Aldi German Week

Happy German Week!  Frohe deutsche Woche!  (I think that's how you'd say it, but I'm not sure.)  

In the United States, Aldi sells food specially imported from Germany twice a year.  German Week at Aldi started this fall on Wednesday, September 17th, 2025.  Well technically it's not fall yet, but it sure feels like it around here.  I was watching the leaves fall in a nearby forest-y area yesterday.  There was also a continuous crackling noise, as if a group of squirrels were busy chewing tree nuts and dropping bits all over the branches.  Maybe they're stuffing themselves in preparation for the cold weather.  I couldn't imagine falling leaves making so much bumpy noises and I didn't actually see squirrels up there, but maybe they're camouflaged.  What else could it be.  Anyhow, I went to the store to get some pretzels, potato sticks, egg & potato blend, cherry frangipane, and a mushroom cheese strudel.

The mushroom cheese strudel was meh because when I cooked it in the toaster oven, the top started to burn, but the bottom dough was still mushy and undercooked.  After I tried baking it a few minutes longer, it was still soggy on the bottom.  The filling was too cheesy for me even after letting it cool.  I probably should not get it again next year (if I remember).  If you get it, it's probably better to just cook it in the oven.  Unless you're a wiz at oven to toaster oven conversions.

I like the egg and potato blend.  I've previously cooked it stovetop, but this time I just microwaved it for convenience.  I think it tastes just as good cooked that way.  Highly recommend. Ja wohl!

The pretzels baked in the oven are consistently good, and the bags of potato sticks are like flavored potato chips.  Good basics to try if you ask me.

The cherry frangipane is probably my current favorite Aldi dessert.  I tried cooking it in the toaster oven, because I wanted to avoid using the gas oven for about half an hour.  Unfortunately that resulted in a burnt tart of sadness.  Luckily I bought 2 of them.  So the second time, I followed the directions on the box and it came out perfectly from the oven.

p.s. When I smell something burning from the kitchen, it's usually too late to save it.  Maybe someone likes burnt tart.  So sad.