastries, they also look delish!