My eyes are closed. I hear the sound of the sea as the waves break and run slowly to the beach. The wet sand presses through my toes until the cold water gently laps my feet. I take a deep breath. It smells of the sea. I can taste it, feel it while the light breeze plays with my hair. It's hard for me to open my eyes. Too deep is the feeling in this moment. But when I open my eyes it lies there, the sea in all its infinity. And as I look out to the point where the sea connects to the horizon, memories rise in me. Here in East Frisia, on the edge of the North Sea, I was born and raised.

When the icy east wind sends the biting cold or the Easter fires welcome the spring – every season in East Frisia holds its own magic. They shape the countryside, our customs, and are reflected in our memories.

Do you know why beans are strung onto long ribbons in East Frisia, or what a small clay pipe is doing inside a sweet yeast pastry? Discover the secrets of East Frisian cuisine with me.

The journey begins!