After taking the first bite of the Black Forest cake, the dense cream wrapped in the 56° richness of the cherry liqueur, it was as if I had signed a contract with the devil of Faust. The devil asked, “Are you not seeking eternal wisdom?” I’ll take you to find the meaning of life.” The meaning of life seems to be right in front of you. That’s the beauty of the Black Forest.
The Black Forest (also known as the Teutonic Forest) is located in Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, with the Rhine Valley to the west and south, and the highest peak is the Feldberg Mountain at an altitude of 1,493 meters, where the Danube and Neckar rivers originate. The Black Forest is 160 kilometers long from north to south and 60 kilometers from east to west, and there are large pine and fir forests.
The Black Forest is a tourist destination in Germany, famous for its cuckoo clocks, Black Forest cakes, Black Forest hams, honey and pork knuckles, and many Grimm’s fairy tales such as Snow White and Cinderella take place here.
As early as the 19th century, the Black Forest was a meeting place for the German elite and the European elite, for which magnificent hotels, palaces and baths were built. Today, it is home to the oldest casino in Germany and the ruins of the Roman era.
There are many different opinions about the origin of the name “Black Forest Cake”. One perception is that black chocolate chips are reminiscent of a black forest. Another view is that the cherry wine (Kirschwasser), an important ingredient in Black Forest cakes, is a specialty of the Black Forest. There is also a belief that the Black Forest cake commonly seen today did not originally come from the Black Forest, but was probably named because the cake resembles the national costume of the Black Forest region, with black chocolate chips resembling a black coat, white cream resembling a white shirt, and the cherries on the cream are reminiscent of the black forest’s characteristic pompoms with red beads on a white background.
The first official account of the cherry cake in the Black Forest appeared in 1934 in Erich Weibel’s pastry book. In those days, Black Forest cakes appeared mainly in high-class pastry shops in Berlin and other large cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and soon after became one of the most famous and popular cakes in Germany and became famous all over the world. In many countries, some ingredients in Black Forest cakes have been replaced with local specialties or alcohol has been removed.
In 2003, the National Pastry Management Measures stipulated that the Black Forest cake is a cherry wine cream cake, the cake filling is cream, and it can also be served with cherries, and the amount of cherry wine added must be able to clearly taste the taste of the wine. Cake base with a thin dough cake containing at least 3% cocoa powder or degreased water cocoa, or a crispy cake base; The cake is wrapped in cream and garnished with chocolate chips. At the same time, the German government stipulates that the cream of Black Forest cakes must contain 80 grams of cherry juice in order to be sold under the name “Black Forest Cakes”.
Walking in the Black Forest in the drizzle, hiding in a German-style bistro deep in the jungle, and tasting authentic Black Forest cakes, rich and creamy with a hint of cherry wine, this is the romance of adults.
