German Market at Birmingham

Date: 5th Dec 2007
Venue: Victoria Square & Upper New Street, Birmingham

There will be Frankfurt Christmas market in the city of Birmingham every year
when Christmas is approaching. With over 90 stalls, this is the largest authentic
German Christmas market outside of Germany or Austria. It’s a great place to
look for unusual gifts including toys, candles, glasswork, decorations, textiles
and lacework. Warming food and drink is on sale including Bratwurst,
roasted chestnuts and Glühwein.

Visitors from all over the region and further afield come to the Frankfurt
Christmas Market in Birmingham to buy unusual and handmade gifts, including
ceramics, candles, glasswork, jewellery and Christmas decorations.
A number of stalls also feature traditional German items such as wooden
toys, nativity scenes and marionettes.

Visitors are also able to sample the delights of German mulled wine (Glühwein),
grilled sausages, German beer, and for those with a sweet tooth, gingerbread
and marzipan sweets. For the first time this year, a range of daily baked
traditional German breads and pastries will be available.

Many parties of school children from all over the region visit the market
to experience the atmosphere of a great German Christmas tradition. A number
of schools help to develop differentiated activity packs for primary and
secondary pupils to use either in the classroom or whilst visiting the market.
These packs include a trail for taking them around the market.

The origins of the Christmas Market in Frankfurt can be traced right back to
1393. In Mediaeval times, the original Frankfurt Christmas Market was
exclusively for the burghers and the city’s craftsmen reserved their finest wares
for local people. Little wooden carts and rag dolls were among the favourites,
and later on wooden hobby horses were introduced. Sweets made with almonds,
marzipan, dried fruits and honey were also popular. Many of these original sweets,
along with gingerbread and other delicacies, are featured at the Frankfurt Christmas
Market in Birmingham. The Frankfurt Christmas Market is now so well established
in the Birmingham events calendar that it is an annual feature.

This is the first time i visit German market.... it was very crowded but i enjoyed
myself very much.



Stall selling candles


Chocolates !!!!!!


Another stall selling chocolates


Happy Christmas Birmingham


Stall selling biscuits


Stall selling waffles. 10 for £3


Stall selling mugs & plates


Stall selling Christmas deco


Stall selling ginger biscuit


Stall selling burger


Potatoes & mushrooms...............£4


Red & white giant sausages



Nelson with the £2.50 giant red sausage bread



Mulled wine (£2.50)


Merry-Go-Round

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Note: What is Mulled wine????
Mulled wine, variations of which are popular around the world, is wine,
usually red wine, combined with spices and typically served hot. In the
old times wine often went bad, but by adding spices and honey it could
be made drinkable again. Nowadays it is a traditional drink during
winter used, especially around Christmas, to warm up. In Italy, this
beverage is typically drunk in the northern part of the country.


How to make mulled wine????
Ingredients:
1) 2 Bottles of Red wine (a rough dark red is best) Country wines with plenty
of tannin do well. Bilberry, damson, blackberry, black plum and blackcurrant.
Why the rough wines do better than the good ones when mulling wines I'll never
know but its a fortunate fact, and its the destiny for my elderberry which never
quite made the grade.
2) Four small oranges
3) 1 Large lemon
4) Orange rind
5) Brown Sugar (or 2 table spoons of Honey)
6) 12 Cloves
7) 2 sticks of Cinnamon (Each 3 inches long)
8) Aniseed & Fennel optional

Instructions:
1) Insert 4 cloves into each small orange
2) Grate the peal from the fourth orange and squeeze the juice into a cup
3) Grate the peel from the lemon and squeeze the juice into the cup of
orange juice.
4) Add the grated orange & lemon peel and the three small oranges to
into a pan
5) Add the Cinnamon sticks. (and optionally other spices such as Aniseed
& Fennel)
6) Pour the bottles of wine into a pan and warm to about 60C (140F)
(DO NOT BOIL).
7) If possible warm the gasses to be used
8) Add the orange & lemon juice
9) Add sugar or honey to taste, stiring while adding.