Some folks are quite vehemently opposed to today, Valentine’s Day, and I can understand that, but it’s never really bothered me. I don’t go overboard and I don’t expect a dozen roses or anything, but I don’t mind having the holiday. Actually, I got a Happy V-Day balloon from a (now ex-)boyfriend once and I was totally cool with that (he was a 35 year old consultant, not a 16 year old high school student, by the way, and that’s not why we eventually broke up). V-Day just doesn’t register much with me either positively or negatively.
So today, Rainer and I decided to extend our typical anniversary ritual of going out for breakfast to Valentine’s Day. We visited Cafe Lila on Pfarrergasse in Regensburg, which has a large international breakfast menu, although their American breakfast contains a chicken breast filet and I don’t know many Americans who eat chicken breast for breakfast, and Rainer found it strange that his Scandinavian plate came with a bowl of baked beans. I thoroughly enjoyed my French breakfast, although it was a bit big. The food is good and there were a minimal amount of smokers, so I can recommend it for breakfast on a weekday at least (the smokers may come out in larger numbers on the weekends, I dunno).
Regensburg’s Protestant Neupfarrkirche (New Parish Church) with the Catholic Dom St. Peters (St. Peters Cathedral) in the backgroundAfter breakfast, I dropped Rainer off at work and discovered that in his building is the Audi Accident Research Unit. I didn’t realize that there was an accident research institute just for Audi’s, but interesting.
On the way home, on a whim, I stopped at the Seidl Confiserie, which is a chocolate and truffle factory located in Laaber just off the A3 Autobahn. It was packed to overflowing with middle aged men, apparently looking for V-Day gifts. I picked up some of the more unusual flavors for myself, Wildpreiselbeer-Trüffel (wild cranberry truffle), Zimt-Macadamianüsse (cinnamon macadamia nuts), and Erdbeer-Chili-Trüffel (strawberry-chili truffle) and I grabbed a Riesling Trüffel bag for Rainer, just because it’s V-Day. 
The chocolates weren’t exactly cheap, each bag cost €6.50. The cinnamon macadamia nuts are very cinnamon-y, the strawberry chili truffles only have a very mild chili aftertaste, but oh my God, I am going to have serious trouble staying away from the delectable cranberry truffles. YUM!
And as if that wasn’t enough sugar and chocolate, I made Maria’s Nutella cookie recipe. They turned out well, although mine needed to be flattened before going in the oven.
Nutella cookies
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m over the politics around valentines day, but then I’ve never been terribly susceptible to peer pressure. Apparantly in the DC are the big thing is to take your s.o. out for a really nice dinner, so you have to make reservations early because restaurants book up. Luckily for me this year, I have a respiratory infection and have been home sick all week anyway
I love the pics!
I might get a Twix bar for Valentine’s Day! I hinted before he left for practice… LOL! When I gave Kevin a card this morning, he laughed, because (his words) “I didn’t get you one.”
Those cookies look so nummy! A friend is coming over tonight, and we’re making sugar cookies in the shape of hearts to celebrate the day together. Her husband is at practice too… and he took her to Subway today. LOL!
@stacy: I hope you feel better soon! I’m not much into romantic dinners (unless homecooked). It’s hard to continue the romance once you’re stuffed to the brim with food and alcohol. That’s why I like having romantic breakfasts – plus in Germany, there are less smokers in the cafes at breakfast time.
@Maria: A Twix bar would be great! I had a Twix craving last week and went through a whole bag of mini-Twix (okay, Rainer helped too). Subway is cool too, except that it’s the easiest thing for Rainer to pick up and bring home, so I’m sick of Subway right now. For me, the important thing is that you think about and spend time with your s.o. And not just on V-Day!
You know what I just thought of (and am going to try next time I make those cookies)– if I made a thumb print in the middle of the ball of dough and then put a little Nutella in there, when the cookie bakes, it would have a de-lish bit of Nutella in the middle. Hmm… looks like I need to make these cookies again soon!
@maria: that would be good, I was also thinking that adding peanuts would be yummy.
please, stop talking about sweets. and don’t post any more pictures. they are making my mouth water.
@rita: I’m eating one of those cookies as I type this