For the first time ever in my life, I made potato dumplings from scratch, thanks to my husband’s prompting. Before that, I always got the ready-to-use dough from the local supermarket.

Through my search for a good recipe for potato dumplings, I finally found the answer to an old question. Over the years, I had always wondered about the difference in Fränkische Kartoffelklösse (Franconian potato dumplings) and Fränkische Seidenklösse (Franconian silk dumplings).

I learned  regular Franconian dumplings are made 2/3 from raw potatoes, with the remaining 1/3 made from cooked potatoes. I decided to make the Seidenklösse as the dough is made solely from cooked potatoes and looked less time-consuming to me.

Fortunately for the family, the dumplings came out very well. I just hope I can go back to use the store-bought kind to keep my life simple because this happy housewife activity took more than 60 minutes.

Recipe:

2 kg potatoes (the mealy kind)

500 gr potato starch

3 eggs

salt and nutmeg – 1 tblsp each

toasted bread, cut into cubes

Instructions:

Cook potatoes in salt water, peel, press through the ricer. While the potato mash is still warm, add starch, eggs, salt and nutmeg. Knead thoroughly and shape into tennis size dumplings ( add bread cubes into the center).

Drop dumplings into boiling salt water. When they come floating to the top, let simmer for another five minutes.

This recipe makes 20 dumplings. Serve with pork roast and brown gravy.

Potato dumplings (and ricer in foreground)

Come summer time weather, Germans are out and about, if the weather allows it. The country is full of Biergartens with people eating and drinking.

As my Heimat is Bavaria, this might explain my aversion to Apfelwein (a.k. as Eppelwoi and Äppelwoi). I try this wine every few years, but I still don’t care for it.

Äppelwoi (apple wine) in Hesse

The drink itself looks delicious on a hot summer evening. This is a 0.5 l glass (one pint), but many Germans will turn this into a Gespritzter (apple wine diluted with mineral water).

Bread dumplings with chanterelle

I had ordered this dish called Semmelknödel mit Pfifferlingen. It looked very fancy with this herbal decoration, but the food quality itself was average. The Gasthaus seems to get good reviews, though. Service was very good and quick.

If you are in the Frankfurt area, you might enjoy visiting this guesthouse Land Gasthaus Zur Sonne located in Oberursel/Stierstadt.

View onto Frankfurt

On a clear day, you can also make out the skyline while sitting outside drinking German style.