Christmas Cookies from Baden-Württemberg

Hutzelbrot is a traditional Christmas pastry and used to be prepared especially in farmer families.
Hutzeln are the halved, dried fruits of an old pear variety, also called Hutzel pear. The term "hutzelig" means something like "wrinkled" in Swabia and thus aptly describes the appearance of the dried pears.

He is tanned and has many names: In North Baden and the Electoral Palatinate he is known as Dambedei, in South Baden as Grätti- or Baselmann and in other regions he comes across as Weck- or Klausenmann. But no matter what name he bears, every child recognizes it immediately by its characteristic appearance.
With a pointed head, raisin eyes, almond mouth and the button placket made of nuts, the little yeast guy makes a real difference. The origin lies in church customs: people excluded from worship received blessed bread that was shaped like a man on the day of remembrance of Bishop Nikolaus von Myra.

In Southwest Germany, nothing says Christmas more than Springerle. These hard aniseed-flavoured biscuits can be eaten – but are also used as decoration in cafés, restaurants and even on Christmas trees! The dough is made of eggs, flour and sugar; wooden moulds, carved in medieval patterns, scenes and figures, create the traditional design. Moulds are sold in the Christmas markets and make a nice souvenir.

Whether in summer or winter, for breakfast, as a lunchtime or snack - pretzels are enjoyed in Southwest Germany at any time of the year or day. And it never gets boring. Because in Baden-Württemberg there are countless types of pretzels that differ in style, appearance and taste.

The New Year's pretzel is a special type of traditional pastry. For many, it is inextricably linked with the turn of the year. Originating from a New Year's ring, it still embodies eternity today and is a must at New Year's breakfasts. Often made from sweet, but occasionally also slightly salted yeast dough, the lucky charms can vary greatly in size and decoration. A particularly expansive specimen can measure up to a meter and weigh several kilos with many braided or cut decorations. According to old Baden custom, the New Year's gifts are sometimes embellished with coins baked into them.

Many legends surround the origin of the star-shaped bread with the peculiar name. Some are certain that the so called 'Mutschel', which is particularly popular in and around Reutlingen, is a kind of sacrificial bread. Others see the crumbly yeast pastry with its traditional eight spikes as a replica of the star of the wise men from the East.
The origin is also disputed. Was it really the Reutlingen baker Albrecht Mutschler who invented the spiced bread in the 13th century and gave it its name? What is certain is that the term “Mutsche” was already used in the Middle Ages to describe a small loaf of bread and “Mutschelmehl” is a term still used in many regions for breadcrumbs or breadcrumbs.
The “Mutscheltag” is a real custom. It is celebrated in Reutlingen on the Thursday after Epiphany. Where there used to be a prize shoot in which the best marksmen were rewarded with Mutscheln, today things are more moderate: in a convivial atmosphere, people compete for the trophy - or rather “gemutschelt”.