### Summers in Germany

*Amelie Kraft*

One of my most cherished summer memories that I often think about is the time I spent with my family at Schloss Elmau in Germany. Scholss Elmau is a resort in the Alps, where my grandparents have been vacationing for a long time, and have regularly invited us to join them. The first time I went was when I was still a baby being pushed around in a stroller. As I grew older, these summer trips were especially meaningful to me because I got to spend time with my dad’s side of the family, whom I didn’t get to see very often. During these trips, I loved to go to the hotel’s pools to swim (my favorite was the outdoor pool since you can sunbathe and see the Alps while you swim).We would go on hikes through forests with trees that looked like they touched the sky, go on bike rides through landscapes and farms where we saw horses, sheep, and goats, go to the sauna that was mostly for the grown- ups because it got very hot, and browse through the sticker books in the bookstores.

The last time we were there was two summers ago. The most memorable part of the trip was spending time with my grandma in the bookstore browsing books together, or her indulging me by letting me buy sticker books, which she didn’t think was very creative nor interesting. I also remember my time with her during “kaffee und kuchen,” meaning “coffee and cake,” which typically took place between 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., when we would be served cake with “apfelschorle,”meaning “sparkling apple juice,” for kids and coffee for the grown-ups. This is very important to me because my grandma is no longer with us but it continues to remind me of her in a loving way.

My grandmother was an inspiration to my family, whether it was showing us new traditions, foods, and music, or sending my sister and I gifts on our birthdays every year until she couldn’t anymore. Thinking about this trip has reminded me even more about her and how she has changed my mindset about music and how to present myself and act at the table for a meal has made me feel very grateful to have such a loving and caring grandmother like her.

These trips were so important to me because they gave me the time to get to know my aunt, cousins, and grandparents better, and it was always very relaxing as we were surrounded by beautiful mountains and landscapes. My last moments with my grandmother on this trip are a constant reminder to never take anyone or anything for granted because you never know if you’ll ever be in that moment again.

### Starting my sourdough

*Meiya Xiong*

In my house, summer means time for more baking and kitchen projects. The warm weather also means that my kitchen room temperature is warmer, making it the perfect time to make lots and lots of bread.

Starting with reviving my sourdough starter, I begin every summer by rehydrating the starter that I preserved and dried from the previous year. Each morning, I “feed” the starter bits of flour and water, carefully monitoring its growth as the dry and brittle pieces turn into a bubbly and happy mixture.

Once it reaches the stage where it is airy enough to float in water, I would know it was ready to begin making bread. Taking a portion of my starter, I would then combine it with flour, water, and salt to make a dough. Over the course of the day, the dough would go through kneading and periodic stretches and folds to allow gluten development. Shaping and proofing would follow, before finally baking the dough the next day in a scorching 450 degree oven to give it a fluffy but chewy crumb and a dark and crunchy crust.

Of course, summer sourdough baking wasn’t without its mishaps. Sometimes, I would leave my dough in an oven that was turned off during proofing but forget to tell my family. On a few occasions, a well meaning family member turned on the oven to preheat it for a different purpose, resulting in charred remains of a dough, a few melted containers, and even a small fire in our kitchen once. Despite occasional accidents, burnt crusts, or loaves that looked like they exploded in the oven, the bread always ends up tasting good. With their different imperfections, each loaf is unique, and that’s part of what makes the process exciting.

As summer rolls around again, I look forward to tending to my starter and baking sourdough again. There’s a certain magic to taking simple ingredients into delicious bread. The process, with its required attentiveness and unpredictability, has become a highlight of my summer routine.

Summertime fondness: memorable moments to cherish

“I am excited to wear spring dresses.” - Miyu Kawagoe ’26

“I am excited to wear a crochet shrug that I ma[de].” - Mercy Ebong ’26

“I’m a big fan of jorts.” - Rica Eleches-Lipsitz ’25

“I feel like I really don’t like jeans because they’re kind of uncomfortable, so I am excited to wear some shorts because spring is the perfect weather — summer is far too hot, winter’s OK, but spring’s pretty nice— so I’m excited to wear some shorts and band t-shirts.” - Zack Ware-Huff ’26 

“I’m excited to wear tank tops and shorts, and not to have to wear hoodies anymore.” - Anna Krystofik ’27

“I would say low waisted mini skirts.” - Blake Jung ’24

Fresh picks for your outfits; what PHS students are wearing this spring

Mug cake recipe
My sisters and I have a fun tradition of making mug cakes, especially when it's cold and snowy outside. We love gathering in our cozy sunroom, which has heated floors, and enjoying them together. Our favorite flavor is chocolate chip, but we also like trying out different variations, for example birthday cake. Mug cakes are exactly what they are named, a small cake in a mug, and we've found that slightly undercooking them makes them extra soft and delicious. It's these simple moments of togetherness and warmth that we cherish the most. This recipe is also perfect for Valentine’s Day because it’s got one of the most popular Valentine’s Day ingredients (chocolate) and it’s something personal that you can make and give to people you love and care about.

Ingredients:
5 ounces dark chocolate (70%)
4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter
3 tablespoons good espresso
2 large eggs
3/4 cup superfine sugar
Steps:
Preheat the oven to 250°F. 
Snap the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, add the butter, espresso and a good pinch of sea salt, and place over a pan of gently simmering water to melt very slowly until smooth, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, in another bowl, whip  the eggs and sugar together until pale and doubled in size, then carefully fold in the melted chocolate mixture.
Boil the kettle. Divide the mixture between 6 coffee cups or mugs and put them into a roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven, then carefully pour in enough boiling kettle water to come halfway up the side of the cups. Bake for exactly 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven and leave to cool in the water for 2 hours. 
To serve, shave over some extra chocolate, or add fresh fruit like cherries, blood oranges or wild strawberries, with a dollop of yogurt or crème fraîche.

Strawberry waffles recipe
One of my favorite recipes to make is waffles. They are light, creamy, and maintain a softness within, yet a hint of crispness on the outside. Not only are they incredibly delicious, but they are also simple and easily customizable (and are great with strawberries!). I love preparing this treat for my family and I in the morning, and what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a homemade breakfast? After all, few things are as special as a plate of freshly made waffles topped with strawberries and honey. There’s nothing quite like starting Valentine’s Day with such a sweet aroma. 

Recipe adapted from: https://bydash.com/blogs/recipes/classic-waffles-heart
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 3-4 minutes each

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup mlk 
1 egg
2 tbsp of melted butter
Strawberries, sliced
Honey 

Recipe
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 
In another bowl, beat the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. . 
Pour the wet ingredients into thee dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful to not overmix, as the batter should still be slightly lumpy. Add some of the sliced strawberries into batter and lightly mix. 
Lightly grease the waffle maker with a cooking spray or some melted butter. Pour the batter into waffle iron (preferably a heart-shaped one!) and cook until golden brown. 
Carefully remove the waffles from the iron and serve them on a plate. Top the waffles with more sliced strawberries and drizzle honey on top. 


Amelie Kraft's Work