Thank You, Kata! =D

Today I receive an unexpected parcel. I recognize the return address, but I'm thinking "What could this be?" I tear it open and OH MY GOD! Kata-chan has sent me a German fruitcake! EEEEE!!! It's called Marzipanstollen and it's packed with fruit, almond paste filling and sprinkled with powder sugar. Wooo! Looks so good! *hugs Kata* I am soooo happy! You've made my day honey <3 She is so sweet to think of me and surprise me with it! It was packed nicely and arrived in excellent condition too, which was tricky. *loves kata sooooo much*

For those who are not familiar with either marzipan or stollen, here is a quick lesson.

Marzipan is a confectionery consisting primarily of ground almonds and sugar that derives its characteristic flavor from bitter almonds, which constitute 4% to 6% of total almond content by weight. Most marzipan is also flavored with rosewater. It is often made into sweets: two common uses are marzipan-filled chocolate and small marzipan imitations of fruits and vegetables. It is also rolled into thin sheets and glazed for icing cakes and is traditionally used in wedding cakes, Christmas cakes, and stollen. In some countries marzipan is shaped into small figures of animals, such as pigs, as a traditional treat for New Year's Day. In Italy, Marzipan is often shaped and painted with food colorings to resemble fruit, especially during the Christmas season.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzipan

Stollen is a bread-like cake traditionally made in Germany, usually eaten during the Christmas season as Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen. Stollen (originally Striezel) was created in Dresden in around 1450, and the most famous Stollen is still the Dresdner Stollen, sold, among other places, at the local Striezelmarkt Christmas market. Stollen is a light airy fruitcake made with yeast, water and flour, and usually dried citrus peel, dried fruit, almonds, and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon; the dough is quite low in sugar. The finished cake is sprinkled with icing sugar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stollen

Here is a place that sells them and includes some instructions for storage.

http://www.coffeecakes.com/christmas-cake-german-marzipan-stollen.html

EEEEE!! Thank you soooo much Kata-chan! You have really made my day! <3
I love you T-T hehe
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