SC - Ruzzige cake, BvgS #52

[TG]

Hi Cindy,

<< My modern German dictionary has tüfteln as to do something with
hairsplitting attention to detail. This would seem to fit the making of
a batter with whipped egg whites, but this is pure speculation. >>

There is one reason why one cannot see our passage in the light of this
sense. The word _tüfteln_ in the sense you quoted is much younger.
According to the Deutsches Wörterbuch (33 vols.; our OED), the word in
this sense is only attested from the 18th century onwards.

Another proposal was, to understand the passage _tüftele eyer weich_ in
the sense 'siede, dünste, dämpfe sie weich' (Deutsches Wörterbuch, vol.
2, 1503), 'cook them until they are soft (?)'. -- Aichholzer, in her
edition of the Mondsee cookbook chose this meaning for the parallel
recipe (M48). -- The expressions used for 'beat (eggs, yolks)' usually
are _schlagen_ or _klopffen_.

<< You say this mess is from the earliest edition.  What do the other
editions say about this recipe? >>

Hajek's 1958 edition has only the text; no note, no entry in the
glossary (as often). -- Hajek's other publication on the book says that
"ruzzig" means 'rußig' (smooty). -- Hayer 1976 casts doubt on this
interpretation, but does not give an own position. -- The tupperware
edition follows the Hajek II version (sooty); obviously they believed
that the coals were laid directly onto the dish. -- The Stopp-glossary
of the partial edition says "ruzzig 'russisch'" (russian, as did the
mhg. dictionaries). -- Finally, the Italian edition and translation says
that 'russian' is meant here, too, and even mentions the parallel to
bliny preparations.

In respect to _tüfteln_ these editions either say nothing or follow the
'beat'-interpretation.

The problem with _tüfteln_ and _ruzzig_ is, that our passage includes
the only (early) attestations of these words we have. And in such a
situation, there is not much control of what is possibly meant. Some say
this, some say that ... Perhaps I can ask my colleagues of the
Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch in Trier later, what they think of this
recipe. Maybe I am missing something here ...

Anyway, the bliny-connection seems worth further investigation!

Cheers, Thomas