You really tasted Leipziger Lerchen? Wow. One of my absolute favourite sweet treats. The best are IMO from Kändler's vis-a-vis St. Thomas church. Grundmann's are second best IMO.

Ingo - those Leipziger Lerchen look and sound to me rather like an english Bakewell tart - pastry crust spread with [usually] raspberry jam, topped with a sponge mix made with ground almonds rather than flour, then baked. the photo seems to show the top criss-crossed with pastry too, which is traditional for Bakewell Tart as well.

sadly I've never had the Leipzig version but i hope one day to have the chance to do so.

Nope, annhig, they are different. No raspberry jam. They are filled with a marcipan/flour mix. They first came up in 1876, btw.

The Lerchen was very tasty indeed, Ingo, and I also read about the song bird legend behind it. There is a also a similar Swedish pastry called a Mazarin that seems a bit lighter in texture and also has an almond filling:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CD7BaIaYyA...00/mazarin.jpg

Is Kändler's the cafe with the composer teas? I had a very delicious sandwich there accompanied by a pot of "J.S. Bach" tea. Only in Leipzig.

That Swedish pastry looks very different but maybe it tastes similar. I must try it ;-)

I don't think Kändler's has J. S. Bach tea. There are a couple of cafes vis-a-vis from St. Thomas, could be a different one. To tell the truth, I always order a Darjeeling, not J. S. Bach tea ;-)

Rebecka, your report has been really helpful! We will be in Leipzig for 6 days with 2 kids ages 9 & 14. Both play instruments so the concert info is very helpful! anything else you would recommend specifically for kids?

loteti, there was nothing I experienced that was specifically kid-related. However, one of the few things I missed was the Leipzig Zoo and it did sound interesting. Perhaps the tourist office would be more helpful. Hope you and the kids have a wonderful trip!

Looks like Ingo and I should start a pastry thread. Anyway, when at its best I would say that I prefer the Mazarin over the Lerchen. But if you love marzipan you should also try my favorite cake in the world - Swedish Princess Cake which is yellow cake layered with creme fraiche, jam, and whipped cream covered with a thin layer of pale green marzipan. As for tea, my favorite is still Earl Grey. Goes great with Princess Cake, Lerchens and Mazarins! ;-)

LOL, Rebecka, I guess we already have a pastry thread here! Your description of the Princess Cake is mouth-watering. Yum. I don't have a favourite cake, there are so many with so many different taste. Engadin nut cake is one of the favourites. And Dresdner Eierschecke. Oh my. But Earl Grey? I don't like the Bergamotte flavour. I stick with the flowery Darjeeling.

Loteti, the Zoo is a *must*. It is fantastic, I loved it, and kids do, too. And what about a canoe tour on Leipzig's canals? http://www.bootstour-leipzig.de/angebote

Or water skiing/wake boarding on a lake in Leipzig's south? http://www.wasserski-leipzig.de/

The huge monument of the Battle of Nations would probably be fun for the kids, too. Climbing up the stairs inside keeps them busy for a while (and exhausted, LOL) and the views from the top are not bad either.

Another idea: the kids' mini train. www.parkeisenbahn-auensee-leipzig.de

Thanks, Ingo, those are all great suggestions! We are renting an apartment in Markkleeberg so we will be near a lake - walking distance to one, I think, from looking at the map. thanks again!

Looks like Ingo and I should start a pastry thread. Anyway, when at its best I would say that I prefer the Mazarin over the Lerchen. But if you love marzipan you should also try my favorite cake in the world - Swedish Princess Cake which is yellow cake layered with creme fraiche, jam, and whipped cream covered with a thin layer of pale green marzipan. >>

i think you would like english simnel cake, which is made specifically at easter. it is basically a rich fruit cake [the sort we have at Christmas] but without icing, just marzipan on the outside with 11 marzipan balls on the top, one for each of the apostles except judas. A variation is to put a layer of marzipan through the middle, which is what I did this year. the family pronounced it very good.

sorry to drag us off in an even more cake-bound direction!

To the cake topic, let me add that Kleckselkuchen I had at Arabischer Coffe-Baum. A rather simple, homemade-looking cake but sooo yummy. It has three different toppings (cheese, cherry, and poppyseed) so you have three cakes in one. Among all those huge cream tarts they have, this one looks rather plain and may easily be overlooked, but it is highly recommended. Both me and the staff had fun when I took these photos of my little travel companion and the cake: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/a4a05/#TL

An article on the newly-renovated <b>Bach Museum</b> appeared on today's Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...125386174.html

Sounds like it'll be appropriate for children too!

quokka - I don't know which I love more - Russell or teh Kleckselkuchen.

great pics.

Ann, to me the choice is easy, I would never give Russell away for a piece of Kleckselkuchen...

yk, reading the article makes me doubly sad that I missed the museum opening. But I did have one of those Bachthalers and it was delicious!

And for you, Ingo, I posted here a picture of the delectable marzipan pastry I enjoyed in Amsterdam. I think it was my favorite beause it reminded me a lot of Princess Cake. Can you see the jam and cream inside it? Mmmm ...

Rebecka, where did you post the photo? No link to see. Thus I cannot see the jam and cream inside ... which is maybe a good thing, LOL.

yk, thanks for the link to the Wallstreet Journal article. I'll check the Bach museum out soon.

Rebecka, now there's a reason for you to go back to Leipzig!

Ingo, just click on my name and you should see it.

Yes, yk, the Bach Museum is now on my new list of things to see!

Awww... that cake looks very sweet!

Agreed!