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Swabian cuisine is native to Swabia, a region in southwestern Germany comprising great parts of
Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Württ ...
and the Bavarian part of Swabia, as well as the
Allgäu The Allgäu (Standard German: , also Allgovia) is a region in Swabia in southern Germany. It covers the south of Bavarian Swabia, southeastern Baden-Württemberg, and parts of Austria. The region stretches from the pre-alpine lands up to the Alp ...
which has parts lying in Austria. Swabian cuisine has a reputation for being rustic, but rich and hearty. Fresh egg pastas (e.g., Spätzle noodles or Maultaschen dumpling wrappers), soups, and sausages are among Swabia's best-known types of dishes, and Swabian cuisine tends to require broths or sauces; dishes are rarely "dry".


History

As soils were meagre and stony, conditions for raising cattle were poor. Meat, therefore, was something of a luxury for most, and was mainly consumed by the
aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At the time of the word's ...
and
landowners In common law systems, land tenure, from the French verb "tenir" means "to hold", is the legal regime in which land owned by an individual is possessed by someone else who is said to "hold" the land, based on an agreement between both individual ...
, while the
common people A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neither ...
often had to be content with tripe where meat was concerned. Regional influences on Swabian cookery abound. Old-Wurttemberg was
pietistic Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christian life, including a social concern for the needy and ...
, and the cuisine is therefore rather simple, as nutrition was prized above flavour, in keeping with Christian asceticism. In the Catholic parts of Swabia, mainly influenced by Austria, the cuisine is more elaborate and features more opulent flour dishes. In the Plains of
Hohenlohe The House of Hohenlohe () is a German princely dynasty. It ruled an immediate territory within the Holy Roman Empire which was divided between several branches. The Hohenlohes became imperial counts in 1450. The county was divided numerous tim ...
fish, especially carp, is a local favourite. The cuisines of the former Empire cities
Ulm Ulm () is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube on the border with Bavaria. The city, which has an estimated population of more than 126,000 (2018), forms an urban district of its own (german: link=no ...
,
Augsburg Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ...
,
Ravensburg Ravensburg ( Swabian: ''Raveschburg'') is a city in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg. Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City and an imp ...
and Biberach are very diverse, with apparent Italian and French influence. The potato was introduced in the mid-17th century, soon gaining popularity and integrated into the local cuisine. Many new recipes were developed such as
Schupfnudel Schupfnudel (German; plural ''Schupfnudeln''), also called Fingernudel (''finger noodle''), is a type of dumpling or thick noodle in southern German and Austrian cuisine. It is similar to the Central European kopytka. They take various forms an ...
n,
potato salad Potato salad is a salad dish made from boiled potatoes, usually containing a dressing and a variety of other ingredients such as boiled eggs and raw vegetables. In the United States, it is generally considered a side dish and usually accompanie ...
and home fries. The popular idea of traditional Swabian cuisine remains based on the stereotype of simple, hearty and uncomplicated " peasant food".


Noodles and dumplings

Among Swabia's best-known dishes are
Maultaschen (singular ''Maultasche'' , ) are a kind of large meat-filled dumpling in Swabian cuisine. They consist of sheets of pasta dough filled with minced meat, smoked meat, spinach, bread crumbs and onions and flavored with various herbs and spices ...
(meat and spinach-filled dumplings either fried or served in broth) and Spätzle (fresh egg noodles). Fresh noodle products in a wide range of variations may comprise main dishes or may be served as side dishes.


Maultaschen

Maultaschen (singular ''Maultasche'' , ) are a kind of large meat-filled dumpling in Swabian cuisine. They consist of sheets of pasta dough filled with minced meat, smoked meat, spinach, bread crumbs and onions and flavored with various herbs and spices ...
are dumplings filled with ground or minced meat, onion, spinach and soaked stale bread. Their nickname is ''Herrgottsbscheißerle,'' which means ''little God-cheaters'', because as legend says they were first prepared by monks who wanted to evade the Lenten meat prohibition, and the monks supposedly thought that God could not see the meat inside the pasta. Maultaschen may be served in a hearty beef broth, or fried. Although they are eaten throughout the year, it is traditional to eat them on Good Friday.


Spätzle and Knöpfle

Another very famous specialty is spätzle, which is to the Swabians a universal
side dish A side dish, sometimes referred to as a side order, side item, or simply a side, is a food item that accompanies the entrée or main course at a meal.Kässpätzle'', which is spätzle that are cooked in salted water and then layered into a casserole with different kinds of cheese (commonly
Emmentaler Emmental, Emmentaler, or Emmenthal is a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in the area around Emmental, in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is classified as a Swiss-type or Alpine cheese. Emmental was first mentioned in written r ...
and Gruyère, or Weißlacker) and roasted onions. The kind of cheese used depends on the region in which it is being prepared. As with many noodle products in Central Europe, spätzle can also be featured in sweet dishes combined with sugar,
apple sauce Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée (not necessarily served as a true sauce) made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and may be spiced or sweetened. Apple sauce is inexpensive and is widely consumed in North America and s ...
or other
fruit preserve Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread. There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the met ...
s, but they are more commonly seen in savoury dishes. Also originally Swabian is
Linsen mit Spätzle Linsen mit Spätzle (lentils with Swabian pasta), normally accompanied by wiener sausages, is a traditional Swabian dish that is by many Swabians considered the Swabian national meal in the southwestern region of Germany. History Like many ...
, a dish featuring lentils cooked in a vinegar broth and served over spätzle. They are often served with
Vienna sausage A Vienna sausage (german: Wiener Würstchen, Wiener; Viennese/Austrian German: ''Frankfurter Würstel'' or ''Würstl''; Swiss German: ''Wienerli''; Swabian: ''Wienerle'' or ''Saitenwurst'') is a thin parboiled sausage traditionally made of p ...
s or smoked
bacon Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central ingredient (e.g., the bacon, lettuce, and tomato sand ...
. Spätzle is prepared by scraping the fresh pasta down in thin bands from the "Spätzlesbrett" (a simple wooden board), but nowadays there are special "Spätzlepresse"s available, (which are similar to potato ricers). Shorter Spätzle and the thick, round ''Knöpfle'' are prepared with a ''Spätzlehobel'', which is a board with little holes through which the dough is pushed, directly into the boiling water. Spätzle and Knöpfle can be served directly after cooking but usually they are briefly tossed in liquid butter before serving. The dough contains wheat flour, egg and water although occasionally ingredients such as spinach or tomato puree are used for colouring.


Schupfnudeln

Also called ''Buabaspitzla'',
Schupfnudel Schupfnudel (German; plural ''Schupfnudeln''), also called Fingernudel (''finger noodle''), is a type of dumpling or thick noodle in southern German and Austrian cuisine. It is similar to the Central European kopytka. They take various forms an ...
n are another particularity of the cuisine of Upper Swabia and the
Allgäu The Allgäu (Standard German: , also Allgovia) is a region in Swabia in southern Germany. It covers the south of Bavarian Swabia, southeastern Baden-Württemberg, and parts of Austria. The region stretches from the pre-alpine lands up to the Alp ...
. They are made of a dough which contains equal parts of flour and potato and their shape is oblong with tapered ends. They are cooking by boiling in salted water, but may also be combined with saurkraut and bacon, and pan-fried. This is called "Krautschupfnudeln" (lit., "cabbage schupfnudeln") and are eaten during carnival, and on the
Kermesse festival Kermesse, or kermis, or kirmess, is a Dutch language term derived from 'kerk' (church) and 'mis' (mass) that became borrowed in English, French, Spanish and many other languages, originally denoting the mass said on the anniversary of the founda ...
. They may also be served with sweet accompaniments, either pan-fried or boiled: they are commonly eaten with melted butter, cinnamon sugar,
apple sauce Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée (not necessarily served as a true sauce) made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and may be spiced or sweetened. Apple sauce is inexpensive and is widely consumed in North America and s ...
or
fruit preserve Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread. There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the met ...
s.


Pancakes

Pancakes are also called '' Flädle'' and are usually very thin and fried in oil. They may be eaten as a whole with savory or sweet accompaniments, or cut in stripes and added to soups. Another type of pancake is the ''Kratzete''. They are not only eaten as a sweet dish but may also be eaten as an accompaniment to asparagus.


Soups and stews

Soups and stews are essential parts of Swabian food culture. The fact that soups and stews are loved by Swabians lead to the nickname ''Subbaschwôb'' which means "Soup Swabian". In
fine dining Fine may refer to: Characters * Sylvia Fine (''The Nanny''), Fran's mother on ''The Nanny'' * Officer Fine, a character in ''Tales from the Crypt'', played by Vincent Spano Legal terms * Fine (penalty), money to be paid as punishment for an offe ...
, they are usually served as an appetizer, but in home cooking they are usually a main dish, served with bread.


Gaisburger Marsch

One of the most popular Swabian stews is
Gaisburger Marsch Gaisburger Marsch (German for "march of Gaisburg") is a traditional Swabian beef stew, Peter Lesniczak: ''Alte Landschaftsküchen im Sog der Modernisierung. Studien zu einer Ernährungsgeographie Deutschlands zwischen 1860 und 1930, Teil 4''. ...
, a nourishing stew with diced ox meat, cooked potatoes and Spätzle. The certain something is the garnish consisting of fried onions topping the soup. Legend says that the stew was first served to hungry soldiers in Gaisburg in the 19th century and became so popular that soldiers stationed more distantly marched all the way to Gaisburg to enjoy it. Thus, the name "Gaisburger Marsch" means "March to Gaisburg".


Flädle soup

Thin pancakes are cut into slices and are added to a clear broth. As they absorb the broth very quickly, they are added just before serving.


Meat and fish specialities

Although not much meat was historically used in the kitchen, there are still some regional specialties with meat; for instance, roast lamb with spätzle. Many recipes use tripe, which was inexpensive and therefore affordable for the common and poorer people. Very well known (although not universally loved) are Saure Kutteln, tripe cut into slices, steamed with roux and then soured with vinegar or wine. Other famous dishes using tripe are "Saure Nieren" (lit. sour kidneys) and "Saure Leber" (sour liver), both prepared by cutting the
offal Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but usually excludes muscle. Offal may also refe ...
in slices, pan-frying, and serving with a sauce, alongside spätzle or home fries, and a green salad. The Swabian
Wurstsalat Wurstsalat (German, literally ''sausage salad'') is a tart sausage salad prepared with distilled white vinegar, oil and onions. A variation of the recipe adds strips of pickled gherkin. It is generally made from boiled sausage like Lyoner, sta ...
is an assortment of sausages that are sliced, mixed together with onion, pickles and chives, and dressed with oil and vinegar, and eaten with bread. Fish dishes are often made with Bodenseefelchen (freshwater fish in the salmon family), which are caught in the Lake Constance. They are often pan-fried in butter, but can also be served steamed or smoked.


Miscellaneous dishes

Filderkraut is a special kind of Sauerkraut prepared from a local cabbage variety, pointed cabbage, which is grown on the Fildern Plains near Stuttgart. The Swabian potato salad is also very famous in Germany and even in other countries. In contrast to the
mayonnaise Mayonnaise (; ), colloquially referred to as "mayo" , is a thick, cold, and creamy sauce or dressing commonly used on sandwiches, hamburgers, composed salads, and French fries. It also forms the base for various other sauces, such as tartar s ...
-dressed potato salad in Northern Germany, it is lighter and contains less fat. Waxy potatoes are cooked and peeled when they are still hot. Then they are sliced and mixed with diced onions before pouring warm broth, vinegar and oil in succession over the potatoes and onions. Optionally, it can be garnished with chives or diced pickles, or spiced with mustard. The salad should rest for a few hours or even overnight before serving and can then be enjoyed as accompaniment for different dishes or solely with bread.
Brenntar Brenntarstaple food A staple food, food staple, or simply a staple, is a food that is eaten often and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard Diet (nutrition), diet for a given person or group of people, supplying a large fraction of ...
stuff, particularly prominent in the
Swabian Jura The Swabian Jura (german: Schwäbische Alb , more rarely ), sometimes also named Swabian Alps in English, is a mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, extending from southwest to northeast and in width. It is named after the region of ...
and in the Allgäu. It is made of a specially roasted flour called ''Musmehl''.


Sweet dishes

Ofenschlupfer (lit., "oven slipper") is a kind of
bread pudding Bread pudding is a bread-based dessert popular in many countries' cuisines. It is made with stale bread and milk or cream, generally containing eggs, a form of fat such as oil, butter or suet and, depending on whether the pudding is sweet o ...
consisting of stale white bread spiced with sugar, vanilla, and
cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus '' Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, break ...
, which is layered in a casserole dish with apple, raisins, and almond biscuits, and then soaked in an egg and cream-based
custard Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on sweetened milk, cheese, or cream cooked with egg or egg yolk to thicken it, and sometimes also flour, corn starch, or gelatin. Depending on the recipe, custard may vary in consistency fr ...
before being baked in the oven. Kirschenplotzer comprises stale white buns, worked into a dough with butter, egg, milk, and sugar, into which cherries are folded before the casserole is baked, and then served hot. Pfitzauf is also a dish prepared in the oven. This is a kind of
soufflé A soufflé is a baked egg-based dish originating in France in the early eighteenth century. Combined with various other ingredients, it can be served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé is the past participle of t ...
prepared in special Pfitzauf moulds and commonly served with applesauce or vanilla sauce, although there are also savory recipe variations with cheese or bacon. Nun's puffs are small round doughnuts made of a yeast dough or
choux pastry Choux pastry, or (), is a delicate pastry dough used in many pastries. Basic ingredients usually only include butter, water, flour and eggs (auxiliary ingredients and flavorings are also added). Instead of a raising agent, choux pastry employs ...
, and fried. They are traditionally eaten during Carnival and may be served as a main dish or a dessert served with icing sugar, cherries, or vanilla sauce.
Beignet Beignet ( , also , ; ) is a type of ''fritter'', or deep-fried pastry, usually made from yeast dough in France, possibly made from pâte à choux and called Pets-de-nonne, nun's fart, in France, but may also be made from other types of dough, ...
s are also very famous, and are commonly prepared with apples and served with vanilla sauce.


Baked goods


Bread and pastries

Swabian baking culture boasts a broad range of different breads. There are many variations that are not widely distributed or known, and are only baked in a particular area or village. There are some baked goods made throughout the region, and widely available in
bakeries A bakery is an establishment that produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cookies, cakes, donuts, pastries, and pies. Some retail bakeries are also categorized as cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wis ...
: these include Laugengebäck, pretzels, bread rolls, and Hefezopf (lit., "yeast plaid"). The Swabian "Seele" (lit., "soul") is a
baguette A baguette (; ) is a long, thin type of bread of French origin that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, though not the shape, is defined by French law). It is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust. A baguette has a dia ...
-like white bread made from
spelt Spelt (''Triticum spelta''), also known as dinkel wheat or hulled wheat, is a species of wheat that has been cultivated since approximately 5000 BC. Spelt was an important staple food in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times. No ...
with its origin in Upper Swabia. It is prepared from a very high-hydration dough from spelt flour, yeast, water, and salt, and formed into an elonged loaf and sprinkled with
caraway seed Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin (''Carum carvi''), is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Etymology The etymology of "caraway" is unclear. Caraway has been ...
and coarse salt. After baking, it is crispy on the outside and very light and fluffy on the inside. It also stays moist inside due to the high gluten content of spelt flour. Briegel is a very similar baked good that is native in East Wurttemberg, and is even moister than the Seele. It also belongs to the species of moistened breads such as Wasserwecken and Knauzen from Wendlingen. Another speciality which is native to
Reutlingen Reutlingen (; Swabian: ''Reitlenga'') is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the capital of the eponymous district of Reutlingen. As of June 2018, it has a population of 115,818. Reutlingen has a university of applied sciences, which ...
is the Dreikönigsmutschel, (lit., "Three Kings Mutschel"), a star-shaped, bland yeast pastry with eight points and a round elevation in the middle which is the circle of a braided garland. It is traditionally eaten on the Thursday after
Epiphany Epiphany may refer to: * Epiphany (feeling), an experience of sudden and striking insight Religion * Epiphany (holiday), a Christian holiday celebrating the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ ** Epiphany season, or Epipha ...
and people play dice to eat it and celebrate.


Savory cakes

The Swabian Cream Cake is a thin yeast flatbread spread with
sour cream Sour cream (in North American English, Australian English and New Zealand English) or soured cream (British English) is a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, w ...
and topped with onion or leek and bacon, very similar to the
Flammkuchen Flammekueche ( Alsatian; Standard German: ''Flammkuchen''), or tarte flambée ( French), is a speciality of the region of Alsace, German-speaking Moselle, Baden and the Palatinate. It is composed of bread dough rolled out very thinly in the sha ...
from
Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
. The topping may vary and some add egg or caraway seed. In the Heilbronn area, a variation called "Peterlingkuchen" (parsley cake) is popular and as the name suggests, this flat bread is topped with parsley. The name also differs depending on the locale, with variations being ''Dennetle'', ''Dinnette'', ''Blooz'', and ''Bätscher''. Also well-known is the Swabian
Zwiebelkuchen Zwiebelkuchen ( German for "onion cake") is a savory German onion cake made of steamed onions, diced bacon, cream, and caraway seeds on either a yeast or leavened dough. See also * Flammkuchen Similar Alsatian and South-Western German dish * L ...
, which is very similar to the French
quiche Lorraine Quiche Lorraine is a French tart with a filling made of cream, eggs, and bacon or ham, in an open pastry case. It was little known outside the French region of Lorraine until the mid-20th century. As its popularity spread, nationally and internat ...
. It is usually eaten in late summer and autumn with
Federweisser ''Federweisser'' (also ''Federweißer'' , from German ''Feder'', "feather", and ''weiß'', "white"; from the appearance of the suspended yeast, also known as ''Sturm'', from German ''Sturm'', ''storm'' in Austria), is an alcoholic beverage, ty ...
or
apple cider Apple cider (also called sweet cider, soft cider, or simply cider) is the name used in the United States and Canada for an unfiltered, unsweetened, non-alcoholic beverage made from apples. Though typically referred to simply as "cider" in the U ...
.


Sweet cakes

There are a variety of cakes prepared in Swabian homes, since the German tradition of Sunday afternoon ''Kaffee und Kuchen'' is widely practiced by Swabians. Also very popular is the Swabian ''Träubleskuchen'', a cake with a
shortcrust pastry Shortcrust pastry is a type of pastry often used for the base of a tart, quiche, pie, or (in the British English sense) flan. Shortcrust pastry can be used to make both sweet and savory pies such as apple pie, quiche, lemon meringue or chicken ...
base and a filling of
redcurrant The redcurrant or red currant (''Ribes rubrum'') is a member of the genus '' Ribes'' in the gooseberry family. It is native to western Europe. The species is widely cultivated and has escaped into the wild in many regions. Description ''Ribe ...
and beaten egg whites.


See also

*
Alb-Leisa The term Alb-Leisa firstly means the ''Öko-Erzeugergemeinschaft Alb-Leisa'' (engl. "Eco-producer association Alb-Leisa"), secondly a trade name and thirdly traditional varieties of lentils from the Swabian Jura, Germany. "Leisa" means lentils in ...


Literature

*''Schwaben, Kulinarische Streifzüge'', H-D. Reichert, D. Wägerle, H-J. Döbbelin, Sigloch-Verlag, Blaufelden, 2005, *''Schwäbische Küche'', G. Poggenpohl, Verlag EDITION XXL, Fränkisch-Crumbach, 2003, *''Schwäbisch kochen'', Karola Wiedemann, Martina Kiel, Gräfe und Unzer Verlag, München, 2010, *''Die schwäbische Küche – Regionale Spezialitäten'', Matthias F. Mangold, Kosmos Verlags-GmbH, Stuttgart, 2011,


References


External links


„Schmeck den Süden“ – Spezialitäten aus Baden-Württemberg
{{Regional cuisine of Germany
Cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...