Pleasure and enjoyment
It's a joy to see my amaryllis blooming so beautifully, but I actually wanted to tell you about the festive treats of the New Year's season. There have been inquiries about "Silesian Heaven" – it's a dish from my mother's and my childhood... we used to eat it at Christmas, and I've revived it and cooked it again for the holidays:
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| Kassler in root vegetables |
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| Dried fruit sautéed with onions |
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| Potato dumplings with a hollow for the sauce |
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| Sauerkraut and plenty of the delicious sauce |
What do you think? I think I shouldn't wait a whole year to cook this wonderful dish again :-))
This pot contains goose giblets and root vegetables, from which I prepare the sauce for the roast goose... that is also a delight in itself.
I prepare all sauces with plenty of wine, and as a cook, I also take a sip now and then – I assure you, I'm not a drinker – I'm... a bon vivant.
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| One potato dumpling is enough for me. |
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| I forgot to take a picture fresh out of the oven. |
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| this beautiful one |
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| Stollen |
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| a cozy time to drink coffee |
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| and to read my new book "The Well at the World's End" |
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| beautiful walks were taken |
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| ...when more snow comes, the skis can come out... |
Lovely post! Have a nice day.
AntwortenLöschen...Viola, during these dark day, amaryllis brighten our days. Be warm and well.
AntwortenLöschenGood celebrations. Yes, why wait a year to cook something that pleases everyone...if everything is in season or in store?
AntwortenLöschenDear Viola, when my mom was alive, she always cooked traditional Christmas dishes.
AntwortenLöschenUnfortunately, she died years ago, and I don't usually spend Christmas at home either, so as not to be alone during the holiday. My life has changed.
The delicious flavors are gone, and I haven't tried to make those dishes yet.
We also ate Stollen at Christmas, and it snowed here too!:)
I wish you all the best! Éva
What delicious looking food you made. Those traditional dishes can bring back lots of memories. I use my mother's recipes for baking cookies and special treats during the Christmas season.
AntwortenLöschenI received an amaryllis for Christmas and its green shoots are slowly growing upwards. It will be a red one. Enjoy the snow!
Happy New Year to you and your family
AntwortenLöschenAh, sauerkraut! My mother was Dutch and used to make sauerkraut with pork and smoked sausage and potatoes and gravy.... I must make some...
AntwortenLöschenEverything looks so delicious-I have not made a stolen in many years now-always perfect for the holidays. Thank you for sharing with us.
AntwortenLöschenHappy New Year-hugs
Kathy
Such a happy post, thank you. You know how to enjoy.
AntwortenLöschenKjære Viola,
AntwortenLöschenDet er en flott amaryllis du har som springer ut nå. Maten din ser veldig god ut. Den må du nok lage flere ganger. Det ser vakkert ut med snø hos deg. Endelig har vi fått snø her også nå.
Klem fra Marit
That food looks so delicious, I’m sure you had a wonderful festive season. Lovely to see your snowy scenes too. B x
AntwortenLöschenYour food looks so good, Viola! Today is hot, so seeing your snow makes it feel a little cooler.
AntwortenLöschenBonita flor, pero la comida se ve muy apetitosa.
AntwortenLöschenMis mejores deseos para ti y tus seres queridos en este nuevo año 2026.
Saludos
That meal looks so good. It's wonderful that you have revived it and making it for the family
AntwortenLöschenHugz
Yummy. Beautiful flower and the outside pictures are so pretty.
AntwortenLöschenEverything looks so good.
AntwortenLöschenThe food looks so good. Yummy. I wasn’t able to get a goose this year. We had to settle for turkey!
AntwortenLöschenUy todo se ve rico. feliz año, te mando un beso.
AntwortenLöschenThat meal looks very delicious, and different from what you'd see in my area. That is appealing to me. I made some Scandinavian gingerbread cookies are Christmas (just like one of my aunts use to make), and I said the same thing, why do I only make these at Christmas? Hope 2026 is going well for you!
AntwortenLöschenYou are a very adventurous cook!! Everything looks good. For the first time since I began making my Stollen this year it was not very good. Yours looks tasty.
AntwortenLöschenLiebe Viola,
AntwortenLöschendas war ein Festschmaus mit deiner Familie, schön habt ihr es gehabt an den Feiertagen. Tolle Fotos von deiner Umgebung.
Hab ein schönes neues Jahr mit deiner Familie!
Lieben Gruss Elke
Gorgeous bloom there and lovely scenery to look at.
AntwortenLöschenAll the foot does look great, not sure about the giblets, I would leave them :)
For the sauce for the goose dinner, I buy fresh small pieces of goose beforehand and prepare the sauce a few days in advance... it's a lengthy cooking process, but it's worth it, the sauce is fantastic.
LöschenHugs
Hej Viola!
AntwortenLöschenRiktigt fin Amaryllis och maten ser god ut. Jag tror att det smakar extra gott för att man äter det vid speciella tillfällen. Har också lagat speciell Finsk julmat men enbart till Jul.
Ha det gott /Kram Marika
I missed your Happy New Year--- I wish that for you and your family as well. The meal looks so good, I have determined that I must immediately head for the kitchen for a midnight snack!
AntwortenLöschenI enjoyed reading this! Love Christmas time!
AntwortenLöschenPerfect warming food for the current weather! It all looks delicious. xx
AntwortenLöschenSåg verkligen ut som en god rätt.
AntwortenLöschenKram Carin
The food looks so good! A feast for a winter's day!
AntwortenLöschenThe food looks so good! But as a goose-lover I have to say -oh dear!
AntwortenLöschenI think I wouldn't be able to eat a goose-I have had too many as dear pets! But of course I am not saying everyone else should feel like I do!
Hej Viola,
AntwortenLöschenDe amaryllis komt prachtig tot bloei. Ik moet hier nog even geduld hebben.
Het eten ziet er allemaal heerlijk uit. Ik ruik het bijna.
Lieve groet Willy
Lecker lecker lecker. Mein Vater liebte Kassler mit Sauerkraut und meine Mutter machte es deshalb öfters. Die Gans zu Weihnachten gab es allerdings nur einmal - danach war meine Mutter so was von schlechter Laune, weil alles so fettig war. Sie wütete in der Küche und der Rest der Familie verhielt sich ganz leise, um nur ja nicht in ihr Kreuzfeuer zu gelangen. Das sind schöne Erinnerungen. Richtig guten Stollen bekommen wir hier höchst selten - man kann in der Adventszeit Stollen in einigen Läden kaufen, aber es ist einfach nicht das Wahre. Nun bin ich allerdings nicht der wahre Stollenfan, ich esse lieber Lebkuchen. Und unsere Tochter hat uns gerade ein Päckchen geschickt mit vier Platten Aachener Printen - himmlisch!
AntwortenLöschenAachener Printen sind großartig, wirklich. Ich wohne seit einiger Zeit in einer Pfefferkuchenstadt, es gibt 8 kleine Kücheleien, die nur Pfefferkuchen backen das ganze Jahr über, das bedeutet ich kaufe Pfefferkuchen in Pulsnitz... und den Stollen in Dresden bei einem ganz speziellen Bäcker, ich glaube jeder Dresdner hat da seine Vorlieben :-)
LöschenVon meiner Gans lasse ich das gesamte Fett über ein Rost beim backen im Ofen ablaufen, so daß sie wenig fettig ist. Das Fett fange ich auf und verwerte es anderweitig. Die Haut ist sehr knusprig, wenn die Gans aus dem Ofen kommt und schmeckt himmlisch. Die Soße bereite ich zwei Tage vorher aus extra gekauften kleinen Gänsestücken (Gänseklein), das ist aufwendig lohnt sich aber absolut und mir macht die Zubereitung sowieso Freude. Alles Liebe für dich, Carola, laß dir deine Aachener Printen besonders gut schmecken.
Lovely to see all your photographs.
AntwortenLöschen... and yes, why wait a year to cook this delicious meal again, so many enjoy it, I hope you do cook it again soon :)
My good wishes to you and your family for 2026.
All the best Jan
So good to have revived the traditional dish and it would be good to make each Christmas.
AntwortenLöschenSuch a delightful dish! Wonderful photos!
AntwortenLöschenWhy is it that there are some things that are so delicious and that we enjoy so much, yet we only make them once, maybe twice a year? I do the same and then I wonder why. New Year Plan! Cook our favorites more! (Everything you showed looks good and I savored every photo, including your wonderful smile!)
AntwortenLöschenThank you for sharing this beauty with us! Aloha!
AntwortenLöschenChère Viola,
AntwortenLöschenVous avez des recettes familiales qui semblent très savoureuses, mijotées et préparées avec amour.
C’est bien d’avoir des traditions et de les faire découvrir à ses enfants ou petits-enfants. Il ne faut pas les perdre, ces belles traditions culinaires ! Et puis, partager un bon verre de vin, quoi de plus chaleureux ?
J’ai vu des "Stolen" ici à vendre mais je ne suis pas sûre qu'ils étaient réalisés dans les règles de l’art.
Vous avez un visage qui reflète la bonne humeur, la joie de vivre et la bonté.
Bonne Année !
Hélène 🌹
How lovely to have a traditional recipe from your mother. It looks delicious, as does everything else. It is also lovely seeing you in one of the photos. All your photos are delightful. Thank you very much for sharing them.
AntwortenLöschenBeautiful photos, Viola! The food looks delicious!!!
AntwortenLöschenHi Viola. Thank you so much for popping by my blog. Happy New Year! Your Christmas food looks amazing and it's lovely to know that you are passing your family traditions down to your own children. Enjoy all that wonderful snow! xx
AntwortenLöschenYour photos are beeautiful, Viola. The food looks delicious. Have a wonderful weekend and 2026.
AntwortenLöschenEverythink seams so deliciouse!
AntwortenLöschenBjxxx,
Pinterest | Instagram | Blog
I tuoi post sono sempre interessanti da leggere ed è bellissimo osservare le foto. Da voi è arrivata la neve, qui penso che non ne verrà proprio, neanche quest'anno !! però fa molto freddo !!! E ho imparato anche qualche cosa sulla vostra cucina tradizionale per le feste !! Quante cose buone !! A me attira la frutta secca saltata con le cipolle !! E un buon bicchiere di vino, ci sta proprio bene !!! Ancora auguri !!!
AntwortenLöschenThe photos of your walk are gorgeous, and the food looks so good. Especially the potato dumplings. They must have been quite a lot of work to make.
AntwortenLöschenGanz wunderbare Dinge zeigst du hier und machst mir richtig gute Laune und auch großen Hunger!! Auch ich genieße derzeit eine herrliche rote Amaryllis. Deine Küche erinnert mich an die Festessen, was unsere Mutti so gut bereitet hat! Sie war eine tolle Köchin! Und der Dresdener Stollen war ihre Spezialität! Kein Stollen der Welt war so rein und gut wie der von Mutti! Meine Schwester Gelia hat das Erbe angetreten und sie kann ebenfalls den besten Stollen backen! Sie hat das Rezept an ihren Sohn weitergereicht. So möge die Familientradition lebendig bleiben..
AntwortenLöschenIch bin ein Schneefan (bin bei Schneetreiben geboren), obwohl die Kälte und der viele Schnee hier im Bayerwald das Leben durchaus schwer machen. Ich liebe den Schnee trotzdem. "Ich komm ja wieder, sagt der Mai." (Erich Kästner)
Liebe Grüße von Dori
Que interesante...sin dudas el ganso es un ave muy apetecida
AntwortenLöschenen casa de niña ,criamos y comiamos gansos muy a menudo.
Un excelente convite.
Buen año 2026!
Uiii liebe Viola, hungrig darf man heute bei Dir nicht sein!!! Sehr lecker sieht das alles aus und gerne hätten wir das alles probiert. Ich liebe auch den Dresdner Stollen er ist und bleibt der Beste♥
AntwortenLöschenLiebe Grüße und ein gutes Neues Jahr wünschen
Kerstin und Helga
The amaryllis bloom is so vibrant and lovely! Your foods look delicious and you are right........fix it more than once a year! The snow is so pretty with the sun shining on it. Wishing you the best days in the new year. Stay warm and well
AntwortenLöschenYou showed delicious and beautiful dishes, so appetizing! I also love making sauces, often using tomatoes grown in my garden. Beautiful winter photos.
AntwortenLöschenHow lovely the amaryllis is. Such a lovely color! Your foods looks so tasty and I would be wanting to have them more than once a year! It looks very chilly and snowy where you are. Still lovely! Wishing you the best of the new year!
AntwortenLöschenServus Viola, zu dir würde ich sehr gerne essen kommen, alles ist fein und ganz nach meinem Geschmack.
AntwortenLöschenLG aus Wien und alles gute im neuen Jahr
I agree with you, Viola, that you shouldn't leave it too long before you cook a meal you really enjoy. Those potato dumplings look delicious to enjoy with the meal. Enjoy your new book and the skiing when you get a little more snow. Have a lovely week and thank you for sharing your mother's recipe.
AntwortenLöschenHallo Viola, das sieht alles so lecker aus. Da sollte man wirklich nicht ein ganzes Jahr warten, sondern sich auch zwischendurch mal so etwas feines gönnen. Bei uns gab es heute Kassler mit Sauerkraut und Kartoffeln. Allerdings im Ofen gegrillt. Den Dresdner Stollen, kaufen wir uns tatsächlich nur an Weihnachten. Wir lieben ihn. Schön sieht es bei euch aus mit dem Schnee. Bei uns gab es nur wenig davon, und morgen gibt es vermutlich Glatteis.
AntwortenLöschenIch wünsche dir einen guten Start in die Woche. Liebe Grüße von Heidi
Dear Viola :)
AntwortenLöschenWonderful winter scenes and mouth watering photos of the food you cooked. It all looks so delicious, but Christmas is a very special time, and I'm thinking that we look forward to eating Christmas fare, which perhaps would lose a little of it's traditional appeal if we ate it more often during the year, but I would love to try what you cooked. Your Amaryllis is beautiful and so is your smile, It's nice to see you looking so happy Viola, may you continue to enjoy your life in good health and your family also, during this new year.
All the best
Sonjia.
Hi Viola,
AntwortenLöschenThe amaryllis are so wonderful.
All your food looked delicious.
The last two photos are spectacular, with the snow-covered landscape.
Have a great 2026!
Se ve la comida muy buena. Los Amarilis me gustan mucho. Besos.
AntwortenLöschenFood looks wonderful. I love potatoes in anything and everything. Hopefully you don't have to wait an entire year to make these again.
AntwortenLöschenSå masse deilig mat! :) Og nydelig amaryllis!
AntwortenLöschenHi Viola! In answer to your questions...
AntwortenLöschenFor my doughs, I NEVER use eggs. All my noodles are egg-free. I use organic sprouted spelt, home-ground lentil flours, other bean flours, 00 flour, herbs, veggies like yams, potatoes and more. I'm a mad scientist and I just chuck it all together to see what works and what doesn't.
SOOOO MUUCH FUN!
Her var det mye godt, Viola! I tillegg til vakker blomst og vakker natur.
AntwortenLöschenJeg ønsker deg og dine alt godt i det nye året! Beste hilsener fra
Tove/fargeneforteller
I couldn't find an email to answer your question on my blog so I will post it here! My quilts are 100% cotton so when the quilts are finished, I just wash them like a normal load of clothing--nothing delicate or special! My quilts are meant to be used and loved!
AntwortenLöschenHi Viola! Thank you for stopping back. Here's my response and if I can be of any other help, or if I didn't write something clearly enough, please let me know. Happy Noodle Making!
AntwortenLöschen----------
Hi Viola! What I generally do is 50% hydration to 100% flour base. For the spelt, I did 50 grams of organic sprouted spelt and 50 grams of 00 flour. For this though, it took about 60 percent warm water. 60 grams though I started with 50 grams or ml (it's about the same either way).
The salt I add by eye to both the dough and once the water comes to boil. I use a pink salt or any salt that doesn't have iodine.
I place a bowl on the scale and mix my flours and salt well with my hands first before adding warm water.
If say you wanna use egg then it's 100grams of flour to 1 egg. Eggs can range 50g and a little higher or so. You'll get the feel for it as you play and learn through play. And at some point, you may no longer require the scale.
What's nice about micro batches is they are smaller to work with and learn from. I find. Plus, it's in the tasting of the finished product that I learn what is best to do for my next micro batch.
Different flours will hydrate at different rates. Pumpkin puree is similar to yams. You might find you need more flour and this again will come when we continue to learn through play and taste. If you have any 00 flour and any semolina flour and use 50g of each, this is a good place to learn. Or a strong bread flour at 100g or even 00 flour at 100 grams. Just to get the feel of the dough and how it should knead.
Then I knead dough until smooth. Grab baking baking I use (If You Care brand because it can go into the garden after rather than tossing it into a landfill). Anyway, I sprinkle with flour, wrap my dough, put it in something and some days, I add it to the fridge and other days, I keep it closed on my work bench.
Also, I use lots of flour to roll. If I can be of anymore help, please let me know. Also, Pasta Grannies. Just a great source of wow! These women, some upwards of 100 years old making dough. I just love that.
Continuing our chat ...
AntwortenLöschen------
This is wonderful ... So there's also semolina which works well BUT ... since you already understand hydration of flours, a full on spelt noodle should work well for you. Though starting with a 00/405 or a semolina is also good just to get the feel. That said, I think you already understand dough and bread making and noodle making are similar. Different flours hydrate differently.
If say, just like in bread making, when I don't want to add more flour, I add a little oil, the same is true for pasta dough. A little goes a long way AND also, I find that allowing my bean doughs or home-ground lentil doughs to hydrate overnight in the fridge, helps too. What's nice about that is, I can take it out, roll and/or shape it, let it dry a bit and into the boiling water.
So nice to have these things on hand.
Have you seen the MockMill 200? I've got my eye on that one. What I'm grinding with now is okay for now, but not great. The MockMill 200 looks like a fun toy and they also have a flaker for taking oat berries and turning then into a rolled oat of sorts.
Mind blown!