German Home Cooking

by Maria M. Swaringen

German Home Cooking is not just an ordinary cookbook. It is a wonderful collection of authentic recipes in old-fashioned German cooking such Sauerbraten and Spaetzle, or Bavarian Schweinebraten with Potato-Dumplings, Pancake Soup, Cheese Torte, Butter-Cream Cakes, Ice Coffee, Elderberry Juice Grandmother's Rum Pot, and many more. Most of the recipes include beneficial notes, very important for the success of a perfect meal. In addition, German Home Cooking contains true short stories following some recipes such as gleaning wheat, the elderberry juice on a fresh painted ceiling, the celebration of Mother's birthday and Mother's Day, a German plane crashing in front of our home, and others. This unique cookbook heralds over 240 recipes, ready to try and enjoy.German Home Cooking is not only a treasure for U.S. travelers who have visited Germany, tasted and raved over some of the German food, but also for readers of German origin; this book may truly become a cherished gift to their family members as a Memoir of the Old Country. Inside, one will also find information about the Munich Octoberfest, Mardi Gras, as well as many little known facts of Germany and living through WW II.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Anuradha Sowmyanarayanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maria M Swaringen – the author of the book- German home cooking, is born and brought up in southern Germany in a place called Bavaria. The tone is more of an autobiographical in nature. She provides us an insight of her family and the state in which she lived. More so she shares with us the recipes she learnt from her mother. The impact of the world- war II can be felt throughout the book. Helping tendency was high among the people. Many examples can be found in the book. Lot of emphasis is given on the preservation of fruits, vegetables and meat in the cellars.
“Make hay while sunshine aptly suits them as they preserve it for winter. Even vegetables are canned to last for longer time. She suggests to use stainless steel pots for canning. This book is a compilation of recipes for home cooking. It is always healthy and safe, as they are made with lot of care by our loved ones.The recipes cover a wide range of items from horsd’oeuvre to desserts. She even highlights the medicinal qualities of certain beverages. Lots of herbs are being used in cooking. She has taken care of even the minute things in a recipe and provides a “NOTE” to each one of it. She helps us to have a glance into German cuisine and also about Oktoberfest and fasching\mardi gras.
SNIPPETS:
* Beef is a part of almost all the soups. Bread soup is the very good meal during world- war II.
* Wheat, egg and cheese are must in their kitchen shelves. Leftovers are used sensibly to avoid wastage.
* Vegetables like potato, cauliflower and onion are part of their everyday meal.
*Kohlrabi is like turnip. Kohlrabi and leek soup is a good soup for a cold winter days.
*Mushroom Fondue is called a Friendship food’
*The people in the southern Germany are pork eaters. They love potato dumpling with pork roast.
*Veal is the most expensive meat in Germany.
*During the period of lent, farmers houses have their smoke house, for they all smoked their own meat.
*Pancakes are Sunday evenings treat for children. Pan rolls are Sunday breakfast in Germany.
*Spaetzle- a homemade noodle popular in schwaebisch region in Germany.
*Fried elderberry blossoms and Mittelberg noodles are the meatless main meal.
*Gluehwein is a holiday beverage.
*Vanilla sugar is a German product.
*Butter cake is best to have with coffee. Having coffee with a pastry is their style.
*Rabbit ears can be served as a side dish with a meat entrée
*Cottage cheese- noodles is a very old recipe dating back to 1500 A.D.