spaetzle spaetzle spaetzle

I've made spaetzle a few times since we ate at The Bavarian at Taos. I've had mixed results, and this time I think I can blame it on the equipment.

First I have to figure out what kind of spaetzle maker to get, and the decision is NOT easy:

Spaetzle-Hex for junkies who need a quick fix
Spaetzle.de for purists - brush up on your German
Sliding or rotary spaetzle makers, one of which looks suspiciously like a Foley food mill
Nana's Spaetzle Maker - I can't quite figure out how it works

Then I have to decide which recipe works the best. There are more recipes for spaetzle than there are for Canadian butter tarts.

1.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose Flour (375ml)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt (2.5ml)
2/3 cup water (157ml)

2.
2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk

3.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

4. (from Tyler Florence)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

5. (from Wolfgang Puck, who should know)
4 egg yolks
1 egg
1 3/4 cups milk
1 pound (about 3 cups) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted

Everyone seems to agree that eggs and flour are present, and most recipes have nutmeg. I have made them with water - I used the Joy of Cooking recipe:

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup water
small grating of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder (I don't bother with it)

Just in time, I got The Swiss Cookbook by Nika Standen Hazelton (Atheneum NY: 1967) for $2.50 at Jeanne's Attic in Laconia; this spatzli version has:

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup water

But now I'm wondering about what milk would do. I'll just have to make them again, and again and again.....

Hauling Home the Cookbook Booty

I went trolling for cookbooks today and scored big.


First stop Jeanne's Attic on Pleasant Street in Laconia, NH - a cool shop with reasonable prices and lots of mid-century modern goodies. I made a larger purchase at Country Tyme in Belmont, but the shopping experience was less satisfying. They advertised a storewide sale, however when I whipped out the credit card I was told that I could only have the discount if I paid cash. How tacky and crass. One price for everyone, I say.

So here's my loot (the rule is to not pay more that $15 unless it's unobtainium - I do try to keep purchases under $10):

The prize has to be The Entertaining Book by Teresa and Auberon Waugh. It's caustic, funny and the illustrations are lovely. It still doesn't make up for not having Waugh on Wine which is over $200 when I do manage to find it. Live in hope, die in despair.


The Blue Strawbery Cookbook
autographed by James Haller, the man who put Portsmouth on the culinary map. I pick up this one and Another Blue Strawbery Cookbook whenever I find them because they make great gifts.

Two by Craig Claiborne: Kitchen Primer,
a good present for beginning cooks with charming illustrations
and Cooking with Herbs & Spices.

Another choice for beginners is The Kitchenware Book

Gadabouts Cookbook & Travel Guide highlights all the cool restaurants in the Upper Valley, even Claude's, my favorite Killington restaurant and Powderhounds, which is, alas no more. Geoff will just have to settle for the recipe for cold peanut and sesame noodles on page 155.


My last stop was Borders Books, and though I hate to pay retail I could not pass up New Hampshire From Farm to Kitchen by Helen Brody.

I knew some of the locations featured including the Swain Farm in Sanbornton and Hillside Farm on Turkey Street in Chocorua. Yep, they raise turkeys there. My brother gets a fresh one from the Pughs every Thanksgiving; humane treatment of the birds and natural processing make a significant difference.

The recipe for Cucumber Salad with New Hampshire Fried Horned Pout made me all nostalgic - I remember when my brother and I would walk down to Woody's dock and catch the mean, cranky old things, which were considered inedible at the time. Now that catfish is popular I may have to rethink Horned Pout, especially if it's fried in corn meal.

More Big Halloween Fun

A fun Holiday read by New Hampshire writer Lisa Rogak.

my unsophisticated palate revealed

Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery, Volumes 1 and 2

This set of 12 books has been with me most of my life, on the shelf with Mom's vast collection of cookbooks, and now on mine. It's a useful reference tool and a fun trip into the past. I'm reading through them again somewhat thoroughly and have found some retro gems like Charlotte Russe in the "Cake Cookbook" and a serviceable Sauerbraten recipe in the "Beef Cookbook." I could tell that the Tourtiere recipe was the one Mom always used for Christmas Eve pork pie by the crusty splatters on the page - yum!




However, things really fell apart at the "American Cookbook," where the recipes for the dishes famous in each state are listed along with a short bio. Naturally, New Hampshire gets the culinary shaft. It's true that New Hampshire is not famous for it's native cuisine, but get these:

Old-time Salt-Pork Soup with Dumplings Ugh!
Red Flannel Hash Ok, this is a tasty one that I'm proud of
Fried Tripe Come on, man!
Hashed Turnips mashed with 1/4 cup of bacon drippings. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.


We made out ok on the desserts, with
Cinnamon Raisin Buns, Maple Custard, Blueberry Upside-down Cake and Newton Sugar Squares (whatever they are).

But as bad as the Fried tripe sounds, nothing compares to the raw deal that Arkansas gets. It starts out with yummy fried catfish, broiled trout, braised quails, barbecued spareribs, corn dodgers, ozark and persimmon puddings - they get dashed on the rocks of Roast Opossum with Yams

I couldn't get past the preparation:

Then things get really ugly in the B's when I got to "Brains." This one took my breath away.

Even though I've never been a fan of euphemisms like "he passed away" preferring "he died;" I think I would have felt better about something like "Sweetbread Fritters" in this case.

I'll review Volumes 3 and 4 after I recover.

i like carbohydrates...

...and so does james beard.

it's such a pity that carbs have become so maligned. sure, i have been on a diet for the last year or so, and have lost about 25 pounds, give or take a few. though i admire those who find success on the atkins and south beach diets, i don't really believe that they are practical for my lifestyle. i have chosen the "stop shoving food in my mouth" diet and found that it really works. i keep the calories low (1200-1500 per day) during the week, and excercise quite a bit, then on weekends i indulge my lust for ribs with extra barbecue sauce, biscuits, risotto, and wine. no, the results are not immediate, but i never feel deprived.



i have referred to this book countless times for quick breads, and even overcame my fear of yeast by making some of the simpler bread recipes. I had company over last weekend and made these three batter breads for breakfast. the banana bread always gets devoured first, but my favorite is the tart lemon bread. i find that baking these breads the day before serving improves the texture.

click on each photo for the recipe

i added a cup of fresh blueberries to the batter before pouring it into the loaf pan.


the best banana bread i've tried to date. i used pecans, but walnuts are tasty too.


i added a cup of slivered almonds as well. if you omit the nuts, there is a nominal amount of fat in this recipe. however, eating these breads and worrying about calories is futile and silly. just give into it and enjoy breakfast.