The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-19
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH DISHES.
Schnitz and Mnepp, Fried Noodles and
Sauer Kraut Few of Their Damties.
Philadelphia Times

Schnitz and 1xnepp, Fried Noodles and
Sauer xraut u Few of Their Damties.
Philadelphia Times.
AS diamond-back terrapin is to the Amer
lean gourmet, or caviare to the aesthetic
Russian so is "SchnitZ and knepp" to the
may vary the formula of it's preparations
you may substitute coarser for finer ingredi-
ents; you may make of it dish for the gods
or for meaner mortals, according as you
play upon those variations, but SO long
you adhere to dried apples and dough and
serve under its own seductive title of schnitz
and knepp 1t appeals to every palate that
has been constructed to cope with the Ian
guage of the Pennsylvania German In
which-aS possibly in other points-it is I'M
like the rose which Shakespeare tells us has
intrinsic merit and may be called by any
other name without losing it's sweetness.
To achieve schnitz and knepp sweet APP
pies are cut into sections and dried. They
are then stewed, and to the compete are
added little balls of leavened dough, which
have been pinched from bread when it is
ready for baking. To give richness and
suavity sweet butter must be used literally.
This is pronounced delicious. When other
forms of richness are substituted, such as
sausage or pork OF any sort, as is sometimes
done in the provincial preparation of schnitz
and knepp, it is doubtless less appealing to
the foreign appetite.
A local touch for the menu that is less
mysterious is fried noodles being what the
name implies, the originality consisting in
frying the noodles, whereas they are gen
orally used in soup The use of noodles in
yermicellt is Italian. This is standard
dish. but less startling than schnitz.
AS for sauer kraut, 1t is simply indispen-
sable to the well-being of every Pennsylva-
MIA German. The virtues of this item for the
delectation of the inner man have been so
generally recognized that 1t has been freely
adopted almost everywhere, ard it's nature
needs no explanation A strictly German
touch to this very Savory preparation, how
ever, is the dumplings, which are made of
milk, eggs and flour, and added at the last
some Frankfort sausages. OF the proportion
of beer to sauer kraut essential to we'll
regulated Pennsylvania German banquet of
this description perhaps the least said the
better
How easily we are impressed by 'local-
iSmS,' whether of speech or customs, is APP
parent If we are removed but a few miles
from our accustomed environment. Differ
ences, rather than resemblances strike us
in the habits of people who have not been
nodded by precisely the same influences as
those to which we are ourselves subjected
Like strangers in strange land, we note
idiosyncrasies that are Of themselves not
sufficiently forcible to be felt, contrast only
giving the appearance.
The people of the eastern section of our
State are characterized by an infection of
the voice that is most striking. There is a
sort of curve in tia rising at the beginning
and falling at the end of every sentence
no matter how long or how short it may be-
The fall at the conclusion is not decided,
but rather tentative, as though the end
were suspended.
This incubation is soft and mild in its
effect-in itself not unpleasing though very
ronotonous to ears not accustomed to it
teristic infection is adapted to one of their
idiomatic expressions the local effect is
decidedly enhanced. They say come in
little" wait a little "a little being an
abbreviated way of conveying the idea of
short period of time, while, on the contrary
and without apparent logic, they use re-
dundancy of adVerbS when a single one
would express the same meaning, and say
now already" amy more yet, under be-
low" "oVer above etc.
They tell you in BerkS that thing was
brought" when it was taken away for
which there would appear to be no explana-
ton beyond Il lack of discrimination in the
selection of words
They say they do not care to have thing
in the sense that they do not object to haV-
tory expression being quite misleading Oft
entimes involves a would-be recipient in the
embarrassing predicament of having been
interpreted negatively instead of affirma-
lively, if addressed to one not familiar with
the peculiar turn of speech.
In the country districts of the county of
lore of the idioms that are peculiar to the
tons of the verb boil. They have cooked
potatoes, while the misguided world at large
would consider them boiled, cooked" meat
signifyng also the process of boiling only
In its broader sense of converting from
raw, natural state into an artificial one by
means of subjecting to heat the word cook
Cooked meat" by the way, involves an
other restricted use of a word. When the
people of Berks have meat" they mean
pork only. Other viands would be specified
as, for instance beef or veal There is
pathos in this use of the word meat pro-
claiming, as it does, restriction of diet as
well as vocabulary.
An amusing variation from the generally
accepted use and significance of words is
the employment of make to do duty for
cook" They make the meals and each and
every item of them. from the steak, which
is made when cooked to the eggs, which
they also make" by cooking.
Just why these same people tell you that
a dish is ALI when they desire to convey
the idea that there is no more of that dish
is not quite apparent, though the use of
''all'' in this sense is universal Whether
there is not leisure to be explanatory and
prodigal of words to be explicit is not clear
Possibly the use of the word in this sense
of finality came from explaining with
praiseworthy frankness, at the beginning of
the feast. that what was visible was the
sum total-"all.' From being alp when
it existed came to be alp when exhausted
When the meat is all, then are they
driven perforce TO the butcher or the barn
season enduring, indeed. BY d process of
curing and smoking it can be made to sur
vive for six months use. Even the sausages
are subjected to it to defy the ravages of
the lapse of time. The hams are guarded
as a delicacy, a luxury, and rarely used
until the summer season That is probably
the only abnormal feature about the hams
In summer they become the piece de resist
ance of every festive occasion.