German Foodie Files part 2: Electric Burgerloo

Here is second half of the menu possibles.

To save you from clicking back here are the new possible menu items.



2 types of Sauerbraten: A German Pot roast, where the meat is marinated for a couple days ahead of time, served with several vegetables.
Spaetzle: A German dumpling or noodle
Hessian Pan-Fried Meatloaf: This is exactly what it sounds like.
Bierocks: Meat turnovers with cabbage and spices.
Frikadellen: A traditional German hamburger.
Hasenpfeffer: A rabbit/hare stew with onions and wine.
Spargel: White asparagus.
Maultaschensuppe: Meat filled dumplings in broth.

Sweet & Sour Potatoes: This is a variation on German potato salad.
Zwiebelkuchen: An onion pie from Swabia, served in the fall.
Karotten in Bier Gedunstet: Carrots cooked in a dark beer with butter.
Brotchen Rolls: Chewy and firm dinner rolls. 
Gugelhupf: This is a Bundt cake with raisins and almonds.
Stollen: A moist heavy bread filled with fruit which is popular in Dresden.
Strawberry Bavarian Cream: A dessert similar to a pastry cream flavored with strawberries
Christmas Gingerbread loaf: A bread-like Gingerbread cake


The sweet and sour potato recipe I found is really a fancy name for a German potato salad.
It has bacon in it, so no vegetarians please. Potato salads have not been terribly popular in the past Thanksgiving 2's, so I am a bit hesitant to include this one. I am hoping that the taste test shows enough of a difference in taste to entice some guests into trying it. I really think potato salads should be a part of "family style" gatherings. Maybe this is the recipe that brings everyone else around.

The picture of the zwiebelkuchen looks similar to a dessert pie. How can a pie-like food taste bad.  I may have to try the zwielbelkuchen with red onions at least once to keep the flavor distinctly different from the Turner Onion Casserole (a favorite dish for over 2 years). This is from Swabia, which is in south-central Germany. I have learned that this pie is usually accompanied by "green" or young wine. I believe the Mount Hope Winery has a young wine for sale. They're located in "Dutch" Country. This seems right somehow.

If the karotten in bier gedunstet is even mildly tasty I will be including it in this year's menu. The German side dishes I have found that are not cabbage have left me with few vegetarian choices. This will help increase my theme dishes and add another non-sausage. The other positive to this recipe is that it's very simple. Carrots, butter, beer and a bit of sugar, that's all. I can't see how this will be bad.

Brotchen rolls will be my first foray since middle school into bread making. I will definitely need to try this one at least twice. The dough needs to rise 3 times, and is cooked in an odd manner. This one is a bit nervous making, but having a set of fresh baked rolls will add a lot of authenticity to the whole meal.

Strawberry Bavarian cream sounds so fancy to me. The recipe I found uses fresh strawberries and appears to be similar to a jello mold or a mousse. I like mousse. It is very different from the filling in an eclair and a Boston cream doughnut. That type of filling is more modern from what I have learned. If this is as good and simple as it seems, I may just make a few flavors. We will see.

Other than the strawberry Bavarian cream, the desserts will be tried beforehand for my work "birthday days". I am afraid of bringing the Bavarian creme to work and having it sit out for 8 hours. Once I figure out the order, you will see posts covering each dessert in the upcoming months.