Dear All,
the holiday season is coming closer – which also brings a break for the semester at the University of Cologne. These final days are filled with our preparations: From Wednesday to Friday, our president, Bishnupriya Dutt, and the treasurer, Tim White, have come to visit us and discuss our plans and ideas for next year’s conference. Such support is invaluable for us because this accumulated knowledge, and experience helps to set a clear course. (It also means to striving to avoid past mistakes while inevitably inventing new ones…)
With an eye to the calendar, allow me a remark: Please keep in mind that the deadline for submission of abstracts is also coming closer: January 15, 2025.
The conference in Cologne is earlier than usual IFTR conferences – therefore this is a definite deadline. Please plan accordingly!
Cologne Curiosity: We already started talking about culinary specialties of Cologne and the Rhineland in earlier newsletters but maybe we need to talk about seasonal specialties this week. Whereas ›Lebkuchen‹ – a variation of gingerbread, is common all over Germany, the Rhineland has its special version: ›Printen‹. In contrast to Lebkuchen, these can either be soft or hard (to an extent that a cup of tea/punch/chocolate is recommended to soften them). But what truly sets them apart is the mixture of spices: cinnamon, ginger, aniseed, clove, cardamom, coriander. They give the Printen their unique flavour – not only sweet but spicy. This is how the end of the year tastes in the Rhineland. (Peter W. Marx)
FOW: In this spirit, Tobias Wartenberg's design of a so-called »Printenmännchen« for »Weihnachtsmärchen« (Christmas fairy tale) proves that Printen not only taste delicious but are used in diverse ways. His costume design imagines arms made of chocolate lentils, a body of gingerbread, the hair made of candy and the hat of cotton candy, while a variety of lollipops are used as ornaments.
This specificity of instructions may or may not hint on the serious demeanor germans have towards their seasonal specialties and other customs of the winter holidays. (Tobias Pöller)
Sugary Greetings and all the best wishes
from the Cologne Team