SC - Lerch on spaetzle

[Thomas Gloning]

I found the two editions of Karl Lerch's Spaetzle-Brevier. The first
edition was published in 1962 in Tuebingen (where I live), the second
edition was published in 1966 in Reutlingen (not far from Tuebingen).
The University library has the first edition. Thanks to my antiquarian
booksellers, I now have a copy of the second edition. A funny book.

The upshot is that neither the etymology of the word "spaetzle" nor the
culinary history of the dish spaetzle is clear.

Someone asked about the etymology of the word "spaetzle". According to
Lerch, there are three possible explanations, roughly: (1) dumplings
were called "Spatzen" because of some kind of similarity in form with
sparrows, from there the "spaetzle" ('little sparrows') were derived;
(2) the word is derived from italian _spezzare; spezzato_ 'to cut to
pieces', because the dough is cut to pieces before it is boiled; (3)
there might be some connection to italian _pasta_ or french _pa^te_.
Lerch concludes that up to now nobody knows about the correct etymology
("Woher die Spaetzle ihre Namen haben? Nix Genaues weiß man nicht!" (p.
37)). -- If I had to place a bet, I would choose option (1), because the
use of "Spatzen" 'dumplings' is often attested in texts and the
development to _spaetzle_ seems possible to me.

Now, the culinary history of spaetzle is difficult to track down for two
reasons.

First, because the words "spatzen", "spaetzle", "knoepfle" etc. were
often used for quite different things. There are clear examples from the
18th century that "Spatzen" or "Knoepfle" denoted dumplings or little
dumplings. It is not clear how, when and if at all the development from
_Spatzen_ 'dumplings' to _spaetzle_ 'the special type of noodles'
happended.

Second, there is the problem of the interpretation of pictorial
representations one has to rely on. Lerch tells us that a 19th century
professor (Sachsse) concluded from a picture in a
'Sachsenspiegel'-manuscript (a very important juridical text), that the
suebian duke was represented with a utensil for making _Knoepfle_ or
_Spaetzle_ and thus was an example for an early _Spaetzlesschwab_ (a
suebian who likes spaetzle). -- Now, the utensil looks like sort of a
shovel which is hardly a typical utensil for preparing spaetzle. Anyway:
according to Lerch, Prof. Sachse made up the myth of the suebian eating
spaetzle since the middle ages ("... so war doch von Professor Sachsse
der Mythos der seit dem frühesten Mittelalter Spaetzle essenden Schwaben
begründet worden"; p. 30).

To conclude: Lerch quotes no evidence that there were spaetzle in the
Middle Ages. To the contrary: he describes how the myth of the medieval
'spaetzlesschwab' could arise. -- Thus, I still believe that spaetzle
with their specific preparation are a 'late' dish from the 18th or even
19th century. _If_ spaetzle were a characteristic dish for the suebians
since the middle ages, it would be strange to me that they are not
mentioned or described more clearly and more often. -- But I will keep
my eyes open!

I am happy to have the 'Spaetzle-Brevier' on my shelfes now! Thanks
again, Huette, for mentioning this funny book.

Enjoy,
Thomas

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