Salzstangerl, Surely You Don't Drink Wine Without One ?

A simple, honest & affordable Taste sensation.

Wine is notoriously the drink of choice for the ' lofty ' lot. But us mere ' grounded ' lot do need to have sustenance along with it. Even our good Burgenland wines need to tango with some vittles.

Our area wasn't always prosperous and women came up with delectable baked goods that required only the bare essentials. Necessity is often the mother of invention. Salzstangerl is one of them. In our area a function is never complete without it. " Wine & Salzstangerl " sounds like a good slogan to me !

My Mum's wonderful neighbour has taught her how to make them the authentic way. The village choir Like a Rainbow ( Blog story about last year's performance ) is having their yearly concert and are hosting the party along with it. As one of the members, my Mum is bringing a homemade specialty... Salzstangerl.

This is one of the things that makes moving here so special. I get a chance to do ordinary normal things with my Mum. Yesterday we did the batch of Salzstangerl at our house. Honestly, I had no idea how much work it takes. At times I spared a thought of pity for the pastry chefs who do this all day long !

The dough had risen to its perfect size, when we started to flatten it again. We had a conveyor belt system. I flattened and Mum rolled the pieces into their distinctive shape.

The line of little balls of dough awaiting their fate of being flattened seemed never ending. A great workout though. Once they were rolled and lounging on a tray, they had to rise again ( first we flattened and then we hoped that they would rise ! ).

Once they had their correct size, they were baked, a tray at a time. Ah, I wish I could convey to you the mouthwatering smells and aromas that wafted through the house. Anything baking in the oven somehow has that special something that transports us back to childhood. Never mind making us hungry.

My fabulous Mum standing proud over her homemade Salzstangerl. Baking and if you are fortunate enough to do so with your Mum, has the ability to soothe all your troubles. Baking is so grounding a hobby that it tilts your world to its right position. You should try it...

Amazon.com:Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking

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