My Aunt Ingrid had a plum tree in the backyard. And this one summer, there were a crazy amount of plums, so much so that when it was windy, it would rain plums all over the garden. They overwhelmed us that summer. So Ingrid suggested that she would give me one pfennig per plum that I collected into a bucket for the compost pile. I am guessing she though I would get bored soon enough, but I collected buckets and buckets full. In the end, I collected enough plums so that Ingrid bought me my first full album: Synchronicity by the Police. It was 1983 and I was eleven years old.
Browsing Tag
German
It’s a bank holiday weekend, the unofficial “start to summer” and we’re in a global pandemic, so Munich trips are off for the time being! Didn’t stop me from wanting to be in the biergarten and craving Bavarian Food. Alas, Brezn (pretzels) are harder to come by (make your own!) and so is Obatza, the cheese spread that you find almost everywhere there. Traditional accompaniments are radishes, chives, gherkins, sometimes cherry tomatoes or even some charcuterie. Ein gutn!
Käsespätzle to me are like a nice, warm security blanket. Sort of like Mac & Cheese to American kids, this is something that German kids grow up with. There are dozens or hundreds of recipes, each person probably has their own variation. It’s often on the “kids menu” in restaurants, and does double duty as the vegetarian dish. This is my version, with caramelized onions and Ementhaller cheese (you could also use Gruyer) — and of course, freshly made Spätzle.
Today is May first and I’ve got Germany on the brain and in the heart. As you all know, I typically go to Munich 3 or 4 times per year and usually once in the Spring. Being there over May Day is always a treat. And as you guys also mostly know, a friend of mind always every trip that I am over go on what we affectionately call the “Strudel Run” where we day trip from Munich to Innsbruck, Austria for Strudel at Cafe Kroll … and then often end up some other random place (Italy, Lichtenstein…). So, in light of the fact that I am stuck in rainy greater Boston today, I decided to make Apfelstrudel. I cheated though by using frozen pre-made phyllo sheets, which turned out phenomenally. I was going to make Vanillesoße (Vanilla Custard/Sauce) and included it in the recipe, but checked the egg and milk status before starting and decided that I didn’t want to go to the shops tomorrow (I try to conserve as much as possible) so skipped making it.
Whenever I get back from a trip that includes Austria, I have a tendency to want to make strudel. Remember last year? It was the Cherry Chocolate version. This year, I really wanted to make something with rhubarb, but the local strawberries aren’t ripe yet, and they can be a little wet. So I made this Rhubarb Apple version instead. Total deliciousness!