After all my journeys to foreign countries it’s Haribo, Kellogg’s, Heinz, Knorr, Pepsi-Cola, Red Bull and all those other transcontinental brands that make me realize how far globalization has advanced in the past two decades. Uniformity everywhere. Boring uniformity. No matter if it’s on the shelves inside a Spar or Billa supermarket from over here or all the equivalents that I have been to in Japan, Germany or, of course, the U.S..
But then, sometimes, unexpected things happen. Things that are not only unbelievable but – at least for my humble but curious, far-travelled mind of an Austrian supermarket consumer – stunningly unbelievable.
The case: on the American East Coast – a painful ankle. Someone’s seeking advice from “Nurse Stefan” on the other side of the Atlantic. My suggestion: the application of a so-called “Topfenwickel” – something that’s a very traditional and very proven home remedy over here in Austria – particularily for any of such unwanted, uncomfortable medical conditions like inflammated ankles. The very basic principle behind the “Topfenwickel” is to absorb heat. With cheese.
What follows is a look into my dictionary. It says that the German word “Wickel” translates to “compress” in English – niiice. However, the word “Topfen” yields no result or translation at all. Nothing. Only the German (not Austrian) variant of this word – “Quark” – translates to “curd.” Hmm. Does that really fit? Suspicion rises. Could it be possible… what if…could it be…that something like Topfen or Quark…does not even exist in the U.S.?!
Indeed. In my research, I come across recipe adaptations by German emigrants who eagerly exchange views and opinions in various forums about which American dairy products most closely match the consistency and taste of German Quark or Austrian Topfen. Unbelievable, right? What is commonplace in my supermarkets over here is apparently nowhere to be found in the land across the Atlantic!
What remains is the dilemma of being unable to bring my advice, the Topfenwickel, to fruition. We nurses often have the problem that we find no peace until another, alternative idea is brought forward…hmm…where was that forum about American substitute products again? And does the ankle still keep on hurting?