Written by Nicole Miskiewicz

Christmas time is upon us and though this year it may seem different with less or no Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas Markets), the smell of lebkuchen, a honey-sweetened German cake similar to gingerbread, still brings memories and emotions rushing back to us.

For more than 85 years, the famous Lebkuchen-Schmidt has been internationally recognized for their high quality and freshness of their products thanks to their carefully guarded traditional recipe. Their gingerbread bakers select the highest quality raw materials of almonds, nuts, honey, chocolate and flour.

In 1927, the brother of E. Otto Schmidt accepted a train-car load of gingerbread as payment from a customer and sent them to his brother to sell. With an entire wagon full of gingerbread to sell, E. Otto Schmidt packaged the lebkuchen in packages and sold them directly to individuals. E. Otto Schmidt opened his own small bakery in Nuremberg to produce gingerbread to sell to the public and the brand began.

Today you can order your Lebkuchen-Schmidt, along with many other delicacies, from European Deli. European Deli is the preferred importer of Lebkuchen-Schmidt in the U.S. with the largest selection available. As a New Jersey based woman-owned business, they ship beautifully packaged orders across the United States. Owner, Terri Nelson, places the utmost importance on having the best selection and freshest product. European Deli was created by Terri to promote specialty German brands in the United States. The German-American Steuben Parade is thankful that Terri has been a loyal friend of the Parade for many years.

European Deli also carries Gluten Free Fraunholz Lebkuchen, which from personal experience I can say are delicious as well.

Visit www.europeandeli.com to place an order and bring a bit of Christmas to your home today.