♪ captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- ♪ >> "euromaxx highlights" -- coming up on the show -- magical melodies. yael naim mixes jazz music and folk music to make beautiful music. and made in germany is becoming a -- hand made in germany is becoming a hot table. houses of worship with a modern touch. ♪ "euromaxx highlights" -- here is your host. >> a warm welcome from berlin.

he is famous for his larger- than-life figures. and his latest sculptures of hercules is his biggest work so far. it is 18 meters tall and weighs 23 tons. he has created it for the ruhr region in western germany that has been a capital of culture this year. the statue was unveiled on friday evening as a fitting finale to the year. ♪ >> it is the colossal work of aluminum and steel. it is the valley's own hercules. >> i like it better now that i see how it looks up there. >> it is rather impressive up there. >> phenomenal, overwhelming.

fantastic. >> he and his 15 assistance worked on the statue for about a year-and-a-half. in his modethe model is in his n berlin. it is the largest sculpture he has ever made. >> art is always trying to achieve the impossible. the impossible remains impossible. the closer you get, the more satisfying it can be. >> he is one of the most significant german artists of his time. his sculptures and works have earned him high praise and sharp criticism. the controversy has only added to his fame. he was the foreman german chancellor's favorite artist. -- the former german chancellor's favorite artist. his works increase the chancellory -- even grace the

chancellery. hercules was cast in duesseldorf. several tons of aluminum cover of a sturdy steel frame. the 69-year-old artist created 43 different models before he found the right form and look for his hercules. he lives mainly in berlin. he spent part of his childhood with his grandmother in another city. he chose to sculpt hercules because he sees the greek god as a strong symbol for the ruhr region. the tower was elected to serve as a platform for hercules. -- the tower was erected to serve as a platform for hercules. ♪ the 23 ton sculpture required a

sturdy base. >> it is very important to me that the sculpture has its own harmony, the oversized head is in the right position, that it has been realized and calculated properly. that is the deciding factor. it was an artistic challenge because of the time pressure. it is also a technical novelty. nobody had done anything like this before. we learned by doing. i would have preferred in bronze. for support reasons, that was impossible. [singing in german] >> the statue arrived in time for the european capital of culture closing celebration. from 80 meters above the ground, hercules can watch over the entire region. [singing in german]

>> the name of yael naim is probably one you are not familiar with. the french-israeli star's first album was a flop. she persevered. as sometimes happens in the music business, she had a bit of luck. steve jobs liked the song and chose it to advertise one of his products. ♪ i was hoping i could learn about how to give and take ♪ >> the song made her famous overnight. in 2008, the apple corporation featured this on an ad campaign. worldwide. yael naim was overwhelmed by the success. >> to me, it was a simple song that are recorded in two hours. i did not give it that much

thought. this song has bestowed many wonderful things on me. i am very attached to it. ♪ >> the fans have been eagerly awaiting her follow-up on. almost three years on, it is here. it is entitled "she was a boy." ♪ >> i knew that lots of people would hear the album and wondered if they might be disappointed. it was tough to say, so what, just make the music that you like as you always do. >> yael naim has been composing songs since she was 11. she works closely with the french musician. they call themselves a band. ♪ >> they are not his songs.

he is not attached to them like i am. he has less inhibitions about changing them. it is a bit of fun for him. sometimes, i feel i am being attacked. in the end, a song emerges that is musically mixture of both of us. ♪ >> as with her previous cd's, it was not recorded in regular studio. they made it near her home in paris. in a studio, this financial pressure. we are alone here. there is no sound engineer. no one is stopping by. it is intimate. you can try all sorts of things. you can sing in a funny way. you can do what you want. you have absolute freedom. ♪

>> the result is her own inimitable style. ♪ weather is catchy balance -- it may be a catchy balllad or a rock-inspired number. the critics and audiences love her and her distinctive voice. she kicked off her latest tour of a small vineyard in paris. -- a small venue in paris. >> i like it better when the audience sings along. ♪ come home, come home ♪ >> it is like suddenly having a choir of 500 or 3000 people.

>> she is very original and explores many different musical facets. she has her own recognizable sound. >> they have maintained their artistic freedom. they dance to their own drum and not the dictates of the music business. it could be just the right recipe for another smash hit. ♪ ♪ i am a new soul ♪ [applause] >> something different. good luck to them. the term "made in germany" has a certain gravitas around the world. it stood for quality industrial products for years. now, at eight smaller manufacturers here have started a new type of branding with the slogan "handmade in germany."

the products are divorced and have three things in common. timeless, expensive, and handmade. -- the products are diverse and have three things in common. >> custom created wallpaper. high end speakers. they are all products bearing the new steel. the suppliers are members of the initiative of german manufacturers. >> it provides crucial assistance in giving all the different producers something to share in terms of the image and marketing. it is something they would not be able to afford on their own. this means guaranteeing quality and craftsmanship and illustrating this. >> craftsmanship and quality are

a priority. the berlin-based company specializes in luxury wallpaper. it is not cheap. it is about 400 years per square meter. -- 400 euros per square meter. the grace the prestigious patel and the london department store harrods. and the small and exclusive clientele. -- they have a small and exclusive clientele. he is among the founding members of the initiative. >> i want to see manufacturers getting more exposure. hopefully, there will be greater communication of what distinguishes them and their products. >> the initiative currently has eight members. among them are the oregon

manufacturer, the luxury kitchen manufacturer, and the old royal porcelain manufacturers in berlin. there are high standards for potential new members. to join the initiative. the criteria includes a high proportion of work done by hand and outstanding product quality. they have been making audio systems since 1977. the traditional and craftsmanship meets cutting edge technology. almost all of the components are made and have assembled in berlin by a highly qualified team this subject them to expensive testing. ell>> the more specific the tasr are aiming to satisfy, the lower the volume will be.

only a smaller manufacturer can meet that demand. not big industry. we exist because our customers have their own specific tastes and expectations. >> in this case, eight specific taste can cost up to 200,000 euros per system. it is a system that is guaranteed to be hand made in germany. >> every year leading up to christmas, book sales skyrocket. there is one area of the business that is experiencing a boom in germany. cookbooks. the availability of ingredients from all over the world has helped as has the arrival of the celebrity tv chef. there are even book shops purely devoted to the genre. ♪ >> cookbooks have never been more popular.

publishing houses are putting out more of them. ♪ this is a specialist bookstore in hamburg. it is one of just seven in germany that stopped nothing but cookbooks. the customers can choose from around 3000 titles. she opened the store four years ago. she says she has no shortage of customers. >> young and old. i get customers to love to cook. ones that are learning and was looking for inspiration. they all come here in search of inspiration and to buy the books. >> some cookbooks concentrate on certain ingredients. others focus on particular regions or countries. the more exotic, the better. >> last year, and middle eastern cookery was really popular.

this year, it is indian food. it changes all the time. there is always somewhere new seen as hip. >> she works for a well known gourmet magazine. fine dining is her daily bread. every day, up to 10 cookbooks land on her desk to be reviewed. ♪ >> cookbooks these days are very different. they used to be a very functional and simple. it was all about preparation and how to make a certain dish. they have become very visual now. it is all about emotion. the chefs have become celebrities. cookbooks are their calling cards. >> today, two of germany's most famous chefs are signing the book they wrote together. in the last 30 years, he has published 50 cookbooks.

the tv chef initial -- has sold millions of his books. >> cookbook should motivate people to get into the kitchen. they should look at the recipe and want to make it. >> more than 300 million euros were spent on cookbooks in germany alone. many bookstores generate up to 1/3 of the annual sales in the run-up to christmas. >> attractive books sell. people want books that look special and not cheapens. that is not what people by christmas. >> they want something expensive and beautifully designed. they want cookbooks that can really sink their teeth into. >> some of the world great works of architecture are houses of worship. debt to the ages, people have sought to build extraordinary places of worship.

there is still unfinished masterpiece in barcelona. sacred buildings continue to be innovative to date. the difference perhaps is that at first glance, it may not be clear that such buildings are places of worship. >> modern sacred buildings have the ability to surprise. the church in hanover, the mosque in bavaria, and a new synagogue in dresden were all built over the last 10 years. ♪ >> the architecture critic has brought out the coffee table book examining modern places of worship. >> in itself, a sacred building is one that has a meaning. it has to offer just more than space. it has to convey its substance. if you look at the history of

architecture, the safe -- the sacred building has always been a place of communication. the cathedrals have huge paintings there to bring the christian message to a population that could not read. sacred buildings have to convey and have a narrative. >> a church for 6500 parishioners. the skylight represents the wounds of christ. this space is a reminder of the temple in jerusalem. there are stars of david. ♪ he is one of the architects of the munich synagogue. >> we were working in a safaith with no imagery. we tried to reference the basic architectural experience of the jews and transfer them

metaphorically. we tried to use the pairing of concepts and deploy it architecturally. ♪ >> historically, synagogues and mosques have served as meeting places for the community. whatever the religion, there must be a sense of the divine. that is why contemporary devotional buildings are often more expensive than other construction products. the catholic church of the sacred heart in munich consists of a space within a space. it is symbolic of inner spirituality. the building is not like a classic church. there are a lot of similarities. like this image of the virgin on the left. >> it is this tension, this area of tension impresses me about modern sacred buildings. there is always a source of

friction between the old and new, the past and future, tradition and modern. >> the 13th century church with the redeveloped interior. there is no dominant style in modern devotional architecture. instead of frescoes and paintings, building materials and light often figure most prominently. >> the imagery has receded a little from sacred buildings. the space itself provides the image. the sensuality of the space comes to a body believed more than bold illustrations of faith -- comes to embody the believe more than bold illustrations of faith. >> these buildings are modern illustrations of faith. >> it is time to take a look at a traditional yuletide treat. our reporter has been to london to try his hand at making the famous british christmas

pudding. i must admit this is one of my favorite things at christmas. it is best enjoyed with copious amounts of brandy sauce. >> it is our reporters first time in london. he is off to the queen's official residence. unfortunately, she is not at home today. the flag-waving is the british won, the union flag, not the royal standard. the british capital has plenty of sites to see. before he tries his hand at baking, he takes in tower bridge and big ben. >> the culinary reputation of the british has not always been the best. traditional recipes are thought of as basic and heavy. it is surprising that the british christmas pudding has received fame the world over. >> christmas pudding takes at least two full days to prepare. many brits today by it ready- made. this is a purveyor of gourmet foods. the traditional shop has been making christmas pudding

according to its own recipe for 300 years. even supplies the royal family. last year, they sold 40,000 puddings. this specialty weighs in at half the two kilograms. it carries a hefty 50 euro price tag. the delicacy contains about a dozen ingredients, including dried fruits, nuts, for, and brandy. a bit of cognac daughter brings out the flavor. >> i like it. i was afraid. there is no reason for it. it is sweet and rich. it is good. ♪ when it was founded 150 yeas ago, it was considered europe's first grand hotel. the five-star hotel is known for serving one of the best christmas puddings in the capital. ♪

this is the chef responsible for the christmas baking at the hotel. >> what makes the ingredients special? >> they been carried on since 1865. it is a special recipe that we created. it has been carried down since then. >> the recipe calls for more than 20 ingredients, including reasons, carrots, allman, apple's, and brandy. r -- it. ai -- raisins, almonds, and brandy. is not difficult to make. cherish would rather not make the pieces to small so it has some texture. then she adds fresh squeezed orange juice and raise the apples into it. >> when we started putting --

when the star of the pudding, we think of luck for next year. >> then comes a generous shot of brandy. the mixture has to rest for a day in the fridge. she prepared a batch for us yesterday. the mixture is poured into the molds. put them in and leave them six to eight hours until it is done. then add the trimmings as you like and enjoy. >> this one is really good. christmas pudding is my personal christmas -- winter surprise. it is a shame i had to wait so long to test my first one. i learned today it takes a lot of patience and many ingredients to make. >> christmas pudding is

traditionally covered with brandy and set on fire before it is served. they add brandy vanilla sauce here. say what you like about whether the brits can cook. this is a truly delicious putting. >> the recipe can be found on our website at www.dw- world.de/english/euromaxx there are a lot of other recipes and reports. that is all for now. until next time, bye bye. ♪