February 29, 2020
A sweet friend gifted me a Bavarian cookbook, Biergarten, for my birthday last year. I was excited to see she tagged her favorite foods among the recipes, and I have been anxious to try some of them since last August. The author, Julia Skowronek, does a good job of explaining the rich history of Bavarian beer gardens.
I learned Bavarian beer gardens began in the 1500’s when brewers were only allowed to brew during the cooler months, between September and April, to avoid the risk of fires from hot beer brewing kettles. Since they had to serve warm beer during the summer months, they learned to stock their cellars with blocks of ice during the winter and planted chestnut trees to provide a thick foliage of shade for the beer. Eventually the trees grew to provide a nice shade to patrons while they enjoyed their beverage and a snack of bread with cheese or sausage.
Originally, restaurant owners were opposed to the beer gardens serving food and luring away their customers. Laws were established to ban hot food from being served in the beer gardens. Only bread could be provided, and customers had to bring any additional food with them. The laws around beer gardens evolved over the years, and in 1999, a new law was established. The law stated that beer gardens have to have characteristics of a garden, and must allow patrons to bring their own food if they choose - without charge.
Today, beer gardens are known as an outdoor gathering place that lacks social constraint. Patrons choose a beer garden based on characteristics such as the type of beer, the size of the playground for children to occupy themselves, the band, or a specific food served. True to tradition, customers are still allowed to bring their own food into a beer garden.
On a cold, gloomy day in February, I planned a Bavarian beer tasting and dinner for my family. Since I have never traveled to Germany, I took some creative liberty with the menu. Even though we couldn’t gather outside, we enjoyed the experience of trying new beer varieties, new recipes, and sharing food around the table.
Biergarten Menu
Appetizer
Pigs in Sleeping Blankets
Main course
Deutsche Küche Beer and Bavarian Bratwurst from ALDI (not sponsored)
Cheese Spaetzle
Sautéed Red Cabbage
Sauerkraut
Dessert
Black Forest Cake from Classic German Baking
Pigs in Sleeping Blankets
Serves 6 as an appetizer
Recipe from Bon Appetit. I know this is not a Bavarian recipe, but this paired very nicely with the German beer, and this is something I would want to eat in a beer garden.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
3 tablespoons whole milk
3/4 cup drained sauerkraut
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (additional for serving)
3/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
8 ounces ground pork
1 14-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed (I found this to be 1 sheet)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg, beaten
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the minced shallot. Stir frequently. Cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring to combine. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
Combine the panko and milk in a small bowl. Let stand until the milk is absorbed (2-3 minutes). Add to the bowl with shallot and garlic mixture. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the sauerkraut. Coarsely chop the sauerkraut and add to the bowl with 1 tablespoon Dijon, caraway seeds, a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the pork and gently combine using a fork or hands, but be careful to not overmix.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until you have a 14x10-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into three 14x3 (1/3-inch) strips. Transfer the strips to the parchment. Spoon 1/3 of the pork mixture onto each pastry strip, leaving a 1-inch border at each end. Fold the pastry over to close and pinch edges to seal. Make sure the seams are tightly sealed to prevent them from coming apart while baking.
Cut small, diagonal slits down each pastry roll, about 1-inch apart to help release steam. Brush the tops and sides with the beaten egg. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes. (Pastry could be frozen at this point if you want to make ahead. Be sure to wrap with plastic, then foil before freezing.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake (no need to thaw if frozen further in advance) for 15 minutes or until puffed and lightly brown. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake an additional 25 minutes, or until pork is completely cooked and pastry is puffed and a deep golden color. Let cool slightly before cutting. Slice into 1-inch pieces and serve with mustard.
Cheese Spaetzle
Serves 4
Adapted from Biergarten Cookbook. I strongly recommend using a food scales to measure ingredients to get a more precise dry ingredient to liquid ratio. If your batter is too thin, add a small amount of all-purpose flour at a time until you get the consistency described. I don't usually love kitchen gadgets that only serve one purpose, but a spaetzle press is the best tool to use here, and they are relatively inexpesive (under $15). I used this one with excellent results.
2 yellow onions, sliced thin and separated into rings
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Bourbon or white wine to deglaze the pan
250 grams (approximately 2 cups) grams all-purpose flour
125 grams (approximately 1 cup) semolina flour
3 eggs
200 ml (approximately 1 cup) cold water
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
150 grams (approximately 1 1/2 cups) Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Let cook slowly for several minutes, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour total. Toss occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the onions begin to turn golden, tip in a little alcohol to deglaze the pan. Let the onions absorb the liquid before adding additional alcohol, until you get deep caramelization, all the liquid is absorbed, and the onions are jammy. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an ovenproof casserole dish.
In a large pot, bring several quarts of salted water to a boil.
While the water is heating, combine the flour, semolina, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the eggs and water. Beat the mixture by hand until the dough is thick but drips slowly off a spoon. Continue beating for another 5 minutes until small bubbles form in the dough.
Over the boiling water, ladle a scoop of dough onto the spaetzle press. Press into the water. Once the spaetzle float to the top, remove with a slotted spoon. Place a layer of spaetzle on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with a thin layer of shredded cheese. Place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat pressing the sparkle into the water. Continue layering the spaetzle and cheese in the casserole dish until both are used up and cheese is the last layer.
Top with the caramelized onions and serve immediately.
Sautéed Red Cabbage
Serves 4
Recipe from Rachel Ray. This was my first attempt at making red cabbage and I was surprised at how easy this is to make. There is a lot of flavor for a short list of ingredients.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 red cabbage, shredded
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Salt and pepper
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil. Once the oil is warm, add the onion and sauté 2 minutes until slightly softened. Add the cabbage and toss in the pan to coat with oil. After 3-5 minutes the cabbage should wilt. Add the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and pepper. Toss again to coat the cabbage. Turn down the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cabbage should be completely wilted at this point but still have some texture. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.