“As in heaven and in Warmia”

The period in the run-up to Christmas is full of customs, traditions, and special foods. Gänseschwarzsauer is a soup made with goose (“Gänse” in German) blood and dried fruit. Its name derives from the fact that the blood is very dark red in colour (hence “schwarz” or black in English) and vinegar is added to prevent the blood from clotting (hence “sauer” or sour). The dish was brought to West Germany by refugees and displaced people from East Prussia and Pomerania, but it never caught on.