Sauerbraten

Note: an update on the sauerbraten is at the end of this post

No sooner did the landscapers finish installing our in-ground irrigation system than it rained. A cold, drippy all day rain. Gloom, chill, and sogginess. On top of full-on automatic irrigation.

I have lots to do since they left -- I have new plants to put in the area they cleared when the Spanish broom came out. I have mulch to spread, and compost to dig in and gravel to spread to fix up the areas they dug up. 

Two ways to get it to rain in New Mexico:
Leave garden gloves out on the bench or, install automatic irrigation.

I have plants that need moving now that they expanded the garden under the aspens and also where they took out a bed of old irises.

But with all those chores to do and rain falling, I'm indoors. And it smells very pungent in here.

Jim is making sauerbraten.

This is the goal -- but will he actually do dumplings and cabbage?? Astonish me.

It's a two day process, wherein the beef marinates for days in a pickling brine. He made his own, using spices and salts and vinegar, and this stuff is aromatic. Whew. We had to open the doors and windows even in the cold rain. For two days we have been marinating ourselves in a tangy aroma that fills the house and pervades sleep with odd dreams of clog dancers wearing lederhosen.

I do not know his pickling spice recipe, but it is strong.

We have ginger snap cookies -- they go into the recipe at some point, crumbled up I believe.

Cookies go into sauerbraten. I can deal with that.

What prompted making sauerbraten? I don't know. Maybe the rain, perhaps the chill weather advertising autumn. It's October and he's drinking beer. It's a German thing.

But it's a very complicated recipe and a long process. We have a day of stewing in pickling spices to go. I am awaiting the final result. I hope it turns out good. I saved a few of the gingersnaps to snack on just in case.

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Sunday night: the sauerbraten was so good. Tangy but not sharp. Tasty. Tender. He served boiled, buttered potatoes and sliced beets. We had schnapps on the patio in the clear October evening afterwards.