Nancy Nilgen
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nancynilgen.bsky.social
Nancy Nilgen
@nancynilgen.bsky.social
1K followers 280 following 62 posts
food historian and passionate cookbook collector with a far-too-small kitchen
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nancynilgen.bsky.social
My latest treasure. A 1920s german textbook for cooking and household lessons is coming home with me✨️
An old German book titled “Lehrbuch für den Koch- und Haushaltungs-Unterricht” (Textbook for Cooking and Household Lessons) by Ch. Friesner and K. Nake lies inside a woven straw bag lined with light fabric. The book has a worn brown cover with a small decorative illustration and visible signs of age.
August 23, 2025 at 8:13 PM
nancynilgen.bsky.social
Got any ideas for what to cook with these beauties (besides salad)? Let me know!
A variety of heirloom tomatoes in different colors and shapes like green, yellow, red, orange, and deep purple. They are arranged on a wooden cutting board. The tomatoes are fresh and glistening with water droplets
July 13, 2025 at 3:28 PM
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Meticulous spreads from the 1964 West German Dr. Oetker "Kalte Küche" cookbook 🥨🥐
#foodhistory #cookbooks #foodphotography #vintagerecipes
A highly symmetrical arrangement of various small baked goods on a dark wooden surface. The pastries are sorted by type into rows, including mini tarts with cream and cherries, ring-shaped cookies, crescent rolls, puff pastry sticks, pretzel-shaped cookies, and piped cream biscuits with jelly centers. An assortment of savory and sweet canapés meticulously arranged on a wooden board. Cubes of cheese are topped with items like olives, cocktail sausages, grapes, and walnuts. On the right side are ball-shaped cheese spreads coated in herbs and coconut. In the top left, a halved grapefruit is studded with cocktail sticks.
June 4, 2025 at 5:01 AM
nancynilgen.bsky.social
When a #Kölsch and an #Altbier share the same table, you know someone's risking a diplomatic incident.
Cologne’s crisp Kölsch and Düsseldorf’s malty Altbier have been rivals for decades, much like the cities themselves. I prefer the latter, when I am visiting the region 🍻 #germanbeer #beerpolitics
Two glasses of beer stand side by side on a table: one filled with dark Altbier in a traditional straight glass, the other with pale Kölsch in a tall, narrow glass. The scene reflects the long-standing beer rivalry between Düsseldorf and Cologne, as both styles symbolize regional identity.
May 31, 2025 at 3:54 PM
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Ever seen a recipe leaflet shaped like a flatfish? I found this East German gem from the 1950s tucked inside an even older cookbook. Looks like it was hardly used, it's in really good condition
#foodhistory #DDR #Vintagerecipe
A vintage fish-shaped recipe booklet titled "Fisch Rezepte" (Fish Recipes) on a wooden surface. The booklet resembles a flatfish with a blue-green body and orange spots. Two open pages of the fish-shaped booklet. The text praises the achievements of East German fisheries and promotes fish as a healthy food. The layout is in a stylized oval format matching the fish shape. Another open spread of the fish-shaped booklet. It includes simple fish recipes and ends with a promotional slogan: "Buy fish at your local Konsum." The shape and layout remain consistent with the fish design.
May 26, 2025 at 5:59 AM
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Caught in the middle of a fountain-side drama. Any guesses what the fight’s about?
#Leipzig #FountainTales
A humorous bronze fountain sculpture featuring two life-sized figures, a man and a woman, standing on either side of a large water basin with mugs beneath small spouts. The man appears frustrated, holding his head in one hand, while the woman looks sternly at him. A sign on the fountain reads “Kein Trinkwasser” (No drinking water). The scene is set on a wet pavement in front of a building with green signage.
May 24, 2025 at 8:19 AM
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Wise words
May 15, 2025 at 8:02 PM
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Nom nom
Detail of a stone relief on a building façade. It shows a large fish swallowing a reclining human figure from the lower body, with only the upper torso and head still visible. The human seems calm or resigned. Grapes and vine motifs decorate the left side. Above this relief, other sculpted elements include a stylized eagle in an octagonal frame and decorative ornaments. Detail of a stone relief on a building façade. It shows a large fish swallowing a reclining human figure from the lower body, with only the upper torso and head still visible. The human seems calm or resigned. Grapes and vine motifs decorate the left side. Above this relief, other sculpted elements include a stylized eagle in an octagonal frame and decorative ornaments.
May 1, 2025 at 8:53 PM
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"Are you camera shy?"
Me:
A postcard shows a dining scene: A person is being served a bowl of soup, with two hands holding the plate from opposite sides. In the background, a woman is seated at a table, but her face is mostly hidden behind the soup bowl. On the table are drinks with colorful straws, a lit candle, and condiment containers. The scene has a cozy, warm-toned atmosphere
April 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
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Did anyone mention #PretzelDay yet?
Black-and-white artwork depicting a still life with a pretzel, a pair of glasses, fruit, and folded cloths arranged abstractly. Artist: David Petrowitsch Shterenberg
April 26, 2025 at 9:29 PM
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From my grandma’s handwritten recipe book

#Happymemories #Mohnkuchen #poppyseedcake #FoodHistory
A handwritten recipe on yellowed paper, written in blue ink in German cursive script. The recipe includes ingredients for dough and filling, with instructions to bake at 180°C. The paper shows signs of age and use, adding to its nostalgic charm.
April 25, 2025 at 7:18 PM
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Pretty much everything and everyone I needed at the end of the day – captured in one photo
A dessert – likely tiramisu – is served on a rectangular dark plate dusted with powdered sugar. Two people are seated at a wooden table; one hand reaches in with a fork to take a bite, while the other rests casually on the table. In the foreground, there is a glass with a clear liquid, possibly grappa, and behind it, another glass and an espresso cup labeled “Pisa.” The setting appears to be a cozy, rustic restaurant.
April 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM
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If nature handed out design awards, this one would definitely be nominated

#formfollowsfight #Hirschkäfer
A large stag beetle with dark brown, shiny body and prominent antler-like mandibles sits on a dusty work glove. The background shows dry soil and sparse grass.
April 22, 2025 at 6:59 PM
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On a scale from early 1900s folklore to full-on fever dream – where do we place this postcard?
#vintageeaster

Image @ddbkultur.bsky.social
Vintage Easter postcard from the early 1900s showing four children dressed in formal, old-fashioned clothing. Two of them are holding leashes attached to oversized yellow chicks. The children are walking together hand in hand through a grassy field. The scene is whimsical, surreal, and slightly absurd.
April 20, 2025 at 3:59 PM
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70s East German Design
April 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM
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"Sourdough is easy," they said. "You have to bake sourdough," they said.
Well, I can’t. Too wet, too dry, too dense, too sour.
I’ve tried all the tips, tricks, timelines. Nottingham seems to work. Anyone else who just can’t get sourdough right? I need to know I’m not alone.
#sourdoughstruggles
A homemade sourdough loaf on parchment paper. The crust looks uneven and pale in spots, with a dense, slightly cracked surface — not quite the airy, golden result you’d hope for.
April 13, 2025 at 4:19 PM
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Today is Election Day in Germany—we’re voting for a new government, and I can't help feeling anxious about the outcome. When I'm nervous, I always reach for sweets. Little sugar bombs are my comfort food of choice.

#GermanyVotes #ElectionDay #ComfortFood #NervousEating #SnackTherapy
An open pack of colorful, tiny, round candy-coated sweets spilling out of a shiny silver wrapper onto a wooden surface. Next to it, a packaged golden sponge cake labeled “Hostess.” The bright red packaging of the candy has cartoonish illustrations and the word “rainbow” written in blue.
February 23, 2025 at 3:06 PM
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The great scone debate🫖✨

I was Team Devon (Cream First) for years—until yesterday, when a friend convinced me to try Cornish style (Jam First). And honestly? Jam first just works better. You get to enjoy the fruity tang of the jam for longer

#SconeDebate #AfternoonTea #JamFirst
February 22, 2025 at 11:41 AM
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Christmas feasting is done – now it’s all about the New Year’s Eve dinner. Got your plans ready to ring in the new year in style? #cookbooks
On a wooden table lie two cookbooks and a gingerbread house. One book is 'The Sopranos Family Cookbook,' inspired by the series 'The Sopranos,' while the other is by Gennaro Contaldo, focusing on Italian baking. In the background, another book with cake illustrations can be seen.
December 29, 2024 at 11:50 AM
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Potato Kloß production in full swing🥔🎄#christmastradition
A person peeling boiled potatoes at a table in front of a decorated Christmas tree. In the foreground, there is a bowl of peeled potatoes, a pot with unpeeled potatoes, and potato peels on a paper towel. In the background, spices and a bottle of gin are visible. A person pressing boiled potatoes with a potato ricer into a pot. In the background, a decorated Christmas tree with lights and ornaments is visible. Freshly pressed potatoes are collecting in the pot.
December 23, 2024 at 7:13 PM
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Baking my way into #Halloween 🎃 What are y'all making for spooky season?
Close-up of Halloween-themed cookies shaped like ghosts and coffins. The ghost cookies feature a cheerful expression and the word 'Boo!' engraved, while the coffin-shaped cookies display a simple cross. The cookies are lightly golden, with a slight dusting of sugar, evoking a cozy, spooky atmosphere.
October 13, 2024 at 1:05 PM
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OK Germany you have signs for really everything – but what on earth? 🤔💀
#Nürnberg #Travelling
The image shows an wooden sign hanging on a stone wall. It features a drawing of a hand that appears to be severed. The sign is located at an old executioner's house and comes across as either a macabre warning or a humorous nod to the site's history
October 1, 2024 at 5:52 AM
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Happy Herbstanfang
September 1, 2024 at 9:51 AM
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Mum's herbal garden 🌿🌱🌾
#escape
July 25, 2024 at 6:08 PM
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Noooooooooooooooooooo
July 23, 2024 at 5:30 PM