Lebkuchen Schmidt’s Nuremberg Elisen Chest 2019 - Tale of Two Bridges

Lebkuchen Schmidt’s Nuremberg Elisen Chest is often one of my favourites. It’s often the shape of this chest that attracts me – it’s the only oval chest in the Collection. The 2019 Nuremberg Elisen Chest is a favourite because the illustration on the lid brings so many good memories flooding back.

How does a picture of a couple of really old bridges bring back good memories?!

Although this is a picture of Nuremberg from perhaps several hundred years ago (given what the people in the image are wearing), those bridges are still there – connecting the St. Lorenz area of the Old City on the south side of the Pegnitz River to the St. Sebald district on the north where the Hauptmarkt Square is located (this is where Nuremberg’s famous Christkindlmarkt is held each Advent Season).

The bridge in the foreground is the Fleischbrücke (or Fleisch Bridge or Pegnitzbrücke). This bridge is a pedestrian bridge and has great views of the river and the beautiful buildings facing the water. At the north end of the bridge is a Starbucks! Definitely not where you want to get a coffee in this town but definitely a good place to get some free wifi! A better place for coffee and a treat would be the fabulous “Wicklein - Die Lebküchnerei” on the west side of the square (this is a whole experience one should consider!).

In between the bridges on the north bank there are some lovely restaurants where you can eat in the shade of the covered walkway. If I remember correctly the one closest to the Museumsbrücke was the best option! I think it’s called Mishbar I and served fresh, good food.

The bridge further back in the image is the predecessor of today’s Museumsbrücke (which is a stone arched bridge built in 1700). So given that the bridge in the chest’s illustration is made of wood I guess that places this image pre-1700??

Looking east from that bridge you see the Heilig-Geist-Spital. This fabulous building jutting out over the river was originally a hospital and then a depository for the regalia of the Holy Roman Emperor. Now it is home to a restaurant that I have eaten at numerous times. You go there more for the experience than the food! I was there with my kids and they were enthralled by the décor and the servers carrying the heavy beer steins. Classic southern German food served here - hearty and good!



So that’s the outside of this lovely Chest. The inside is just as fabulous!

All of the cookies included in the Nuremberg Elisen Chest are “Premium Elisen Lebkuchen”. Elisen quality Lebkuchen has a higher percentage of nut oils in the dough and only so called “precious oilseeds” can be used - hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. These cookies are nuttier and moister than other Lebkuchen. Of course the Chest includes chocolate and glazed Lebkuchen but it also includes one of my personal favourites – Roasted Apple Elise. Aaaah…yum!

Another great backstory! There are so many already in our Blog and so many yet to come – keep reading!

Cheers!

Tamara
Owner @ Gingerbread World