Guten Appetit!

When I lived in Cincinnati, Ohio , October always brought two main things,  crisp Fall air and the Oktoberfest Festival to the predominantly  German city.  Working downtown, I often got caught up in the madness that surrounded Oktoberfest and would have to plough my way from my office to the parking area through streets lined with food tents, beer stands, polka bands and dancing/drinking participants who were there to celebrate their heritage. 

 

Oktoberfest in Cincinnati

But that wasn’t the only time Cincinnati’s Anglo roots came to light.  When I worked for Health Comissioner Harold D. Jacobs, Jr., he often took me to lunch at his favorite midtown restaurant, Mecklenburg Gardens.  It was in an old 19^th Century building where the food was as German as my host. Following their 160-year history, they served wonderfu8lo soft pretzels, potato pancakes, Bavarian cheese, Schnitzel and a full menu of genuine authentic dishes.  We always got their delicious Sauerbraten and I can still remember how wonderful it was.  Mecklenburg Gardens is definitely the most special Part of Cincinnati’s German History. 

Mecklenburg Gardens

SAUERBRATEN

Traditional sauerbraten has the most wonderful sweet and sour flavor; and the meat is very tender from long, slow cooking.

3 pounds beef rump roast

2 large onions, chopped

1 cup red wine vinegar, or to taste

1 cup water

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

10 whole cloves, or more to taste

2 bay leaves, or more to taste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

10 gingersnap cookies, crumbled

Place beef rump roast, onions, vinegar, water, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, sugar, cloves, and bay leaves in a large pot. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, turning meat daily. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towels, reserving marinade.

Season flour to taste with salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Sprinkle flour mixture over beef.

Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat; cook beef until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Pour reserved marinade over beef, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until beef is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove beef to a platter and slice.

Strain solids from remaining liquid and continue cooking over medium heat. Add gingersnap cookies and simmer until gravy is thickened about 10 minutes. Serve gravy over sliced beef.

Serve with homemade spaetzle noodles or mashed potatoes.

German Spaetzle Noodles (also shown in the photo)

2 eggs

1/2 C water

1/2 t salt

2 C flour

Whisk the egg, water and salt with a fork in a medium bowl.

Add the flour and stir until a sticky dough forms. Add more water if the dough is too thick to stir with a fork. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put the dough into the holder of the spaetzle maker and quickly rub back and forth to press the dough through the holes. Let the water return to a boil. The spaetzle will rise to the top when they are about done. This will take about one minute, then skim them out of the water and into a serving bowl. Repeat with the remaining dough.

 *You can also use a tin can and press the dough through the holes in the can. 

You can also serve spaetzle with a little butter, salt and pepper.

Leftover spaetzle can be heated in the microwave or sauteed in a little butter

Here's a way to make a homemade spaetzle maker out of a tin can.

Clean and wash a large tin can and punch holes  in the bottom the size of a pencil with a large screw driver or pick. Put the dough in and push it through the holes into the boiling water using a large rubber spatula.  You can also use a colander with large holes. 

A little about Manfred Von Richtofen – The Red Baron:

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of that war, being officially credited with 80 air combat victories, more than any other pilot.

Originally a cavalryman, Richthofen transferred to the Air Service in 1915, becoming one of the first members of Jasta 2 in 1916. He quickly distinguished himself as a fighter pilot, and during 1917 became leader of Jasta 11 and then the larger unit Jagdgeschwader 1 (better known as the “Flying Circus”). By 1918 he was regarded as a national hero in Germany, and was very well known by the other side.

Richthofen was shot down and killed near Amiens on 21 April 1918. There has been considerable discussion and debate regarding aspects of his career, especially the circumstances of his death. He remains quite possibly the most widely-known fighter pilot of all time, and has been the subject of many books and films, has a pizza company named for him and he e even flies with Snoopy on occasion!