My roof goes on next week: People in Germany, what food should I bring my builders?

[ArtVandelay]

Thats it really - next week we get to the highest point, the Topping Out and I need to supply my builders with some hearty party food.

They have asked for a crate of Mezzo Mix to drink but I need to think of something thats substantial (to keep them going) and can be served cold in a builder's cabin. There is a bakery in the village so fresh bread is not a problem. We are in Bayern.

Has anyone done this (or similar) before and can suggest some good ideas? They have been the most fantastic builders and I want to show my gratitude.

Thanks in advance!

Leberkase Semmel? You can't go wrong with those, work hot or cold, is there a butcher in the village?
But not sure they say "party" or "I'm really grateful" by themselves! I will ask my DH - his best friend build his own house (well with builders help) and he had a big party for the Topping out - there was much beer, BBQ, the builders threw sweets off the roof for the children (and buckets full of cold water, which we weren't prepared for and my 3 year old at the time was unfortunately shocked to tears by...)

Steak Semmel are one up from Leberkase I guess, but less pleasant cold... why do they need to eat them cold? If it's just lack of cooking facilities you could also always just order pizza! Chicken-van style chicken with potato salad and big bretze... Any Bavarian Imbis food would do the job I guess!

Thanks 5

I'm going to go with leberkase semmels, potato salad, pfeffer beissers and crapfen for pudding!

We had our Richtfest in June and also had a big party with beer and Bratwurst (well we are in Thüringen). We invited the neighbours-to-be, plus lots of friends and colleagues who were desperate to see what we'd built.

MIL also bribed kept the builders happy by taking them "breakfast" once a week - warm Leberkäs' or Fischbrötchen or whatever else they requested from the butcher/party service. The builders obviously appreciated it, but did say it was no longer common to be treated like that by clients.

I'm not trying to make you feel stingy, btw, customs may be very different here in the former East. Maybe, though, you should ask around a bit more to make sure you know what will be expected.

Well, we actually got to highest point today. They are very hardworking :) I took them L. Semmels, brezen, pfefferbeisers, potato salad and then glazed doughnuts in multicolours. It was quite jolly in their little cabin with the snow coming down outside. I found a nice branch in my current garden, still with green leaves on and we got that stuck on the top. The builders seemed pretty content and full One of them said my stick should have had ribbons on it but I think that was my only faux pas.

Thanks for sharing silkenladder - a full-on Richfest would have been nice but it makes more sense in summer. Also my builders aren't allowed beer on site.

Glad it went well. Yes, I'm sure we wouldn't have had such a big party in winter. You must be a lot further south than us if it's already snowing where you are, though.

Good luck with the rest of the build.

Thanks - yeah, I'm on tenterhooks until the tiles go on next week. Its not major snow - but the basements pretty wet and there is a frozen puddle in the dining room :) The weather so far has been a miracle - we had a foot of snow this time last year.