Just in time for the holiday season, last month we featured a beautiful entertaining guide with festive ideas and Christmas recipes. Starting January 5th, we'll be following up with a winter-themed collection of recipes and ideas for entertaining the German way! The cold winter months are a natural match for simple comfort food which warms the stomach and nourishes the soul. From steaming, hearty soups to slowly bubbling German cheese fondue, use the ideas and recipes in this guide as inspiration and invite your friends over for German-style comfort food.

As a special commemoration to what is promising to be a historic moment of monumental proportions, our guide also features two exclusive recipes by executive chefs from two of the most prestigious hotels in Washington, DC, to help you savor the moment of the Inauguration of the 44th US President.

Download our Winter Entertaining guide

Simple comfort food recipes for casual winter entertaining

Are you all fired up by our winter entertaining ideas but still short of a couple of recipes? For your convenience, we are including a short recipe collection of simple German-inspired comfort food which can help complete the menu for this year's Superbowl or carnival party. The collection includes classic staples like German potato salad and Sauerkraut soup alongside contemporary recipes which blend ideas and ingredients which are as popular in North America as they are in Germany.

More winter comfort food recipes

Here's to Another Great Year to Celebrate German-American friendship

2009 promises to be a special year in German-American relations. As the world welcomes a new US president, the spirit of change and hope is palpable even amidst a global economic downturn. This spirit of optimism and renewal was intensely felt when the President Elect traveled to Berlin last . This year, the German capital, Germans and people around the world will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall. This momentous event which changed Germany and the world overnight came about in large part thanks to the efforts by the United States. This coming year invites us to look back on the history of German reunification in gratitude and to look forward with hope.

Celebrate German-American friendship