Kristine Konefat boxes up a strudel for customer Jack Cohen at Upland German Deli, the area’s sole German restaurant. (Photo by David Allen)

They’ve been serving up German food at Upland German Deli since 1977. And the owner loves kidding her customers — although she’s so straight-faced, sometimes they don’t know it. (Ask for a to-go box and see what happens.) I’ve been meaning to introduce myself to the owners and interview them ever since I got back from Germany last August. Last week I finally got around to it, a story that is told in Wednesday’s column.