Tag: bread

Bread to Make a Hungarian Rhapsodic

cartoon about a dog at a bakery

Today’s weight-obsessed gastronomes, ever mindful of carbohydrates and calories, generally demur when dinner rolls are passed their way. Yet history reveals that such reticence is unusual. Centuries ago, the attitude prevailed that a meal without bread was no meal at all. Even kings made a show of their baked goods. When in 1663 Transylvanian Prince Mihály Apafi invited the entire Ottoman army to dine with him after a battle, he rolled out, among other tidbits, two-score enormous boules. So impressed with this display was the Turkish world traveler, Evliya Celebi, that he recorded it in his journal. “The meadows were covered with Hungarian carpets,” he writes, “onto which forty giant loaves were placed.” The king’s means of conveying the loaves to the hungry soldiers Calebi found equally impressive. “Each one had to be drawn on an oxcart,” he continues, for “each … was twenty paces long, and five paces wide, and as high as a full-grown man.”

Continue reading →
Posted on by theausteritykitchen 2

Spiced Dutch Bread for a Starry Night

 
 
dutch cottage

Between 1883 and 1885 Vincent van Gogh lived in Nuenen, a small village in the Brabant district of the Netherlands where his father was the church pastor. There Van Gogh immersed himself in his subject — the lives of local peasants — with a gusto uncommon even among passionate artists.

Continue reading →
Posted on by theausteritykitchen 0

Lefse: A Norwegian Staple

The northernmost regions of Norway simultaneously enchant and terrify. In winter darkness reigns over the land; in summer, the sun never sets. Vast, craggy forests of pine stretch as far as the eye can see, and high-walled, icy fjords cut into the coastline. It is a landscape that, in centuries past, bred belief in fairies and trolls, evil creatures that supposedly made their homes among the towering pines.

For the human inhabitants of this strange and sometimes hostile land, life was difficult. The steep, rocky coastline hindered the transportation of goods to the inland towns. The mountains made it impossible to harvest cereal grains and cultivate orchards. Of Norway’s 125,000 square miles of country, little more than 5,000 are arable.

Lefse traditional flatbread in Norway
Lefse

But the people of northern Norway found great comfort in food. They did their best with what staples they could procure, developing an impressive repertoire of rye breads, reindeer stews and rice puddings — vigorous dishes that could provide warmth and sustenance during the cold winters. Lefse, a popular flatbread, frequently accompanied these meals. Here’s a traditional recipe for lefse from RecipeZaar:

Norwegian Lefse

2 cups of plain mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
vegetable oil

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl mix potatoes, milk, butter, salt and 3/4 cup of flour.

Knead briefly on lightly floured board, adding additional flour to keep the dough from sticking.

Divide dough into 12 equal balls; roll each on lightly floured board into a circle paper thin.

Lightly oil a heavy skillet or crepe pan; set over medium heat.

Cook one at a time, until lightly browned, about one minute on each side.

Stack on a plate with a paper towel in between each one.

Freeze leftovers, and thaw throughout the year and enjoy a favorite anytime.

Serve lefse with butter for savory dishes, or sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar for a breakfast treat.

 
Why Fast and Fermented Foods by Christine Baumgarthuber

Would you rather receive The Austerity Kitchen by email? Then sign up for my Substack.

And, if you’d like to help the Kitchen keep cookin’, please consider picking up copies of my books, Why Fast? and Fermented Foods.

Posted on by theausteritykitchen 2