Black Forest Cuisine

I share a kind of kinship with celebrity chef Walter Staib, though I am no kitchen witch. Like most Americans of German descent, my knowledge of the German culinary arts is limited to sausages, sauerkraut, and, with a little luck, Black Forest Cake laced with cherry liqueur. In my family, Oktoberfest conjures up frothy mugs of home-brewed beer and baskets brimming with warm, yeasty pretzels. We don't know what we're missing, says Staib, author with Jennifer Lindner McGlinn of Black Forest Cuisine: The Classic Blending of European Flavors (Running Press, 2006) and chef-proprietor of Philadelphia's historic City Tavern restaurant. And though these dishes come from Munich, and not his beloved Black Forest, chef Staib makes sure the better-known Bavarian fare is served in elegant style. Among the many lunch and dinner offerings is fleischkäse, a pan-seared beef and pork terrine with sautéed onions and fried egg, served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut; classic weiner schnitzel; and flavorful Hungarian goulash. But if you want to experience the real magic of the Black Forest cuisine, you will have to step inside the pages of chef Staib's lavishly illustrated cookbook. Forewords by Dr. Tim Ryan, president of the Culinary Institute of America, and Franz Mitterer, publisher and founder of Art Culinaire, lead like a trail of well-seasoned breadcrumbs to the introduction by chef Staib. It is here that you will learn that the third-generation restaurateur began peeling garlic in his aunt and uncle's gasthaus at the age of four, and that he could de-bone a leg of veal by the time he was 12. No wonder he was accepted into an apprenticeship program at the renowned Hotel Post in Nagold. He clearly knew an onion from a shallot. If the cuisine of the Black Forest is infused with flavors from France, Alsace-Lorraine, Hungary, Switzerland and even parts of Italy, it's because the region was at one time "one, big happy family," says Staib. Browse recipes like pork roast a la dijonaise or steak tartar and you'll feel like you're in a Parisian brasserie. The traditions and hospitality of the Black Forest, which evolved after Protestant Huguenots fled France in the 1600s, know no boundaries. Staib's passion for food, and for telling the stories that go with it, make his Black Forest cookbook all the more delicious. Readers will travel with the author from his mother's green garden and orchards to fabulous hotels around the world. They will learn about Spargelzeit, the annual spring asparagus festival, and how to make chicken-wrapped shrimp with creamy saffron-herb sauce. Ironically, it took a Nicaraguan to bring the worldly Walter Staib to the United States. That's where he met his wife, Gloria, who insisted on making Philadelphia their home. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, the former mayor of Philadelphia, is so glad they did, he named chef Walter Staib culinary ambassador for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, home of the German Society of Pennsylvania, th

I have been doing allot of german cooking lately and this book seemed be a new book that would be interesting. The book is beautifully designed, has great photography, great background info, plus personal anecdotes about his life, german culture and cuisine. This book has been helpful to show through pictures many of the recipes that I have attempted through steps with actual photographs; many books describe steps without them. I am a visual person so this is helpful and I am a beginning cook; so it makes it even easier. The directions I find are also superior; many cookbooks ingredients are less specific and not as clear. In particular, I have had a problem in the past with finding ingredients and he tells you specifically what to get and because he is living in america, the english is american based and not a UK english to german translation. Clear, informative, concise information; with tips to help you with preparation. Again, this helps me as I am learning and he actually tells you specific important details to help you successfully make a meal. Many questions I had that were not answered in other books; were actually answered in this one. The background info is very good with the history of: his family, his cooking experiences, germany, and culture. The book is broken down into different types of cooking: the home table, cafe bites, gasthaus (guest house) comfort food, fashionable hotel dining, and black forest celebrations. This is helpful as it can steer you in a direction based upon what or when you are serving a meal. So far I have made the: braised red cabbage, sauerbraten, dumplings, beef stroganoff and skewered pork with spicy cream sauce; all of which have turned out well. I recommend this book for anyone interested in this type of cooking; it is intelligently and clearly written. The background information is superior which will help you in your cooking success and help you understand the influences behind this type of cuisine; with examples of culture, history, geography and personal anecdotes. The design and photography are beautiful and laid out in a logical way. The step by step information and photos help make preparation easier and increase you chances of success. I recommend this book! You will learn allot about german food and the black forrest region. Buy it and make some delicious and satisfying german food!

Mention the Black Forest (in terma of food) and immediately Black Forest Ham and Black Forest Cake comes to mind. The ham you'll have to get from the Black Forest, but the cake recipie is given here. So are the recipies for Black Forest Beef Roulades (a thin steam rolled around a filling), Black Forest Cracker Bread (thin and crispy), Black Forest Home Fries (with meat, bacon, garlic, egg and whatever else you might like), and Black Forest Ravioli (meat stuffed). Of course these dishes are just the start of the recipies contained in the book. This is definitely a high end cookbook, with foods that would be quite at home in quite upscale restaurants. Indeed the author is chief chef and the proprietor of Philadelphia's historic City Tavern restaurant. Preparing such 'fancy' foods often requires a good bit of preparation, but try some of these recipies, you'll find it worthwhile.

Neat that this renown chef famous due to 18th Century American cuisine completes dream to produce Black Forest cookbook. This is fine effort of such, with wonderful prose by McGlinn and exceptional color photography by Deering. Where Staib grew up in Black Forest into cusine family there was a blending of French, Italian and German cusine. He experienced it from different levels of the home table, cafe, gasthaus, and finer restaurants as diner and chef. The recipie collection is thus organized uniquely around these levels, flowing from appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, side dishes and desserts. Fine collection with wide range of dishes, from home table comfort food to elaborate technique/ingredient recipes which will test the home gourmet. Of course there are those that would quickly come to mind, the Black Forest Cake (here very welcome step-by-step photos and descriptions of technique, which also accompany other recipes as well) and Spaetzle, and Cabbage Rolls. Also enjoy all the game dishes, particularly the Pheasant a la Souvarov; Vension Medallions with Cognac Cream Sauce. Other recipes which caught my eye and graced the table: Stuffed Veal Breast Grandmother Style; Bee Sting Cake; Vols-au-Vent with Veal Ragout in the Queen's Style; Black Forest Home Fries; Poached Salmon with Tomatoes and Dill Cream Sauce; Smoked Trout and Asparagus Salad; Smoked Salmon Frittata. Added nice feature is menu for special Black Forest celebrations such as Carnival, Asparagus Festival, Christmas and Saint Sylvester Night (NYears). Recipes from the collection are utilized here, as well as some new specific celebrative ones, e.g. Christmas Goose with Herbed Stuffing and Wassail and Stolen. Exceptionally well done and fun to explore at various levels of this unique, and blended cuisine. Might also want to check out "Rockenwagner" and "New German Cookbook" for other excellent cookbooks in this cuisine vector.

This is the German-Cookbook I am looking for - for Years. Not even find this kind of Book in Germany. It has all the Recipes my Mother and Grandmother used to cook. The only (great) Difference: It is more "modern", with all the Spices you can buy today. In the Fifties and Sixties my Mother had only Pepper, Salt, Bayleaves and Maggi in her Kitchen. Never heard of Garlic, Basil, Rosmaryn etc. . I will cook ALL the Recipes in this Book. The Desserts and Cakes are wonderful, too. The Recipes are EASY to follow and the Photos are gorgeous. Because I lived only 50 miles away from the Black Forest, the Book is double special. I only wished THIS Book came out earlier !!!!! THANK YOU Walter Staib.