diff --git a/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/DifficultyConverter.java b/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/DifficultyConverter.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0307b34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/DifficultyConverter.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package de.schulung.quarkus.recipes;
+
+import jakarta.persistence.AttributeConverter;
+import jakarta.persistence.Converter;
+
+@Converter(autoApply = true)
+public class DifficultyConverter implements AttributeConverter<Difficulty, String> {
+
+  @Override
+  public String convertToDatabaseColumn(Difficulty attribute) {
+    if (attribute == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return switch (attribute) {
+      case easy -> "easy";
+      case medium -> "medium";
+      case hard -> "hard";
+    };
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Difficulty convertToEntityAttribute(String dbData) {
+    if (dbData == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return switch (dbData) {
+      case "easy" -> Difficulty.easy;
+      case "medium" -> Difficulty.medium;
+      case "hard" -> Difficulty.hard;
+      default -> throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown difficulty: " + dbData);
+    };
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/Ingredient.java b/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/Ingredient.java
index 4ddc77e..bc79e97 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/Ingredient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/Ingredient.java
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ public class Ingredient {
    * The unit of the ingredient.
    */
   @NotNull
-  @Enumerated(EnumType.STRING)
   private IngredientUnit unit;
 
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/IngredientUnitConverter.java b/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/IngredientUnitConverter.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aba3957
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/IngredientUnitConverter.java
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+package de.schulung.quarkus.recipes;
+
+import jakarta.persistence.AttributeConverter;
+import jakarta.persistence.Converter;
+
+@Converter(autoApply = true)
+public class IngredientUnitConverter implements AttributeConverter<IngredientUnit, String> {
+
+  @Override
+  public String convertToDatabaseColumn(IngredientUnit attribute) {
+    if (attribute == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return switch (attribute) {
+      case pieces -> "pieces";
+      case grams -> "grams";
+      case kilograms -> "kilograms";
+      case milliliters -> "milliliters";
+      case liters -> "liters";
+      case teaspoons -> "teaspoons";
+      case tablespoons -> "tablespoons";
+      case cups -> "cups";
+      case cloves -> "cloves";
+      case pinches -> "pinches";
+      case packages -> "packages";
+      case cans -> "cans";
+      case bottles -> "bottles";
+      case slices -> "slices";
+      case sprigs -> "sprigs";
+      case stalks -> "stalks";
+      case cubes -> "cubes";
+    };
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public IngredientUnit convertToEntityAttribute(String dbData) {
+    if (dbData == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return switch (dbData) {
+      case "pieces" -> IngredientUnit.pieces;
+      case "grams" -> IngredientUnit.grams;
+      case "kilograms" -> IngredientUnit.kilograms;
+      case "milliliters" -> IngredientUnit.milliliters;
+      case "liters" -> IngredientUnit.liters;
+      case "teaspoons" -> IngredientUnit.teaspoons;
+      case "tablespoons" -> IngredientUnit.tablespoons;
+      case "cups" -> IngredientUnit.cups;
+      case "cloves" -> IngredientUnit.cloves;
+      case "pinches" -> IngredientUnit.pinches;
+      case "packages" -> IngredientUnit.packages;
+      case "cans" -> IngredientUnit.cans;
+      case "bottles" -> IngredientUnit.bottles;
+      case "slices" -> IngredientUnit.slices;
+      case "sprigs" -> IngredientUnit.sprigs;
+      case "stalks" -> IngredientUnit.stalks;
+      case "cubes" -> IngredientUnit.cubes;
+      default -> throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown ingredient unit: " + dbData);
+    };
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/Recipe.java b/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/Recipe.java
index 0fe5c74..31aab7b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/Recipe.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/schulung/quarkus/recipes/Recipe.java
@@ -54,14 +54,13 @@ public class Recipe {
   /**
    * Difficulty level of the recipe.
    */
-  @Enumerated(EnumType.STRING)
   private Difficulty difficulty;
   /**
    * List of ingredients.
    */
   @NotNull
   @Size(max = 100)
-  @OneToMany(cascade = CascadeType.ALL, orphanRemoval = true)
+  @OneToMany(cascade = CascadeType.ALL, orphanRemoval = true, fetch = FetchType.EAGER)
   @JoinColumn(name = "recipe_id")
   private List<@Valid @NotNull Ingredient> ingredients;
   /**