A while back Lovella and I had a phone interview for our local paper
in regard to the upcoming cookbook.
We were told that a photographer would be swinging by
to take a photo of us in one of our kitchens.
Lovella came over and and I had some props ready to go.
in regard to the upcoming cookbook.
We were told that a photographer would be swinging by
to take a photo of us in one of our kitchens.
Lovella came over and and I had some props ready to go.
This is the photo that went into the paper.
What the paper did not print was our own little discovery
while I was pinching off the Zwieback.
As I was putting on the tops, I gave each just the slightest push
with my index finger . . . a small indentation that,
for the most part, disappears during the rise.
Lovella asked me, "Will the tops stay on like that?"
I gave her a detailed description of why the tops stay on
without leaving a visible indentation.
Meanwhile, what I did not know was that in her family,
they are not Zwieback without the little dimple on the top.
That is why she goes to great lengths
to press the top centers, right down to the bottom,
when she adds her tops.
It all came out later. . . when she suddenly realized that,
for goodness sakes,
I did not want dimples ... the little tell tale holes showing on top.
for goodness sakes,
I did not want dimples ... the little tell tale holes showing on top.
Here we were ... two Mennonite girls each thinking that our way
was the way it should be.
I prided myself with my rounded tops
and she prided herself with tops that had belly buttons.
It's all good.
We've laughed and realized that we are just like our grandmas were.
I'm sure that back in the day,
when the buns were brought together at weddings and funerals,
the womenfolk would know by the shape
and general look of each basket of Zwieback,
who had made them . . . and it would be included in the chatter.
was the way it should be.
I prided myself with my rounded tops
and she prided herself with tops that had belly buttons.
It's all good.
We've laughed and realized that we are just like our grandmas were.
I'm sure that back in the day,
when the buns were brought together at weddings and funerals,
the womenfolk would know by the shape
and general look of each basket of Zwieback,
who had made them . . . and it would be included in the chatter.
And now you know that a Zwieback ... as plain as it is ... can still have personality.
If you remember your grandmother's Zwieback ... did they have dimples? Were they proud little soldiers or did their tops slouch like a cap worn sideways? Were the bottoms burned?
I'm curious now.
For those who have never seen these ... they're not very practical for sandwiches ...but, they are good just plain ... that little top comes off like a little doughnut hole bite.. leaving an indentation in the bottom part that can then be filled with butter or jam.
For those who have never seen these ... they're not very practical for sandwiches ...but, they are good just plain ... that little top comes off like a little doughnut hole bite.. leaving an indentation in the bottom part that can then be filled with butter or jam.
17 comments:
I'm still chuckling about this. You were being so polite trying to get your hint across and I was just plain clued out. I think the important thing is that the zweiback we make bring each of our families to the table to spend time together. ..the proper techniques are just a family tradition. I think my cap half off sort of suits my style. . .and I may as well continue it now.
I'm glad we can still learn from each other. . .even as seasoned mennonite cooks.
Cute story! Reminds me of the one about the young woman who always cut the ends off her ham before she cooked it. Her husband asked her why. She said,"I don't know...that's what my mom always does." So, they asked her mom...she said,"I don't know, that's what your grandma always did." So, they asked Grandma...she said, "I cut the ends off so it would fit in the pan!" ha! ha! So, you never know how traditions get startted!
Oh that is funny. I know my mom always can tell who made what even with the same recipes at church meals, etc.
very funny! :)
my mother-in-law makes hers rounded. haven't had them in a while...I may have to request them next time we're there for faspa :)
Each one has our unique stamp on our baking and our life. Fun post!!
Love Miss Debbie's comment - have used that one many years! Not being of Mennonite background, Zwieback for me comes straight from the store. It is small hard crusty slices made from white bread we would give our little ones to gum when they were teething! To me, your Mennonite Zwieback looks like Topknot Dinner Rolls!
Cute story! Now you've got me racking my brain, trying to remember how my mom made them. I think they were rounded....and a little slouchy......but never with burned bottoms. That's one of the tips I learned early on - don't bake 2 cookie sheets side by side in the oven because it traps the heat underneath and you'll get burned bottoms.
Funny! :-)
Being of German and not Russian Mennonite descent, I don't even know what the heck a Zwieback is! It's interesting enough to see the differences in regional Menno cooking, but just plain entertaining to see the differences within the same recipe! Cute picture of you two!
Oh yes our zweiback had dimples:) And sometimes they did slouch a bit but those were never served to company. We devoured them any which way or size! The bottom part was extra special as it held more jam.
so funny! i enjoyed both of your last two posts.. i have often thought of what it was like cooking and baking in south america for my grandparents and greatgrandparents! as for the buns, we are used to the tops with the dimple and my oma would always bake up the buns and then bake the last pan for a little bit longer because my opa likes them really dark... how funny is that? guess each family is used to it all a little differently- never thought of this before! great photo by the way!
I never heard of the dimples on the zweibach until I found your site. My grandmas always was rounded. However, I've still not mastered being able to keep those darn top buns on properly so I give them a good old 'dimple' to secure it. :-)
I have seen dimples so visible, you can see them on the bottom side...
Karin mentioned the fact that Zwieback is also the name given to toast. That's because the word Zwieback is a composition of Zwie (or zwei - which means two) and Back (which means baked). So Germans call storebought toast Zwieback because it is bread that was baked twice, while Mennonites call their buns Zwieback because the bun is formed out of two parts of dough.
Oh we are definitely smooth toppers. I remember when I was first married that my zwiebach tasted great but the poor tops never stayed on. My buns always looked like they'd laid down and died. Then my dear MIL taught me how to push those tops down without leaving an indent. I bake zwiebach frequently and think of her every time. My, how I miss her!
You two are cute with your zweiback variations! I've never had them but I'm very curious to try them out. They look yummy!
Zwieback...two bun...yep. We always loved pulling off the baby bun on top...that was for the quick munch which we would chew whilest we filled the little open spot it left with butter and jam! Any way you make it....these are extra delicious as we all know. Great shot ladies!
Oma Friesen's tops were flat and falling off and the bottom's were usually a bit burned; Oma Janzen's were perfect rounds on top and not overbaked. And they both tasted delicious.
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