Happy Halloween!

In case you don't know, it's Totoro and the cat bus (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096283/).

Fall

I thought there should be some mention of three excellent things about Germany in the fall: fresh-pressed apple cider at the market, free apples, and neue wein ("noy-a vine"). Apples and apple cider are not specific to Germany, but I look forward them. A stand at the twice-weekly market starts making apple cider in the fall and continues for a few months. There are apple trees planted on public land, which is genius. I mentioned neue wein once before, but didn't explain much (you could also read the wikipedia article I linked to). Wine makers make it when they start harvesting grapes, so it's only available for a short time in the fall. You have to drink it within a few days of making it, because otherwise it will ferment too much. It has less alcohol than wine, so it's more like grape juice, which I like very much. Germans, at least in certain regions, eat it with Zwiebelkuchen (onion tart), which is also seasonal. I personally don't think onions should be a main ingredient, but many people would disagree with me.