[Sca-cooks] Cinnamon in German cooking, esp knodeln

[Terry Decker]

There are a lot of knodeln recipes.  I recently prepared a cheese knodeln that 
was spiced with pepper and cardomom, not exactly spices that come to mind for 
dumplings.  It gave the dumplings a nice bite that went well with the wine 
marinated pot roast.  Two questions come to mind in regards cinnamon in 
knodeln.  What are the other ingredients in the knodeln?  How (and with what) 
are the knodeln meant to be served?

I would think that small dumplings spiced with cinnamon and sugar, cooked and 
served in a light broth, might be rather pleasant.

Bear




________________________________
I've been having an online exchange with someone, I think German, who is arguing 
that spices were included in recipes to show off, not because they actually 
tasted good in the recipes. In particular, he claims that cinnamon appears in 
recipes where it doesn't belong, and offers the example of knodeln.

I, of course, don't believe it. But I also don't know the German sources. Any 
comments from anyone who does?

He also claims that period vinegar was sharper than ours, and that dishes come 
out too sour if you use it in the recommended proportions.

It's unclear to me whether he has actually cooked any significant number of 
dishes from the relevant cuisine.
-- David/Cariadoc