In 1817 about 300 Germans came to America and started a commune. The English Quakers helped finance their travels and the purchase of 5000 acres of land in Ohio. This land became known as Zoar. From Field To Table by Hilda Dischinger Morhart is a collection of original Zoar recipes. This is a small 52 page paperback that is spiral bound.
I chose to make the Spetzla from this book.
Spetzla
2 cups flour
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
water
Mix flour, egg and salt with enough cold water to make a very stiff batter. Beat until very smooth. Drop by teaspoonsfuls into boiling water and boil until they come to the top, about two minutes. Drain well.
The Spetzla can be added to soups.
My approach was to brown 1/2 stick of real butter in a skillet to a golden perfection and drizzle over the well drained Spetzla. Pretty good.
Here is the most interesting part of it all.
The Zoarites women had laundry days on Monday. Spatzlies were made for the afternoon meal on Monday. The water in which the Spetzla was cooked would be saved and then used to starch the clothing before hanging it out to dry.
This communal people paid off their debt of $15,000 to the Quaker community, by earning money digging the 7 miles of the Ohio Erie Canal that ran through their land.
Until 1898 this group survived with agriculture being their main task.
I enjoyed this cookbook for the educational side of it. The Zoar community didn't share my view on many facets of life. They loved to garden and cook. The group shared these two things in common with me. I don't think I would have faired well in the commune religious lifestyle.
I chose to make the Spetzla from this book.
2 cups flour
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
water
Mix flour, egg and salt with enough cold water to make a very stiff batter. Beat until very smooth. Drop by teaspoonsfuls into boiling water and boil until they come to the top, about two minutes. Drain well.
The Spetzla can be added to soups.
My approach was to brown 1/2 stick of real butter in a skillet to a golden perfection and drizzle over the well drained Spetzla. Pretty good.
Here is the most interesting part of it all.
The Zoarites women had laundry days on Monday. Spatzlies were made for the afternoon meal on Monday. The water in which the Spetzla was cooked would be saved and then used to starch the clothing before hanging it out to dry.
This communal people paid off their debt of $15,000 to the Quaker community, by earning money digging the 7 miles of the Ohio Erie Canal that ran through their land.
Until 1898 this group survived with agriculture being their main task.
I enjoyed this cookbook for the educational side of it. The Zoar community didn't share my view on many facets of life. They loved to garden and cook. The group shared these two things in common with me. I don't think I would have faired well in the commune religious lifestyle.
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