Originally published on PRLog.com.
On January 3rd, 2015, the German American Cultural Foundation celebrated the arrival of the New Year by hosting an Original Feuerzangenbowle und Gulaschsuppe event at Atlanta’s Der Biergarten.
Rudi Herbst and Dennis Wagner, preparing the Feuerzangenbowle.
Almost 100 people attended the Original Feuerzangenbowle und Gulaschsuppe celebration, which lasted from 7pm until after midnight in a private room at Der Biergarten. Tickets to the event were $70, which included Feuerzangenbowle (flaming fire tongs punch), Gulaschsuppe (a German variation of goulash), unlimited beer and wine, a German American Cultural Foundation mug, and parking at Der Biergarten. Proceeds from the event fund the German American Cultural Foundation and its supported organizations.
Mugs with the GACF logo, which were given out to attendees during the event containing the delicious Feuerzangenbowle beverage.
The evening centered on the creation and serving of Feuerzangenbowle, a traditional punch made from rum, red wine, oranges, lemons, cinnamon, cloves, and burnt sugar. Rudi Herbst, Vice Chairman of the German American Cultural Foundation, prepared it for the event. The ingredients used were imported from Germany to create authentic, high-quality Feuerzangenbowle.
Rudi Herbst making the Feuerzangenbowle.
The Feuerzangenbowle was made in a large, stainless steel pot for the event. Rudi Herbst began by heating red wine, spices, and citrus slices in the pot. He then placed a metal grate with Zuckerhut (sugar cones) over the pot. The Zuckerhut were soaked with rum, then lit on fire and allowed to slowly drip into the punch.
The Feuerzangenbowle tradition has its roots deep in German history, but its modern popularity is thanks in large part to the 1944 film, Die Feuerzangenbowle, and the novel of the same name which inspired it. The story follows a famous writer as he goes undercover as a student to experience what his friends tell him is the “best part of growing up”—an experience he missed by being homeschooled as a boy. The movie is a cheerful, escapist romp and is a beloved classic of German cinema.
Der Biergarten’s Adidas room during the event.
About GACF
The German American Cultural Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the transatlantic relationship between the United States and German-speaking countries. It promotes and preserves the German language and German cultural heritage through supporting educational activities, community events, the arts, and other institutions with similar goals. To learn more about the German American Cultural Foundation and the organizations it supports, visit http://www.gac-foundation.org.