Stollen Memories
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Stollen has been the traditional Christmas bread of Germany for 600 years. Rich in butter, almonds and rum-soaked fruit, the loaf is dusted with powdered sugar and shaped into an oval that symbolizes the manger in Bethlehem.
Normally, stollen is only available at Christmas. In Shepherdstown, W. Va., Ye Olde Sweet Shoppe Bakery sells 4,000 stollen at Christmastime, about one loaf per resident. But a few years ago, the bakery started making egg-shaped stollen for Easter.
Stollen came to the small college town 10 years ago, after Ye Shoppe’s original owner was trained by a master baker in Germany. The bakery also specializes in strudels and heavy, hearty breads made from grains imported from Germany.
The stollen is not expensive. A one-pound loaf costs $5, plus shipping. Kept tightly wrapped, a loaf will stay edible for six weeks, or up to six months frozen, so it’s best to save on postage and order several at once.
Ye Olde Sweet Shoppe Bakery 100 W. German St. Shepherdstown, W. Va. 25443 (800) 922-5379 MasterCard, Visa
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