Lola

Some of you will have recognised this with a feel of "You are kidding?". It is undoubtedly way too early but Spekulatius are back in the shops.

And accrding to a well-known on-line source of Info "The German Spekulatius, traditional in Westphalia and the Rhineland, ... is  popular throughout the country around Christmas and usually not available at other times of the year."

I wonder what part of September 2nd is "close" to Xmas?  Maybe they text, I don't know.

They are, however, cracking biscuits and I will be eating them until I can't find anymore.

Which brings me on to Another Cultural Difference.  If Spekulatius were made in Britain, there would be at least 16 different kinds (on the principle that more is MORE) and they would be available all the year round.  Here in Germany, you can buy these big ones and small ones.  Occasionally you can find them with chocolate on.  You can buy them until January and then they're gone.  You can look forward to them.  I like that difference.

Today's title was inspired by the journey home on the bus.  I got on at the same time as a woman with her child in a push chair.  They travelled exactly as far as I did and for the whole way, the small and athletically lunged child howled.  I could only make out the word "Lola".  When they got off the bus, she stopped.