The Springerle House. A Springerle is a German biscuit…or so
Wikipedia tells me. This barely-large-enough-to-fit-five-people café sits in
the main square of Strasburg, PA. A few tables sit outside, while the main seating
composed of mixed matched chairs and tables lay inside. Upon entering the café,
the red walls automatically fill you with an overly warm feeling. I once heard
that red walls make you subconsciously eat more. I don’t know if that’s really
true, but God bless ‘em if it is.
I walked in to find a couple of
older couples scattered about, a few bubbly employees waiting on my order, and
cookies hanging on the wall. Yes, cookies on the wall. The dessert case, as
well as the wall, was full of these German cookies, Springerles. These cookies
are known for the intricate designs found on each cookie’s face. From cityscapes
to designs of utter nothingness, aka modern art, these cookies held every
picture ever painted.
I personally am a strong believer
of the policy, “No Cookie left behind.” Hanging cookies on the wall slightly
ruptures this policy’s rule, but I suppose I will let it slide. As I approached
the counter to order, I spotted shelving right next to the register that held
every loose leaf tea you could imagine. I then became “that costumer,” taking a
longer time to order than it takes to drink the tea. The cups were clear glass we “Springerle-like
designs on the outside”, giving me the feeling that I had entered Narnia, where
I could have all the Hot Chocolate and Turkish Delight my heart desires. I
desire a lot.
The hum of the espresso machine was
just enough to keep the conversations of everyone in the café private. I
personally found contentment in my Cinnamon tea and cookies, from the display
case, not the wall, but I watched others around me have smoothies,
sandwiches—typical café food. I don’t know if I was transported to Germany
where the cookies prefer to be on the wall rather than my mouth, or Narnia
where we drink from clear mugs, but I do know that I felt outside of little, old Strasburg.
The tourist-filled sidewalks and the insides of the Springerle House are two different places,
two different ambiances, two different worlds. So go get your cookies from the Springerle House,
before they hang them on the walls.
