Setting the Table with German Slow Food

Setting the Table with German Slow Food

If you think Slow Food isn’t worth the wait, think again. In the Gaumenkitzel kitchen, Slow Food means creating the perfect mix of local ingredients and culinary traditions. The sweet smells coming from Gaumenkitzel Restaurant are enough to make you stay for lunch and stick around for dessert, and that’s exactly what we did.

Leave it to Chef Anja Voth to fill our day of culinary camp with ingredients so fresh, you can taste the flavors before taking your first bite. The day started off with a history lesson on the origins of “gaumenkitzel,” a German word that means “special treat:” the perfect way to describe our time in the kitchen with Chef Anja! The first task of the day was to make flour; like many of the ingredients on the menu, flour is another item that is made on-site. This means campers had the experience of milling their own grains — grinding rye until the grains become the soft powder that we’re used to seeing in the grocery store.

While one group of campers made bread rolls by weighing and shaping the dough, another team of campers showed off their knife skills by slicing fresh herbs to be emulsified along with tomatoes and other seasonings to make for a creamy summer soup. Also on the menu were traditional German sweet and savory pancakes, which were made by campers who peeled and sliced potatoes. There is never a dull moment in the Gaumenkitzel kitchen!

Even with a menu packed full of one delicious dish after another, campers were sure to save room for dessert: Bananas in Heaven made with ripe bananas, breaded and softened with butter, then topped with a generous helping of homemade whipped cream. How to tell when the whipped cream has become firm enough to serve? Turn the bowl upside-down above campers’ heads, of course!

It’s not everyday that you get the chance to enjoy an organic, locally sourced meal at Gaumenkitzel Restaurant. Luckily, Chef Anja has shared with us the recipes that campers made so that you can experience the fresh flavors for yourself.

To get a better taste of all that German Slow Food has to offer, make your way to Chef Anja’s dining room for a truly sweet and seasonal Slow Food experience.

RECIPES

To get a better taste of all that German Slow Food has to offer, make your way to Chef Anja’s dining room for a truly sweet and seasonal Slow Food experience.

Tomatensuppe

Light Tomato Soup (Hamburg-Style)

Ingredients

Makes about 12 servings

1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 cups onion, julienned
3 teaspoons garlic, julienned
7 cups tomato, julienned
1 teaspoon basil, finely cut
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
4 cups water, filtered
1 cup yogurt (whisk until smooth)

Directions

Gently cook half of the butter, onion, and garlic on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the tomato, basil, and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, then put on the lid and bring to a boil (about 15 minutes). Once boiling, lower the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 30-45 minutes.

Puree the ingredients in the pot, then add tomato paste, brown sugar, 8 g of salt, and pepper; whisk briefly to combine. Add the water and yogurt, then bring mixture to boil with the lid removed (about 25 minutes. Remove the mixture from heat and whisk in the remaining butter until melted.

Gebackene Banane auf Erdbeer

Banana in Heaven

Ingredients

5 large bananas
2 cups bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut

For the Strawberry Coulis:

2 cups strawberry puree with
1/2 cup confectioner sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 bunch of mint leaves, finely chopped

For the Whipped Cream:

2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/8 cup vanilla sugar

Directions

Cut each banana lengthwise. Place bread crumbs in a bowl and add the banana, covering the banana with crumbs. On medium heat, and add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the banana, round side down, and bake for about 4 to 6 minutes. Flip the banana halfway through.

Prepare the Strawberry Coulis by pureeing the sugar, lemon juice, and strawberries in a blender. Fold in the sliced mint leaves. For the whipped cream, whisk the cream until stiff peaks form, then add the sugar.

Serve the bananas right from the pan onto a plate with the fruit coulis underneath, sprinkle with coconut shaves, and add a scoop of whipped cream on top.