Swabian home cooking

Humans do seemingly funny things to prepare for fall, and inevitably, the long winter. Some people change their home decor to include natural elements, such as apples or leaves. They even pull in warm tones to make home feel cozy, in comparission to the cool whites and blues of summer.
My husband, who happens to be a wonderful cook, took the opportunity to cook some of the heavy Swabian and German food that is generally not appetizing in the warm summer months.
Of course, Joern being Joern, decided to make enough food for a small country. Joern spent all last week Saturday cooking. Here's what he made:
Sauerbraten, Pork Roast, and Rouladen (rolled beef with bacon, mustard and pickles,) Blaukraut (sweet and sour red cabbage,) Spaetzle, potato salad, and dumplings.


Spaetzle

Potato Salad

Potato dumplings (with beer, of course)

Joern also used some Chanterelle Mushrooms, which are wildly popular here in early fall, to make an incredible sauce.
Here's the final result:



Of course, the other side-dish, beer should not be forgotten. Any German would tell you that this heavy food cannot be fully enjoyed without an equally heavy drink.

We enjoyed this food for almost a week now, and Thursday night, I finally broke my Swabian food feast, and went out to dinner with some friends. We had German-Mexican, which isn't the same as the Mexican from home, but passable. It was wonderful to have a light vegetable quesidilla to offset all my German food. Before dinner, we enjoyed some coffee and mini cakes at an outdoor cafe.

Not only were the cakes heavenly, but the weather report said that Thursday was predicted to be the last day to enjoy lovely weather before the rain and chill of fall set in.