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Aren't you thankful that you live in the Mid-Ohio Valley? The weather may be unkind to us occasionally, but it doesn't torture us like the South has experienced the past many days. As of this writing, we still don't know if we will be "honored" with the wild weather that so much of the country has suffered through. We may not have the beautiful beaches and warm winter weather that Florida and Texas offers, but that all comes with a very high price.
The hurricane that hit Florida really touched husband Norm and I. We each lived in the south Florida area where the storm decided to do much damage, Lee County. His daughters and their families live on the southern Atlantic side of the state and, against our worried urging, decided to "shelter in place." They said they were concerned with the gridlock on the highways north that was shown on TV. With communications still not available at this time, we have not heard how they are, so we live by the old parents' adage of "no news is good news." His son, in Houston, got through Harvey with no damage of which we know, so we are praying the girls are okay, too. Will more storms hit the southern U.S.? All we can do is hope not, pray for the folks who live there and do what we can to help the recovery.
As a country, we remembered the horror of 9/11 this past week. We have to live with the fear of what did, and can again, happen to us. One of the most frightening and unexplainable things, is that some of those who planned and executed that horrible blow to our country have been given their freedom and allowed to go to countries where they are, for certain, repeating their plans and will do what they can to repeat their actions. It has caused our country to be facing more terror in the future. Why were they ever released?
On a brighter note, late September is the time of the Oktoberfest's celebrations in this country, and especially in Germany. The first one was to celebrate a royal wedding and held in Munich. That city still has the biggest and most famous one and I am glad I got to go one time when I lived there. Once was enough! Talk about crowds! But the food was great, the beer flowed freely (and many party goers tried to drink it all up!) and the music and singing was really great. Sometime, over the years, I have lost the booklet with the song words written down so everyone could sing along. It was something that everyone could, and did, enjoy completely and was on my Bucket List. Of course, that was long ago, when I was young!
Another happening during this time of year was when the "new wine" hit the local gasthaus. The "new wine" was like our fresh apple cider, only made with the new crop of grapes. Often, other fruit juices were mixed in (apple, pear, plum) and was served with a slice of Zweibelkuchen (Onion Pie). Everyone watched for the sign to go up that the "New Wine" (Musk) had arrived. Of course, this was part of a fall festival and enjoyed by each village, along with the local folks wearing traditional dress and enjoying much music and dancing.
Locally, the grapes are ripening, so the easy "Sweet Wine" and the Zweibelkuchen recipes I have are included today, along with some of Grandma Semon's grape and squirrel recipes. The original recipe I had for Zweibelkuchen is somewhere (?), so this one is how I make it now!
Grandma's brother, Will Koenitzer, would visit her at the farm at squirrel-hunting time. We had pawpaw trees on the farm and they would ripen at this time, so he would bring several for us to have a treat of "country bananas" along with the Squirrel Gravy, made from the squirrels he hunted. One rule in my family was that he who hunts them, skins and guts them. We kids enjoyed the many squirrel tails that Uncle Will got for us!
Enjoy this fall season and be thankful for your blessings. Pray for those who suffered in the storms and do whatever you might be able to do to help them. Add to that long prayer list the safety of our country and for guidance for those who lead us and for the brave ones who are our protectors. Hug your little ones and always tell your family members how much you love them. Live each day fully. God Bless!
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ZWEIBELKUCHEN (Onion Pie)
Put an unbaked pastry shell in a tart pan if you have one, or a shallow pie pan, or even a pizza pan with a fairly high ridge. Fry a few strips of bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble and reserve. Use a few spoonfuls of the bacon grease to sautÈ chopped onions until they start to get transparent, enough onions to cover the bottom of the pie shell at least to 1/3-inch thick, and add to the pie shell. In a bowl, beat eggs, as many as needed for your pan, as making an omelet, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a little heavy cream and some caraway seeds – a good amount – and add the crumbled bacon. Pour this mixture over the onions and bake in a preheated 325-degree oven until the custard is done and the crust is baked. It is just basically an omelet with more onions than eggs and is good with sweet cider as well as the New Wine.
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SWEET WINE
1/2 gallon canning jar
2 cups ripe grapes
1 1/2 cups sugar
Boiling water
Place washed grapes in canning jar, add sugar, and fill with boiling water. (Be sure jar is hot before adding the boiling water so you don't crack the jar!) Seal tight. Turn jar up on its cap and let stand until ready for use. Ready in 2 weeks.
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EASY GRAPE JUICE
Stem and wash ripe grapes. Let drain. Put 1 cup of grapes in clean 1 quart canning jar. Add 1/2 cup sugar, then fill with warm water. Seal and process in hot water bath. Let water come to a boil, then keep at simmering temperature for 30 minutes – normal hot water bath method. Juice will be ready in about 2 weeks.
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GRAPE JUICE FOR JELLY
Wash sound, ripe grapes, cover with water and heat slowly to simmering point. Do not boil. Cook slowly until soft, then strain through jelly bag. Do not squeeze if you want clear jelly! Can by putting in clean jars and processing in hot water bath for 30 minutes. Use to make jelly when you open jars. Make fresh jelly any time during the year, or when you have time and feel in the mood to do so!
To make for grape juice to drink, add 1/2 cup sugar to each quart measure of juice, then proceed as above. This can be diluted to taste when opened.
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TO CAN GRAPES
Fill clean jar with grapes and cover with a light syrup, or water. Seal and process in hot water bath, as above, for 30 minutes.
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GRAPE JUICE PIE
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups grape juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Whipped topping, thawed
2 baked pie shells
Combine sugar, cornstarch and grape juice. Cook until thickened, like pudding. Add pineapple and pecans. Pour into pie shells and let cool. Top with whipped topping and refrigerate until set.
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CONCORD GRAPE PIE
Unbaked pastry for 2 pie crusts – 9-inch
5 1/3 cups Concord grapes
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 teaspoons lemon juice
Dash of salt
1 1/3 tablespoons butter
Remove skin from grapes and save. Put pulp in a saucepan without water and bring to a rolling boil. While hot, rub through a strainer to remove seeds, Mix the strained pulp with the skins. Mix flour and sugar together and add to the grape mixture. Add lemon juice and a dash of salt. Pour the mixture into the pastry lined pie pan and dot with butter. Cover with the top crust that has had slits cut in it and brush with milk or egg wash and sprinkled with sugar and bake in preheated 425-degrees oven until the crust is nicely browned and the juice starts to bubble through the slits in the crust, about 35 to 45 minutes. Serve cool or slightly warm, not hot.
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SQUIRREL
After squirrel has been cleaned and gutted, soak it in salted water. Change the water a couple of times until no blood remains – water stays clear. This takes several hours or overnight. Place in refrigerator to soak.
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FRIED SQUIRREL
After squirrel has been soaked and is ready for cooking, cut into serving sized pieces and roll in seasoned flour (salt and pepper added to the flour). Fry in hot fat until brown and tender. If squirrel is old, parboil in water containing some sage. This takes out the wild taste. Then fry as above.
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SQUIRREL GRAVY
After soaking squirrel, cut it up and place in a pot with some water. Add ¢ onion, chopped, a couple of peppercorns, and a good pinch of salt. Simmer until tender. Take squirrel out of the liquid and reduce liquid slightly if you have too much for your gravy. Add milk to get the desired amount of gravy. Heat. When hot, thicken with a mixture of milk and flour (combine in a shaker) to make desired thickness, stirring constantly. Cook a minute or two after it thickens, then turn down heat and put squirrel back into the gravy mixture and heat together. (The squirrel can be cooked in milk, or in the gravy – make the gravy first – but it scorches easily. It is simpler to cook it in water, I think.) If it looks too bland for you, add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet.
If you are good at making gravy, you can melt fat – butter or lard – in a skillet, adding the flour while stirring (making a roux0. Add the liquid from the cooked squirrel to make the gravy, then place the squirrel pieces back in the gravy.
This needs to be served with biscuits, of course!
NOTE: Squirrels should be hunted only in the woods in the country. It is unsportsmanlike to hunt them in city parks – besides who knows what trash they might eat in the city that would affect their taste!
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Patty Christopher is a longtime columnist for the Parkersburg News and Sentinel.