Last week the Ox Yoke Inn made a traditional (i.e., old) Amana delicacy: Gefuellte Nudeln or Filled Noodles. I
must admit that I had never eaten them, so it was a perfect opportunity for Mary and me to go to the Ox Yoke after
closing White Cross Cellars for the evening.
Mary had called ahead and the staff at the Ox Yoke saved the last
two orders of the special feature so that we could taste it. What a treat; they were fantastic!
Ironically, although I grew-up in the Colonies surrounded by great
cooks, I had never tasted these Nudeln.
Most of my Middle Amana friends had eaten them growing up but I had
never even heard of them until I was an adult.
It made me wonder what had happened.
A little research regarding these wonderful little meat filled
pasta pillows revealed that they are a mainstay of Swabian cuisine. Much of Swabia is in the German State of Baden
Wurttemberg, close to the Rhine. That’s
an area that the Rettig family came from.
So why was I deprived of these as a child?
The answer must lie with my mother. She came from Amana and not Middle and
learned her cooking from her mother (also from Amana) who must not have been
brought up with those Nudeln, either. Many of
their ancestors came from a different area of Germany. I know it seems odd to my non-Colony friends
but each Amana village has its own character and I’m guessing Middle Amana
cooks must have a strong Swabian heritage.