Schoppala, what? Even many Germans will shake their head, because they don’t have the slightest clue what the name refers to. It is a regional name for traditional finger-shaped noodles made from potato dough, more commonly known by Fingernudeln or Schupfnudeln.

These days I especially have a wish for one little skill: a very readable, pleasing to the eye and charming handwriting. Whenever somebody asks me to sign a copy of my book I’m a bit hesitant, because I know my handwriting just too well, and it is about as far from pretty as it can get.