German Russian cooks and iron cross cemeteries filmed for Prairie Public TV

By Alan Burke

Emmons County Record, Linton, North Dakota, October 2, 2001, page 1

 

Viola (Welk) Bosch and Fr. Thomas Welk show a citron melon grown at the home of Sam and Carol (Schatz) Weigel of Linton. The fruit is similar to a watermelon but it is yellow on the inside and is not as sweet. Citrons were used in German-Russian cooking in Russia and then brought to the United States with immigrants. Viola said the Weigels' patch is one of the few in the whole region although Fr. Thomas has a patch in Wichita. It is a hearty plant providing nutritious fruit. Citron is also the basis for fruit cake.

A Prairie Public TV crew filmed local iron cross cemeteries and German Russian cooking on Sept. 6 and 7 in Emmons County. Michael Miller of Fargo, bibliographer for the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection at North Dakota State University Libraries, is coordinating the projects. Two of the cemeteries visited were the Rosenthal Cemetery near Linton and the St. Aloysius Cemetery near Strasburg. Crews also filmed cemeteries in the Eureka and Bowdle area.

The Germans from Russia iron cross television documentary sponsored by PPTV and the NDSU libraries is scheduled for airing in September of 2002.

Another videotaping project features German Russian cooking. The foodways videotape program series is sponsored by the Germans from Russian Cultural Preservation Foundation (www.grculture.org) Two one-half hour programs will be ready in December, 2001. That will be available from The Germans From Russia Heritage Collection, NDSU Libraries, Fargo, website: www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/grhc. The Emmons County Record also plans to offer the videos.

Helen (Gefroh) Fischer prepares her delicious strudels at the Hague Cafe on September 6 for the cameras of Prairie Public TV. Her cooking will be part of the Germans from Russia foodways videotape program series sponsored by the Germans from Russia Cultural Preservation Foundation.

Emmons County cooks to be included in the videotape project are Helen (Gefroh) Fischer at the Hague Cafe, who made strudels and Viola (Welk) Bosch of Linton. Bosch made cooked citron melon (kochmelonen) and a mashed potatoes inside dough (Grumbeere Maultaschen) in her kitchen. Helping Viola were here brother, Father Thomas Welk of Wichita, Kan., and her husband, Wendelin Bosch. Father Thomas also helped organize the programs.

Here are the family recipes Bosch used for the videotapes. Bosch is used to preparing them with no recipe, but was asked to write them down for the program.

Mashed potatoes inside dough
(Grumbere Maultaschen)
Potato Part
Dice 5 cups of peeled potatoes and cook until tender in 2 cups water and 1 tsp. salt. Saute 1 medium diced onion (about 1/2 cup) in 4 Tbs. butter and 4 Tbs. margarine until onion starting to brown. Add 2 cups cubed bread (I tear into little pieces) and stir until all is nicely browned. Drain potatoes well and add to crumb mixture in pan and mash together until it forms a paste mixture. Add 1/2 tsp. pepper and more salt if needed. Cool slightly.

The Hague Cafe is noted for its German food.

Dough
5 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs beaten
1 1/4 -1 1/2 cups warm water (enough to form a soft but manageable dough)
Mix all ingredients together and knead on lightly floured surface until it is elastic in texture (about 5 minutes). Let set at least 1/2 hour. Roll out and cut into 3 inch squares. Spread on a full tsp. of potato mixture, fold over and seal edges.

Videotaping at cemeteries in Eureka and Bowdle areas were, from left, Dave Geck, videographer for PPTV, Bob Dambach, PPTV director of programming and productions, and Michael Miller of Fargo, bibliographer from the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, NDSU Libraries.

Bring water in large kettle to a boil, add 2 Tbs. salt and put the prepared filled dough into the boiling water. Cook slowly for about 15 minutes or until dough is tender. While they are cooking, melt 1 1/2 sticks butter. Add 3 slices of bread torn in pieces to the butter and brown. Stir and watch carefully, as they scorch easily. Drain noodles carefully. Add bread crumbs and some of the water the dough was cooked in and serve.

Cooked Citron Melon
(Kochmelonen)
Peel citron, remove seeds and cut into small pieces. Add small amount of water, enough to prevent scorching, and bring to a boil. Drain off juice and add fresh water to cover citron and to make a good sauce. Sugar to suit taste, start with about 1 cup for medium sized citron. Cut up one lemon with the peeling still on. Add the lemon, 10 to 15 cloves, raisins, and canned pineapple (if desired) the citron and cook until the citron is tender. Remove from heat and add one small package of Jello (if desired). Lemon or lime Jello is best, but any flavor can be used. Also good without Jello. If put into jars right away and sealed with new lids, it can be kept for
awhile.

Reprinted with permission of the Emmons County Record.