Book of the Month: Something for every taste!

The Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung is the sponsor of the Adalbert Raps Library in the Museum Educational Centre (MUPÄZ) of the museums in Kulmbach's Mönchshof - a collection of literature on the subject of spices that is second to none. With more than 12,000 books and magazines, the library offers a large selection of well-founded literature on food, nutrition and enjoyment beyond the topic of spices. In order to give interested people a first insight into this culinary treasure trove, as well as to make citizens aware of the cultural-historical context and its importance for the city of Kulmbach, the Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung will present the "Book of the Month" on its website every month from January 2022 onwards. The selection is made according to the seasonal context and has the right work for every taste, from specialist books to old memorabilia to curiosities. A visit to the Adalbert Raps Library is possible by appointment, and the use of the literature is free of charge.

Picture reference: Adalbert Raps Library

The "Book of the Month" is meant to whet the appetite!

More than 12,000 books on the topics of spices, food, nutrition and enjoyment are available in the Adalbert Raps Library to take its readers on a culinary journey. It houses selected German-language literature on the history of spices, dating back to the 17th century, and also provides an insight into the future of food culture. At the same time, it is considered one of the largest collections of cookery books in Germany. Some books also touch on the use of spices for healing purposes. Thus, for spice lovers, hobby cooks and scientists, the special library is a unique source on the diversity of spices. To ensure that all these treasures are not forgotten and that the library receives the attention it deserves, the Foundation is now presenting the "Book of the Month" on its website. Interested parties will thus be presented with a selection of twelve books spread over the year 2022, always with a thematic reference to the respective month. The first book in January is "Gewürze - Das Standardwerk" (Spices - The Standard Work) by Dr. Manuela Mahn. As a spice and food expert, she provides an insight into the world of spices on around 320 pages and offers 140 matching recipes. Fittingly for Valentine's Day, February continues with "Seducing á la carte" by Mimi Sheraton from 1966. While May presents breakfast ideas for Mother's Day with "Leckere Eiergerichte" (Delicious Egg Dishes) by Edith Hundhausen, the classic "Zwergenstübchen Weihnachtsbäckerei" (Dwarf's Christmas Bakery) by Elke Schuster is of course not to be missed, just in time for Advent in December. Whether the book collection is for scientific purposes or its use around the cooker and kitchen - in the Adalbert Raps Library you can find the right work for every taste. The books are recorded in a database and are available for reading in an adjoining study room. The library, with its scientific background, can also be used for journalistic articles, books or specialist papers.

Adalbert Raps Library: A culinary treasure trove with a cultural-historical context

The library, whose sponsor is Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung , is located in the Museum Educational Centre (MUPÄZ) of the museums in Kulmbach's Mönchshof, which include the Bavarian Bakery Museum, the Bavarian Brewery Museum and, last but not least, the German Spice Museum. Yet there are good reasons to document the history of spices and food in Kulmbach: Franconia with Nuremberg established itself as an important station in the international spice trade as early as the Middle Ages. A decisive European trade route led past Kulmbach to the northern and eastern metropolises. In the past decade, Kulmbach has also developed into a centre for nutrition: well-known companies have their headquarters in Kulmbach, including Raps GmbH & Co. KG, whose founder is Adalbert Raps. Science and research have also settled here with the Max Rubner Institute and the Competence Centre for Nutrition.

The Adalbert Raps Library was kicked off by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Protzner, who began collecting objects and books on the subject of spices in 1984 on behalf of Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung . The rapidly growing compilation was published in 1997 in the "Landschaftsmuseum Obermain". Since 2011, it has been open to the public in the museums' educational centre in Kulmbach's Mönchshof.