A Kitchen Keeper Original - Sauerbraten

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Sauerbraten is one of Bob's favorite meals. I don't make it often, but his family tradition dictates that it be served on the last day of Oktoberfest. In Germany, Oktoberfest is a 15 day celebration that begins in mid-September and ends on the the first Sunday in October. If your German ancestors settled in the southern Illinois in communities like Effingham and Teutopolis, and you had a "sainted" mother who made Sauerbraten on that day, your Irish wife had better learn how to make it, or listen to that "sainted" mother shtick ad nauseam. This is a dish that flirted with popularity in the 50's and 60's but it had no staying power. Most recipes available at that time produced a pickled pot roast that was heavy on the sour and not generally appealing to American taste. Once the fascination with using gingersnaps in a gravy passed, so did interest in Sauerbraten for those not of German descent. I must tell you up front, that my version of the pot roast is not traditional. I go heavy on the wine and light on the vinegar to produce flavors that I enjoy. Fortunately, Bob has come to like my version of the dish as well. Sauerbraten is not hard to make, but it requires inactive wait time, so advance planning is necessary. If you decide to prepare it, you'll need three days to marinate the meat, and, if you follow my advice, another day once it's been prepared for its texture to firm for slicing. I think you'll like this version of the recipe. It produces a pot roast that has an almost velvety sauce that has beautiful color and a really pleasant sweet and sour flavor. When the kids were young, I'd serve Sauerbraten with homemade spaetzle, but these days I take the easy way out and make caraway noodles and red cabbage instead. I hope the more adventurous among you will give this recipe a try. It will not disappoint. Here is how my version of Sauerbraten is made.

Beef Rouladen With Dill

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a dish that the Silver Fox enjoyed as a child. He had a very good mother - just ask him. She made rouladen and spaetzle for him whenever he asked, even during the searing heat of a Chicago summer. Unfortunately, he married an Irish girl who was a stranger to German cooking, and while she learned a thing or two over the years, her repertoire of German dishes was, and still is, quite limited. Rouladen was one of the first dishes she/I learned to make, and it appears on our table once or twice a year. Rarely, however, during the summer months. He, of silver mane fame, came home from the grocery store with a package of thin cut round steak and some ideas in mind. He was dreaming of rouladen, and because it is easier to make than Swiss steak, rouladen is what he got for dinner tonight. The recipe I use comes from Serious Eats and it is much easier to make than his mother's version. I can assemble these rolls in less than 30 minutes and they can table ready an hour after that, so, if you enjoy heavier food I think you will love the rolls and the ease with which they come together. The recipe is self-explanatory, so let's get right to the meat of it. Here is how this version of rouladen is made.

Sour Cream Twists

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I stole away this weekend to spend some time with family before they left for the San Juan Islands. Seattle is a great city, and I hasten to add that we had a wonderful time, but I have come to the conclusion that cats are easier to herd than my progeny. I made the mistake, not just once mind you, of asking, "Where shall we eat?" Six people, six strong wills and six palates, each arguing for their favorite cuisine, led to debates that put filibusters to shame, and, I might add, delayed mealtime by at least an hour whenever the question was asked. I eventually caught on, bit my tongue and had an energy bar while they hashed out the merits of their favorite food. I also came to the conclusion that my crew is not yet ready for democracy, so next time, I'm assuming dictatorial power and will personally be responsible for meal planning and restaurant reservations. Not all was lost, however. One of our more successful forays led us to Pike Place Market for breakfast, and while there, the Silver Fox stumbled on a pastry that his mother used to make for him on Easter Sunday. His family comes from an area in Southern Illinois that was originally settled by German immigrants and this pastry is one they brought with them from the old country. He was thrilled, it was a personal remembrance of things past, and I promised I'd try to recreate them for him once we were home. I made these soft, well-flavored buns for him today, using a recipe I found on the Taste of Home website. I made three changes to the recipe you'll find below. I cut the dough into 2-inch wide strips and I reduced the amount of confectioners' sugar from four to two cups. I also added the zest of one small lemon to the icing. I really like these soft and tender twists and I'll definitely make them again. They are good enough to share, and I thought those of you who enjoy making bread might want to add the twists to your recipe collection. Here is how they are made.