Tomorrow is Fastnacht day!!! Fastnachts are a doughnut consumed in Pennsylvania on Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). This year it falls on Feb. 13. People order them by the dozens. It’s one of those foods you can’t ignore. After all, they are available for only a few days every year. Fastnacht is a German word meaning “night before the fast.” These baked goods were originally created to use up the lard, sugar, butter, eggs and other rich foods…
It was luminaria night here last Saturday. Here in Bethlehem, luminaria night is a fund raiser for New Bethany Ministries and many people participate. Luminaria Night started nineteen years ago when neighbors wanted to…
I had meant to write about the beauty of Moravian stars found in my community. That is, until, my daughter decided to pour blue slime down the inside of my Moravian star, necessitating a…
This will be a very photo heavy post but in light of all the recent sadness in the world, I wanted to focus on something happy. Photographs by Catrina Carlson Our dear friends were…
In our part of Eastern Pennsylvania (Lehigh, Northampton and Berks counties), it is not uncommon to see a hex sign on the sides of older barns. Hex signs are always shown in a circular…
Spring has come to Eastern Pennsylvania, melting the thirteen inches of snow we got two weeks ago. It is time for dandelion salad. Yes, you read that correctly. Dandelion here is a Spring delicacy.…
Have you ever crossed a griddle cake with a chock full of currants scone? The resulting love child is a welsh tea cake. I’ve seen them cooked on both the stove top and in…
In our family, kiffles are something we enjoy every holiday season (Christmas and Easter). A kiffle is a Hungarian cookie with a flaky dough and a delicious filling, much beloved in the Lehigh Valley,…
Christmas is a special time here in Bethlehem. Many of our popular holiday decorations and practices have origins in the Moravian church which shapes our celebrations. These festive traditions mark the holiday season for…
I was raised in the Moravian town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, one of America’s most beautiful and unique colonial settlements. Immensely proud of my hometown, I thought I would share its religious and historic origins. Let’s…