A number of students from Chisinau who attend creation centers on December 19 learned to ornate the German cookie Lebkuchen, which is a Christmas tradition, on December 19. The cookies were baked one day earlier and provided for the children to develop creativity. The event was organized by the public association German House “Hoffnung” in Moldova to promote German Christmas traditions and culture, IPN reports.
The association’s prescient Tatiana Iurev said Lebkuchen is a German powerfully spiced sweet cookie of different forms and is part of the Christmas baked products. This can be found mainly at Christmas bazaars and festivals. The cookies are offered to children as treats on the eve of Christmas and on Easter, at wedding parties, name days, etc. They contain sweeteners, traditionally honey. Water, milk and fats are added in a small amount or not at all. They are flavored with anise, ginger, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon etc.
The cookies can have the form of stars, hearts, horses, angels, different animals and birds and other figurines. In the 18th century, they started to make these into little houses. A legend says the German bakers were inspired by a tale. This said two children who were abandoned in the wood found a house made from bread with sugar decorations and found refuge in it. This way the cookies in the form of little houses became a symbol of Christmas wonders.
“The masterclass has a nice purpose - to promote authentic German culture. We try to present this German tradition of making cookies to the public, especially to children,” said Petru Vicol, director of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History.
Viorica Paraschiv, of the extra-scholl activity center “Curcubeu”, said that before coming to this workshop, the children studied the story of this cookie and expressed interest in decorating and tasting it.
Before the masterclass, the students visited an exhibition of photographs with Lebkuchen cookies to see what they have to do.
