Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Veilchendienstag - Violet Tuesday


Today is Veilchendienstag which literally means Violet Tuesday. It is also referred to as Shrove Tuesday and it is the day before Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch) and usually falls between February 3 and March 9. It has many names, including “Fat Tuesday”, “Mardi Gras”, the “Tuesday of Carnival”, “Pancake Day” or “Faschingsdienstag”.




The origins of this flowery name are not quite clear, historians assume that the expression evolved because the day  before “Violet Tuesday” is often referred to as “Rose Monday” (Rosenmontag) and it was natural to be looking for a similar name with a flower in its designation.

Whatever the historic origins of the name, Veilchendienstag (Violet Tuesday) is observed in many ways worldwide. No matter what its name is, the day before Ash Wednesday has long been a time for eating and merry making. The world's longest Carnival celebration is in Brazil but many regions have popular events on the day. The Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans is typical of the masquerades and dancing in the streets that take place in many countries on this day as people prepare for the long Lenten fast.




And what a better day than Veilchendienstag (Violet Tuesday) to be baking miniature Marzipan Gugelhupfs 




…with an light violet icing….




…and incredibly delicious candied violets as decoration.




And to be enjoying these tiny Gugelhupfs alongside a cup of tea called Earl Grey´s Lady Violet, a wonderfully fragrant black tea from Darjeeling, with cornflower blossoms and natural bergamot flavor...




... to which we like to add some pretty rock candy.




Sources:
  • Earl Grey´s Lady Violet tea from Tee Gschwendner (www.teagschwendner.com)
  • Miniature Gugelhupf baking pan called "Gugelhupf Konfekt" and violet liquid food color both from Staedter (www.staedter.de)
  • Candied violets called "kandierte Veilchen" from Karl Müller Gewürzmanufaktur (www.shop.gewuerz-mueller.de)
  • Rock candy called "weißer Kandiszucker" from Pfeifer & Langen (www.pfeifer-langen.com)
  • Vintage dishes with violet design from Bareuther Waldsassen (www.ebay.de)





26 comments:

  1. What gorgeous treats and such beautiful tableware to go with them. Thank you for sharing this sweet post. I hope you are having a wonderful week of good food, love, and laughter.

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    1. Thanks so much, Monet - the tableware is vintage tableware and it has one of my favorite designs of all times, violets - pretty difficult to find these days, people seem to think that it is rather "old fashinoed" but I love it and think it is very pretty.

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  2. Hi Andrea! Sorry I've been absent here, but I hope all is well with you. I just saw your posts about the carnival and enjoyed seeing all the pictures. It seems like you've been busy as well. :) I was curious about your take on the orange / pork tenderloin dish I've seen on others' blogs, and you did it so beautifully too. And these treats look so good!! I want to live in your house...because I know your house is filled with good food!!

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    1. Nami, all those treats just called out to me during the last couple of days. Well, it is all these traditional pastries that we crave for these days and they were fun to make and eat.

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  3. How gorgeous! These little cakes knock the socks of pancakes! Particularly love your photo of the teacup with the fork - gorgeous styling, Andrea!

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    1. Hester, thank you very much - I did like your pretty Crêpes for "Pancake Day" quite e bit too - they looked and sounded delicious!

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  4. Violet Tuesday sure has a better ring to it than Shrove Tuesday :) And your beautiful mini cakes are perfect for an extra indulgence today!

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    1. Liz, it is a cute name for this day and I am very fond of it - violets are just the prettiest flowers.

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  5. This is the most gorgeous blog post I've seen in awhile. Your pictures are incredible, and your story of Violet Tuesday is wonderful.

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    1. Kristin, what a delightful compliment! Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!

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  6. So tiny and sweet those cakes! We´re in Carnaval week here, but it doesn´t include any special food, just costumes, feathers, and parades! But now they´re not everywhere just in some cities. I like violet tuesday, I wish I knew and baked something.

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    1. Paula, the term "Violet Tuesday" is actually used only in some parts of Germany, for example, where we live, the Rhineland, I love that term and the ideas that it conjures up.

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  7. I love most any thing in miniature--they are just so cute! And beautiful.
    Your photos are wonderful.

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    1. Cindy, thank you very much - mini is cute, especially when it comes to tiny baking pans. And these are indeed tiny, as you can see, the baked mini cakes fit on a cake fork.

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  8. These little cakes look lovely. I adore the candied violets. Great photos.

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    1. Thanks so much. Geraldine - actually, this is the first time that I have used candied violets and we really liked the way they looked and tasted, not too sweet and with a hint of violets, delectable.

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  9. I've enjoyed reading about your Carnival celebrations. You have some wonderful ones!

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    1. Thank you so much, Beth - now it is onto spring and Easter. I love this time of year, flowers and pretty colors and the first fresh vegetables will arrive soon.

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  10. I have never heard of Violet Tuesday before, but I love the look of these adorable little teacakes.

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    1. "Violet Tuesday" is an expression from the "Rhineland" where I was born and where we live today, it marks the last day of Carnival and I just find that name for this day "irresistible".

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  11. How gorgeous, Andrea! I have not sen Earl Grey's Lady Violet tea and now I must find it. Everything is picture perfect and makes me wish I could sit down to tea with you.

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    1. Elaine, than I will send you some delciately flavored "Earl Grey´s Lady Violet" by mail - it is a tea that is mixed by my favorite tea merchant who happens to be only a twenty minute drive from here. I will get some a.s.a.p. and send it! Thank you so much for the lovely comment and I cannot imagine a nicer afternoon that sitting down with you and enjoying some of that tea together!

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  12. Hi, Andrea! Oh, you are too wonderful and generous! Yes, my address is the same, but you shouldn't go to the trouble or the expense!

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    1. Elaine, but it will be so much fun and I am sure you will like the tea, it is nothing, really.

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  13. Such beautiful and tiny little cakes. I'm glad you placed the one on the fork so that we could see how small they really are. I love your "old fashioned" tea set...I have one with roses that I brought back from England years ago.

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    1. Karen, these miniature Gugelhupfs are the latest craze around here - I bought a pan recently and they look delightful when baked, greasing and re-greasing the tiny Gugelhupfs is a bit time consuming however. But I love the way they look like and their "bite-size" too.

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