We have some great local Oktoberfest celebrations near us, and as enjoyable as they are, I still make sure to put one together at home.
Sauerbraten is always on the menu; the beef was marinated in red wine/red wine vinegar with sliced onion and the appropriate spices for 4 days before going into the slow cooker with carrots, more onion, and a bit of celery. I make the gravy using gingersnap cookies as the thickening agent, though in southern Germany stale gingerbread or Lebkuchen would typically be used. In northern Germany the cookies or gingerbread are omitted, and the gravy is thickened with flour or cornstarch instead, but I prefer the hint of gingery sweetness one finds in the south.
The Rotkohl/Rotkraut was commercial jarred product.
Spaetzle is made by dropping bits of an egg batter into boiling water, then scooping it out when the tiny dumplings start to float, in 3-4 minutes. There are a lot of commercial spaetzle makers on the market for $20-$40, but I found that a 99 cent plastic bowl and a few minutes with the drill press made an excellent substitute.
Schmeckt gut!
Sauerbraten is always on the menu; the beef was marinated in red wine/red wine vinegar with sliced onion and the appropriate spices for 4 days before going into the slow cooker with carrots, more onion, and a bit of celery. I make the gravy using gingersnap cookies as the thickening agent, though in southern Germany stale gingerbread or Lebkuchen would typically be used. In northern Germany the cookies or gingerbread are omitted, and the gravy is thickened with flour or cornstarch instead, but I prefer the hint of gingery sweetness one finds in the south.
The Rotkohl/Rotkraut was commercial jarred product.
Spaetzle is made by dropping bits of an egg batter into boiling water, then scooping it out when the tiny dumplings start to float, in 3-4 minutes. There are a lot of commercial spaetzle makers on the market for $20-$40, but I found that a 99 cent plastic bowl and a few minutes with the drill press made an excellent substitute.
Schmeckt gut!
