EuroLIfe: Day 108

Forget what you know about perspective,
this ice cream's as big as her head

There are many things about us (Americans) that scandalize the Germans. And let's face it, we are a scandalous and all too often scandal laden folk. For instance, there's is our nasty habit of carrying guns to social functions -- to weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and PTA meetings. You never know when you'll run into one of them Hatfields, I always tell em. This nasty habit allegedly explains one central differences between American and European table manners. Europeans rest their hands on the dinner table in plain view. We Americans, shady folk that we are, often put our hands under the table, which first of all is just rude, and second of all you never know who has a gun under there. But I digress.

The Germans are also scandalized by the size of things in America, the size of our cars and, for some reason, the size of our drinks. I've heard numerous comments on the size of Starbuck's coffee. Now as someone who enjoys all twenty ounces of his large Starbuck's coffee, I don't quite know what to say to this. Then, to move on to the genuinely depraved, there is the size our fountain drinks. Is it true, a friend of mine once asked, that you can get a liter of coke? I had to confess, but I didn't mention that the the 32 ounce fountain drink has long been eclipsed by the 48 once Monster, and at only ten cents more than the measly little 32 once cup, who can blame me for buying it, even if I have never finished one in my life, and even if I have to stop ten minutes later to use the free -- yes gloriously free but often sordidly filthy -- bathroom. I did, however, mention to this same friend that I've been known to drink two or three liters of ice tea during one meal.

All of this got me to thinking. Surely there must be some food related items in Germany that are bigger than their American counterparts. Of course there is the beer. Their half liter bottles make our 12 ounce bottles look miniature, and the Liter steins of Bavaria are a sight to behold. Then, as we have discovered, there are the ice cream sundaes. As a benefit, they are often served by genuine Italians. Multo Bene. Yes, with its Irish Pub and its Italian Gellaterias, our little Jena is a veritable European melting pot.

So, in all of its glory, I present to you a genuine German/Italian Ice cream sundae.