Every month, I'm rounding up the little joys that made these past weeks extra fun. Cozy, quirky, weird, and wonderful-because celebrating the good stuff (big or small) makes life better. I call them my monthly delights. Here are my May '25 delights.
How was May for you? Mine was filled with creamy/melty/vegan Camembert cheese, sweet "little pig ears" pastry, lessons in chemistry, and so much more fun.
In This Post:
- 1. FRUIT: Watermelon Season
- 2. SECOND-HAND: Martkhaus in Mannheim
- 3. MOVIE: Lessons in Chemistry
- 4. ITALY: Sweet & Savory Souvenirs
- 5. REUSE: Freezer-Friendly Container
- 6. KITCHEN: Milk Frother
- 7. RECIPE: Elderflower Syrup
- 8. BOOK: Foodie & Paris Crime Story
- 9. GADGET: Air Purifier
- 10. CHOCOLATE: New Favorites
- 11. LAZY SUSAN: Going Round and Round
- 12. CLEANING HACK: Sparkling-Clean Crystal Vases
- 13. CHEESE: Vegan Camembert
- 14. BLOOMS: I Can Buy Myself Flowers
- 15. RESTAURANT: Dinner at Theodor's
- More Monthly Delights
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1. FRUIT: Watermelon Season
By March, I'm already dreaming of watermelon. I love it so much, and come May, it's everywhere. Stacked high in every store, in every size and weight you can imagine.
These days, I go for the little ones-mini melons, if I can find them. I've had a few too many heartbreaks with the big 10-kilo ones: overripe, mushy, not even close to edible. (Tossing a whole huge watermelon means sad times.)
But this year I had total luck with the small ones. Every single one was crisp, juicy, sweet perfection.
Lately, I'm also weirdly excited about the rind. I cook it like a veggie (it tastes kind of like zucchini to me), and my newest obsession is a summery, garlicky spread made from the rind. So simple, so good on toast. (But also: a curry and salad with watermelon rind)
2. SECOND-HAND: Martkhaus in Mannheim
Do you have a favorite second-hand store?
Mine's the Markthaus in Mannheim. I swing by every now and then to drop off things I no longer need-sometimes a whole trunk full. It feels so satisfying to clear things out.
But my-oh-my, I almost always find something new to refill that trunk. *cheekysmile*
This time I walked away with a few great pieces of clothing, including some workout gear and even a sports bra that actually fits. And some beautiful kitchen pottery bowls -one piece in a warm, Marrakesh-inspired style that instantly made me smile.
3. MOVIE: Lessons in Chemistry
This mini-series had been on my watch list for ages, and oh, am I glad I finally dove in!
Brie Larson as Elizabeth Zott is simply captivating. She's a brilliant, unconventional chemist in the 1950s and 60s, battling gender inequality and societal norms with incredible resilience (and wit).
Watching her journey from lab genius to becoming a feminist TV cooking show host is so much fund, and also heartbreakingly beautiful. The story is filled with both sadness and so much hope.
One of those shows that sticks with you. I'd gladly watch it again.
(You can watch it on Apple TV+ or on Prime Video with an Apple TV+ subscription.)
4. ITALY: Sweet & Savory Souvenirs
My husband brought back some sweet and salty goodies from Italy-the kind we both really love.
First up: the sugary puff pastry treats from BiancoForno. I couldn't believe it when I saw they were vegan. In German, the Ventaglini are charmingly called Schweineöhrchen ("little pig ears"). What do you call them where you're from?
And then: our favorite nutritional yeast from Probios. We haven't been able to find it at stores in Germany, sadly. It's light in color, perfectly cheesy in flavor, and has none of that weird bitter aftertaste some brands have. No malt or unnecessary add-ins-just good, clean flakey deliciousness.
5. REUSE: Freezer-Friendly Container
The first 30°C days hit, which means: ice cream season is on. We polished off a tub of coconut-passionfruit ice cream, and … I was just as excited about the empty container!
It's perfect for transporting food (think, cake slices for your loved ones) or freezing individual portions. I freeze all sorts of things-soups, curries, stews, even rice salads. The only rule is to make sure everything's cold before it goes in. No warm food melting plastic, please.
Also: I have an unreasonable love for our nutritional yeast container (yep, the one I mentioned earlier). It's a kitchen storage hero. We have plenty of them-thanks to our nooch habit-and I use them for everything from dried herbs (like bay leaves) to teas (lavender, peppermint…) and even starches or polenta.
6. KITCHEN: Milk Frother
Life without a handheld milk frother? Not a life I want. I use mine every single day.
After our old one finally gave out (years of loyal service!), we bought this one from Maestri House. And whoa-the power! No wonder it has thousands of 5-star reviews. Big bonus: it's USB rechargeable. Love that.
- LunaFro NS Handheld Electric Foam Maker, Waterproof, Detachable Stainless Steel Whisk
7. RECIPE: Elderflower Syrup
May is peak elderflower season, and besides making tea, I started making syrup this year. Turns out, it's bafflingly easy.
I got so lucky with elderflowers this year: first in Germany during prime bloom, then again in Sweden in mid-June (my first time there!). Nature runs a bit behind in Sweden-about three to four weeks later than in Germany-which meant double the elderflower joy. I felt truly blessed.
8. BOOK: Foodie & Paris Crime Story
Gefährliche Empfehlungen (Dangerous Recommendations in English, but only available in German atm) by Tom Hillenbrand-a culinary crime novel I thrifted on a whim-turned out to be such a page-turner. It's book five in a series featuring Xavier Kieffer, a Michelin-starred chef turned amateur sleuth from Luxembourg, but you can totally read it as a standalone.
The plot is tight, well-researched, and full of atmosphere. I loved how deeply it immerses you in the streets of Luxembourg and Paris-the descriptions are so vivid, you can practically hear the café clatter and feel the cobblestones under your shoes.
Culinary-wise, it's rich and detailed… just not vegan. At all! The French fine dining in these pages leans heavy on foie gras and other dishes that made my plant-based heart ache a little. Still-a great read.
(There is a vegan character, but spoiler: he's not exactly portrayed in the best light.)
9. GADGET: Air Purifier
I was so over our guest bathroom smelling like a litter box every summer (because… that's where our cats' litter box actually lives). After a bit of research, I found this Levoit air purifier-and I'm happy to report it works.
It's great for other spaces too-living room, bedroom, wherever you want fresher air. On its lowest setting, it's quiet enough to sleep through.
For Home Allergies, Pet Hair, in Bedroom, Covers Up to 1073 ft² by 56W High Torque Motor, AHAM VERIFIDE, 3-in-1 Filter with HEPA Sleep Mode, Remove Dust Smoke Odor, Core300-P, White
10. CHOCOLATE: New Favorites
My latest chocolate obsession: Rhythm 108-a new find at our local organic supermarket (Denns). They've got three flavors (two pictured, plus an orange one), and I'm officially hooked. Incredibly melty, incredibly addictive.
Also loving: the "Birthday Cake" bars by Made Good. First of all-adorable name. But also? Soooo good. Think vanilla meets berries meets chocolate meets oats... in the best, most snackable way.
11. LAZY SUSAN: Going Round and Round
Sometimes, it's the quiet little things that bring the most joy over time. Like… a Lazy Susan.
I bought one last year after getting fed up with digging through a deep cupboard full of oversized jars of nuts. Now: one quick spin and I can reach everything. It honestly brings me daily joy-and today, it hit me again just how great it is.
I'm thinking of getting one for the fridge, too. Do you have one?
You can find them at Ikea or on Amazon.
12. CLEANING HACK: Sparkling-Clean Crystal Vases
I have a few crystal and glass vases with narrow necks-too small for any brush to fit inside. Swishing around soapy water just wasn't cutting it. The bottom always looked dull, which kind of took the joy out of using them.
Solution: cleaning balls (beads).
No idea how we ended up with the cleaning beads, but one day I gave them a try. Just pop a few into the vase with a bit of water, cover the top with your hand, and give it a good shake. Then pour everything out (catch the tiny balls-you can reuse them!).
And wow. Crystal-clear. Like actually sparkling. I swear they're magic.
Can't wait for them to get dirty again so I can do it all over. 😊
13. CHEESE: Vegan Camembert
Like most people on this planet, I do crave cheese from time to time. And a couple of times a year, it's all about camembert.
Luckily, vegan camembert has come a long way. I love the Mondarella Soft Rouge (find it at Rewe or Edeka) and the creamy one from Happy Cheeze (at organic supermarkets). Both are soft, rich, melt-on-your-tongue delicious.
Also: they're perfect for making a vegan version of Bavarian Obatzda (see my easy recipe here).
14. BLOOMS: I Can Buy Myself Flowers
At the end of May, I celebrated something big-and bought myself flowers.
My husband offered to get me some, but I wanted to choose them myself. To gift myself. To celebrate me. To show myself how proud I was.
I assembled a one-of-a-kind bouquet: soft purples, greens, and whites. Asparagus fern, bellflowers, mint, sweet peas… all perfectly me.
Another floral favorite this month: a few sprigs of jasmine paired with yellow roses, dropped into a glass and left to scent the apartment. The fragrance? So rich. So summery. And the jasmine lasted over a week (!). So. Much. Joy.
15. RESTAURANT: Dinner at Theodor's
To properly celebrate the big moment I mentioned earlier, we treated ourselves to dinner at a slightly fancier spot: Theodor's, tucked inside the gardens of Schwetzingen Palace. You actually need a park ticket just to reach the restaurant-yes, it's that special.
The setting is absolutely charming and totally worth it. They offer a vegan starter, two mains, and a dessert-and oh, the dessert. We were both blown away. Hands down the best coconut ice cream we've ever had.
Next up: Pretty June!
If you're in the mood to chat: What was special about your May?
Wishing you planty of delights,
Ramona
♥
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