Ralf: My dad got ours from a local restaurant. The owner had a connection from our SW Ohio location up to Lake Erie, I guess. Anyway, he'd also know when the smelt were running, call Dad (and others, I assume) and ask, "how much ya want?" Next day the fresh smelt would be in my dad's hands. I never had the pleasure of going for them myself, as you did, but I certainly remember the pleasure of eating them;Mom fixed them just as you described your mother doing. Makes the mouth water, eh? And wouldn't a Masse of Hofbraeu go great with a mess of smelt ?? Dave

You guys are making me very hungry, but you also reminded me of an incident that occured several years ago. My grandmother used to make one trip per year to the states to visit us at Christmas time. In 1990 I went to the Airport here in Houston to pick her up. She was already in her mid 80's at the time but was still very mobile and independent. I had to wait outside the customs/immigration area for her to come out. Finally, a porter pushing a cart with her suitcases emerged followed by my grandmother carrying six thin, round packages wrapped in Christmas wrap under her arm. She had found a way to get that smoked eel through customs!!!! Needless to say, dinner that night was grand. Klaus Dieter Cook Houston, Texas ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karin Book" <karin4467@yahoo.com> To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 11:41 AM Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] Eels, snails, and other yummy things > Katharina, I had to laugh when I read your post about > eels. I love smoked eel. I spent my childhood in a > tiny town in remote Bavaria and I ate with relish > things even worse than eel: cow tongue, ox tail soup > (my FAVORITE), fried udder, calf's head....my brother > Stefan and I fought over the last liver dumplings in > the pot. I can make my husband gag just talking about > it. When I was in highschool, my friends loved to eat > at my house, but they were careful not to ask what > they were eating. > > Karin Book > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Spot the hottest trends in music, movies, and more. > http://buzz.yahoo.com/ > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > Complaints: > Contact the list administrator at: GERMAN-LIFE-L-admin@rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp > Search over 2500 databases with one easy query! >

Katharina, I had to laugh when I read your post about eels. I love smoked eel. I spent my childhood in a tiny town in remote Bavaria and I ate with relish things even worse than eel: cow tongue, ox tail soup (my FAVORITE), fried udder, calf's head....my brother Stefan and I fought over the last liver dumplings in the pot. I can make my husband gag just talking about it. When I was in highschool, my friends loved to eat at my house, but they were careful not to ask what they were eating. Karin Book __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Spot the hottest trends in music, movies, and more. http://buzz.yahoo.com/

Gail and David: Let me put my two cents in. Smelt - great. I can remember when I was knee high to a grasshopper, going to the mouth of the Current River, with my Dad, and Uncle Jack, where it empties into Lake Superior. My Dad was manager of the Sports Deparment at a local Department Store, and he had his ear to the ground, and knew when the smelt were running. Just after the ice went out. They always ran at night to avoid their natural predators. However they never did get used to the wily human. 0100 hours out we went. Built a fire and used dip nets to retrieve these wonderful shiny things about 8 to 10 inches long (for you US people). We dumped them in buckets, and when we had three or four, away we went back home about two hours later. I was given the job of cleaning them next morning. Slit them up the belly, and take their innards, filled with roe or sperm. Wow - I always looked forward to it, because not only was I with the MEN, but I got to stay up late. Very Late. My Mum would fry them in a very light batter the next day. Were they ever good. Ross, I don't get them any more either. I'm to old to freeze my butt at midnight, and as well, there are not as many as there were before. But my mouth waters at the thought of what it was like back then . Ralf At 08:05 AM 6/14/01 -0400, you wrote: >Oooo, Gail, that brings back memories. My dad and mom loved smelt too. When >they "ran", my dad would acquire a mess and we'd eat them in great >quantities, also. It's one of the things I miss by being out here, rather >than where I can get smelt !! Dad also would acquire fresh oysters by the >bushel (from where I don't know, since we lived in SW Ohio). Uncle Kenny and >Toots would come up from Tipp City; we'd sit out back and shuck those dudes, >put 'em on a Saltine, dash some pepper and sauce on them and ENJOY !! > >Dave Ross, Denver > > >==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== >Complaints: >Contact the list administrator at: GERMAN-LIFE-L-admin@rootsweb.com > >============================== >Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp >

Betty: We went to Luchow's once, in 1985, when the wind chill (January) in Times Square was -52 degrees and the wind was blowing a gale !! We were enroute to Africa, so we didn't really have cold-weather gear along !! About froze our tushes, but the food at Luchow's was wonderful. Yes, I've been cooking out of it for years, too. Imagination and experimentation applied to their already-wonderful recipes creates some amazing treats, eh? Dave Ross

Oooo, Gail, that brings back memories. My dad and mom loved smelt too. When they "ran", my dad would acquire a mess and we'd eat them in great quantities, also. It's one of the things I miss by being out here, rather than where I can get smelt !! Dad also would acquire fresh oysters by the bushel (from where I don't know, since we lived in SW Ohio). Uncle Kenny and Toots would come up from Tipp City; we'd sit out back and shuck those dudes, put 'em on a Saltine, dash some pepper and sauce on them and ENJOY !! Dave Ross, Denver

David and Carol (Benck) Ross Surnames for David Newton Ross; Denver, CO NEWTROSS@aol.com Ross (both sides); Owen; Wright (end of great-grandparent surnames): Alt; Bacher; Beckett; Bishop; Blue; Broad; Burton; Cole; Colonii/Colonius; Cooper; Critton/Critten; Damen; Deaver/Dever/Devor; Dechant/Dechen/Dechent; Dennis; Diebold/Debold; Dietrich; Demmitt/Dimmitt; Fox (Vogt); Frame; Franck; Frey; Garrett; Garth; Gies; Grimmel; Haas; Haggerty; Hawkins; Hehl/Heel; Heinemann; Hemler; Henry; Holzhausen; Jack; Jakobi/Jacoby; Jockers ; Johnson; Jones; Kirchhofer/Kirchhofter; La Roux/La Rue; Lane; Laubenstein; Laubscher; Leitner/Lightner; Loy/Leÿ; Lubberger; Mantz; Martense; Massey; Miller; Müll; Musser; Nesen/Schunck; Niese (a form of Nesen); Ogden; Parks; Parrish; Perrine/Prine; Proctor; Rambler/Rammler; Reed; Sale; Sharpe; Sharrett; Shell/Sheel; Shultz; Simonton; Smith; Sontag; Spriggs; Steurer; Stone; Treon/Trion/Drion; Trout/Troud/Traudt; Tutt; Usile; Vogt (Fox); Walker; Wallauer/Wallaner; Waters; Witt; Zoll Surnames for Carol M. (Benck) Ross (same e-mail address) Ackermann, Auler, Bauer, Baumann, Benck, Benker, Brauer, Brechwalt, Bruhn, Crackow, Dietel, Doehler/Dohler/Döhla/Döla, Ebels, Edelmann, Eiden, Elling, Erdmann, Evert(s), Fabig, Fehres, Fischer, Frehse, Grewe/Greve, Grube, Gruber, Gundlach, Haase, Haidig, Harder, Hartleb, Hertrich, Höffter, Höpner, Jarchow, Joern/Jörn, Junger, Katers, Kayser, Keppel, Kich, Kielgast, Kießling, Klemm, Knoll, Koch/Kock, Kriegling/Kritzlin, Krumm, Lang, Lauer, Linow, Möller/Müller, Peltzer, Petri/Petry, Pfeufer, Putz, Reinhardt, Rössler, Rübel, Rüp, Schiffmann, Schmidt, Schneider, Schroeder/Schröder, Schwab, Seiferth/Seifert, Sittig, Steiner, Taubmann, Thiel, Wagner, Wehrmann

Oh, how I would love to have some smoked eel again. Wonderful stuff! It's been years since I had any--not many eels floating around in the farm country of Iowa! ;-) Dorie ----- Original Message ----- From: Katharina Hines <hines60@hotmail.com> To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 2:01 AM Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] Re: Fish > Hi, > Last fall when I went to Germany,. My brother-in-law got some smoked eel. > I first passed on it, but they talked me in to try a piece of eel. > I could not skin it or cut the head off. ( I am a chicken, when I se any > thing cooked with the head still on. > I was surprised how good the meat of the eel was. It is not some thing I > would eat every day. But the best thing after the meal was the > "Jägermeister", that is a drink, that you digest the fat meat better. > The eel has a lot of fat. > I was told in Germany if you go out some were to party eel or sardines > will coat your stomach. You body will not take the alcohol very much and you > can drink all night long, and not even get drank. > now sails is the worsted thing for me to eat, or when I watch some one who > eats them. > > Katharina > > > >I have to agree with you Katharina, if I see a recipe that calls for > >sardines, I just walk on by. > > > >My family at Christmas time used to open that small wooden keg with all > >that > >smelly, or I will call it rotten fish and eat away....and my Dad used to > >sit > >and eat cans and cans of sardines and you couldn't even stand to be in the > >same room.... needless to say, I am not much of a fish eater...and what > >about in Germany eating those eel, and smoked eel that look gross...me > >thinks me passes..... > > > >g > > > > > >==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > >To UNSUBSCRIBE from digest mode send a message to: > >GERMAN-LIFE-D-request@rootsweb.com and add the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the > >message and send. > > > >============================== > >Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > >Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > >http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > Complaints: > Contact the list administrator at: GERMAN-LIFE-L-admin@rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com

In a message dated 06/13/2001 6:45:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time, GERMAN-LIFE-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > Right, Mona: I'll try and find time to get the entire thing (2 pages in > Luechow's cookbook), including my annotations, into my word processor and > share it soon with the list. When you see it, you'll understand why it's > easier to mail it to Ralf :-))) > > Dave Ross > Hi Dave, My name is Betty and I have been on this list for a while. I enjoy all the posts and was surprised to see that someone else has a Luchow's cookbook. I have had mine for over 20 yrs now and use it all the time. I grew up part of my life in NY and knew of this restaurant although I never got to go there. Happy Cooking, Betty

Hi, Last fall when I went to Germany,. My brother-in-law got some smoked eel. I first passed on it, but they talked me in to try a piece of eel. I could not skin it or cut the head off. ( I am a chicken, when I se any thing cooked with the head still on. I was surprised how good the meat of the eel was. It is not some thing I would eat every day. But the best thing after the meal was the "Jägermeister", that is a drink, that you digest the fat meat better. The eel has a lot of fat. I was told in Germany if you go out some were to party eel or sardines will coat your stomach. You body will not take the alcohol very much and you can drink all night long, and not even get drank. now sails is the worsted thing for me to eat, or when I watch some one who eats them. Katharina > >I have to agree with you Katharina, if I see a recipe that calls for >sardines, I just walk on by. > >My family at Christmas time used to open that small wooden keg with all >that >smelly, or I will call it rotten fish and eat away....and my Dad used to >sit >and eat cans and cans of sardines and you couldn't even stand to be in the >same room.... needless to say, I am not much of a fish eater...and what >about in Germany eating those eel, and smoked eel that look gross...me >thinks me passes..... > >g > > >==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== >To UNSUBSCRIBE from digest mode send a message to: >GERMAN-LIFE-D-request@rootsweb.com and add the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the >message and send. > >============================== >Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: >Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. >http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

It is not in the thought about the smelly fish... I tried to be brave and took a weaving class from a German lady in Denver, actually Wheatridge and she served herring in sour cream for lunch, I tried believe me I tried and it was horrible..and I think it might stem back to my Dad going to Lake Michigan when the smelt ran and came home with tons of smelt and we are smelt till it came out of our ears, but still there was that keg of pickled herring at Christmas..... Gail

Hi, I know some of the Königsberger Klops, are made with sardines. Sardines are not one of my favorite foods. So I will not put them in any recipes!!!!! I know some people like them. Katharina > >Well, Katharina, you beat me to the punch !! However, I'm certain the >resulting meals will differ, as good German cooking should do from preparer >to preparer. So, I offer MY recipe, with annotations (for those of you >who >are patient enough to read them !! >========================================================== >MEAT BALLS WITH CAPER AND SARDELLEN SAUCE >(Koenigsberger Klops mit Sardellen- und Kapernsosse) > >1-1/2 lbs. raw veal 1) 1/4 lb. fat pork 1) > 3 T. butter > 1-1/2 hard rolls 2) >2 T. grated onion 3) 1/2 t. grated lemon peel >3 eggs, beaten 1/2 t. pepper 4) > 1 t. salt > 1 T. lemon juice 5) >1 t. Worcestershire sauce 6) Chopped parsley >1-1/2 qts. stock or bouillon 7) > >Grind meats very fine; mix with 2 T. butter 8) Moisten rolls with water; >when soft, squeeze water out, pick into small chunks and mix with meat. 9) > Sauté onion in butter until browned 10). Add to meat mixture >with >lemon peel, eggs, pepper, salt, lemon juice, Worcestershire and parsley. >11) 12) Mix thoroughly. Shape into 12 balls. 13) > Heat bouillon/stock (see #7) to boiling; drop balls in and simmer, >covered, 15 minutes. Remove from stock with slotted spoon to a warmed dish >and make gravy. > >GRAVY (Sardellen und Kapernsosse) >4 or 5 T. butter 4 or 5 T. flour 14) > >1 or 2 small boneless sardines 2 T. Capers 15) > >2 T. chopped parsley 1/2 cup buttered crumbs > >Measure stock; for every 2 cups of stock, mix 2 T. butter with 2 T. flour >16) > Stir into hot stock and stir until smooth and boiling. > Mash sardines with 1 T. butter 17); stir into gravy with capers >and >parsley. Reheat meatballs in gravy. Serve covered with buttered crumbs. >Serves 4 or more. > >ANNOTATION NOTES > 1) Veal is so expensive; it makes great Klops, but I’ve begun making >the >Klops purely from good ground pork, and this seems to be perfectly >satisfactory. Have your butcher grind up a pork shoulder or some such. >Lots >of fat is good for the Germans’ taste, but we try to keep our cooking as >low-fat as possible. I suppose that one could add some ground beef (lean) >in >place of the veal; I’ve never tried it. > 2) I buy Kaiser rolls at the supermarket and let them dry out WELL !! > 3) I mince lots of onion rather fine and add it, not bothering with >grating. Mincing with the Chinese knife is quicker and not so messy. > 4) Or more to taste > 5) I use extract straight from the bottle > 6) Or more, to taste > 7) I start with the water I’ve saved from making Spaetzle (it’s good >and >starchy; see N.B: below), then add several cans of the store-bought beef >broth -- or I use home-made beef stock, if I have any on hand. This is FAR >more satisfactory than starting out with straight water or broth. > 8) I no longer use butter at this phase; the eggs and other liquids are >quite sufficient moisture to achieve a good mix. > 9) At this point, mix bread and meat VERY thoroughly (yeh, with your >hands >!! Rings off first !!) >10) As I said, I just chop up the onion and add it directly to the >meat/bread mixture. Suit your own tastes !! >11) If you have some Liebstoeckel, you can throw a bunch of those flakes >in >too. If you don’t know what Liebstoeckel is, don’t ask !! I don’t >either, >except that it’s a good additive in German cooking. It’s a plant, and >maybe >someone out there can explain it. It comes in herb bottles, dried and in >flakes. We get it in Germany. >12) I’ve found that expanding the mixture with Wheaties or Corn Flakes >doesn’t hurt, maybe requiring another egg. Naturally, your choice. >13) I make mine about the size of golf balls; they swell as they cook. A >double recipe makes about 30 meat balls, 1” to 1-1/2” in diameter. >14) I use cornstarch dissolved in water (I LOVE to stir things up !!) >15) I usually make the double recipe, so I put in the entire bottle of >capers, including the brine. It doesn’t hurt to have more capers, >believe me >!! >16) This is busy work !! Just use the cornstarch/water in sufficient >quantity to thicken this broth to the desired consistency. >17) Now, you’re going to have some sardines left in that can !! My >procedure is to have some Saltines handy, as well as a bottle of white >wine. >While I’m mashing the sardines (this normally takes a VERY long time >:-)))), >I put the other sardines on crackers, munch the combination, washing it >down >with the good German wine. Good sardines shall NOT be wasted !! > >N.B: Our usual accompaniments are salad (your favorite; but a Swiss >Cheese/Wurst salad is a good one), Spaetzle, Rotkohl mit Apfeln und >Zwiebeln, >Apfelmuss, and a light dessert. Of course, we wash all this down with good >Mosel/Saar/Ruwer wines. We normally do this conglomeration in the >wintertime. We normally do it for company. Therefore, I make the Spaetzle >two days ahead (they should be kept in cold garage or fridge; if any are >left >over, they will freeze successfully for future use); I set the Spaetzle >water out in the garage in the stock pot, then bring it in the day before >the >company to do the Klops. Then I set the whole stock pot, broth, Klops and >all, back out in the garage until time to heat it all up for the company. >The Klops benefit from the day of sitting in the broth. > >HAPPY COOKING AND EATING !! > > > > > >==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== >To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mail list send a message to: >GERMAN-LIFE-L-request@rootsweb.com and in the message add the word >UNSUBSCRIBE and send. > >============================== >Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 >Source for Family History Online. Go to: >http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

Newtross@aol.com wrote: > Ralf and Elsa: Reading of your reactions to German music, and things and > places German, I think the two of you would be FUN to travel with in Germany > !! > Hi Dave: I'm hoping to visit Germany next year. Haven't been over since I was 20 -- way too long ago. Next year, 2002, will be the 1,000th birthday celebration of my home town, Erlangen. It would be great to have some like-minded souls come along. Would be interesting to plan a tour! Elsa

When she was a child, my wife's uncle kidded her about oysters, saying he'd tie a string around one, have her eat it, then he'd pull it back up. It took me until she was over 30 (8 years of marriage) to get her to the point where she would enjoy oysters. Now she cooks with them, makes stew, has nothing against them. I think sometimes we prejudice others, unknowingly, unwittingly, by parading our biases. Dave Ross

I have to agree with you Katharina, if I see a recipe that calls for sardines, I just walk on by. My family at Christmas time used to open that small wooden keg with all that smelly, or I will call it rotten fish and eat away....and my Dad used to sit and eat cans and cans of sardines and you couldn't even stand to be in the same room.... needless to say, I am not much of a fish eater...and what about in Germany eating those eel, and smoked eel that look gross...me thinks me passes..... g

Hi Gail I am sorry I send the recipe to the wrong list Katharina _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

Put in a large bowl 1 cup soft bread crumbs 1/4 cup milk 1 medium chopped onion 1 pound ground beef 1/4 pound ground pork 1 egg 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Combine thoroughly. Shape in to balls about 2 inch in diameter Bring to boil in a sauce pan 3 cups water 2 tablespoons chopped onion 1-2 bay leafs 2 cloves 3 peppercorns 1/4 teaspoon salt Carefully put the meat balls into liquid. bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 20 min. Remove the meat balls with slotted spoon and set aside to keep warm. Strain the liquid. Heat in the sauce pan 2 tablespoons butter Blend in 2 tablespoons flour Heat until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Gradually add 2 cups of the liquid and 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon capers Bring rapidly to boiling, stirring constantly. Cook 1-2 min. longer. Return meat balls to the sauce and heat thoroughly Katharina _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

Could you scan it and post it somewhere? That might be easier. Mona On Wed, 13 Jun 2001 10:51:52 EDT Newtross@aol.com writes: > Right, Mona: I'll try and find time to get the entire thing (2 pages > in > Luechow's cookbook), including my annotations, into my word > processor and > share it soon with the list. When you see it, you'll understand why > it's > easier to mail it to Ralf :-))) > > Dave Ross > > > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mail list send a message to: > GERMAN-LIFE-L-request@rootsweb.com and in the message add the word > UNSUBSCRIBE and send. > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry's Library - The best collection of family history > learning and how-to articles on the Internet. > http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

I tried SO hard to set that up so it would be neat, but just LOOK what happened to it during transmission !! Dave Ross

Well, Katharina, you beat me to the punch !! However, I'm certain the resulting meals will differ, as good German cooking should do from preparer to preparer. So, I offer MY recipe, with annotations (for those of you who are patient enough to read them !! ========================================================== MEAT BALLS WITH CAPER AND SARDELLEN SAUCE (Koenigsberger Klops mit Sardellen- und Kapernsosse) 1-1/2 lbs. raw veal 1) 1/4 lb. fat pork 1) 3 T. butter 1-1/2 hard rolls 2) 2 T. grated onion 3) 1/2 t. grated lemon peel 3 eggs, beaten 1/2 t. pepper 4) 1 t. salt 1 T. lemon juice 5) 1 t. Worcestershire sauce 6) Chopped parsley 1-1/2 qts. stock or bouillon 7) Grind meats very fine; mix with 2 T. butter 8) Moisten rolls with water; when soft, squeeze water out, pick into small chunks and mix with meat. 9) Sauté onion in butter until browned 10). Add to meat mixture with lemon peel, eggs, pepper, salt, lemon juice, Worcestershire and parsley. 11) 12) Mix thoroughly. Shape into 12 balls. 13) Heat bouillon/stock (see #7) to boiling; drop balls in and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from stock with slotted spoon to a warmed dish and make gravy. GRAVY (Sardellen und Kapernsosse) 4 or 5 T. butter 4 or 5 T. flour 14) 1 or 2 small boneless sardines 2 T. Capers 15) 2 T. chopped parsley 1/2 cup buttered crumbs Measure stock; for every 2 cups of stock, mix 2 T. butter with 2 T. flour 16) Stir into hot stock and stir until smooth and boiling. Mash sardines with 1 T. butter 17); stir into gravy with capers and parsley. Reheat meatballs in gravy. Serve covered with buttered crumbs. Serves 4 or more. ANNOTATION NOTES 1) Veal is so expensive; it makes great Klops, but I’ve begun making the Klops purely from good ground pork, and this seems to be perfectly satisfactory. Have your butcher grind up a pork shoulder or some such. Lots of fat is good for the Germans’ taste, but we try to keep our cooking as low-fat as possible. I suppose that one could add some ground beef (lean) in place of the veal; I’ve never tried it. 2) I buy Kaiser rolls at the supermarket and let them dry out WELL !! 3) I mince lots of onion rather fine and add it, not bothering with grating. Mincing with the Chinese knife is quicker and not so messy. 4) Or more to taste 5) I use extract straight from the bottle 6) Or more, to taste 7) I start with the water I’ve saved from making Spaetzle (it’s good and starchy; see N.B: below), then add several cans of the store-bought beef broth -- or I use home-made beef stock, if I have any on hand. This is FAR more satisfactory than starting out with straight water or broth. 8) I no longer use butter at this phase; the eggs and other liquids are quite sufficient moisture to achieve a good mix. 9) At this point, mix bread and meat VERY thoroughly (yeh, with your hands !! Rings off first !!) 10) As I said, I just chop up the onion and add it directly to the meat/bread mixture. Suit your own tastes !! 11) If you have some Liebstoeckel, you can throw a bunch of those flakes in too. If you don’t know what Liebstoeckel is, don’t ask !! I don’t either, except that it’s a good additive in German cooking. It’s a plant, and maybe someone out there can explain it. It comes in herb bottles, dried and in flakes. We get it in Germany. 12) I’ve found that expanding the mixture with Wheaties or Corn Flakes doesn’t hurt, maybe requiring another egg. Naturally, your choice. 13) I make mine about the size of golf balls; they swell as they cook. A double recipe makes about 30 meat balls, 1” to 1-1/2” in diameter. 14) I use cornstarch dissolved in water (I LOVE to stir things up !!) 15) I usually make the double recipe, so I put in the entire bottle of capers, including the brine. It doesn’t hurt to have more capers, believe me !! 16) This is busy work !! Just use the cornstarch/water in sufficient quantity to thicken this broth to the desired consistency. 17) Now, you’re going to have some sardines left in that can !! My procedure is to have some Saltines handy, as well as a bottle of white wine. While I’m mashing the sardines (this normally takes a VERY long time :-)))), I put the other sardines on crackers, munch the combination, washing it down with the good German wine. Good sardines shall NOT be wasted !! N.B: Our usual accompaniments are salad (your favorite; but a Swiss Cheese/Wurst salad is a good one), Spaetzle, Rotkohl mit Apfeln und Zwiebeln, Apfelmuss, and a light dessert. Of course, we wash all this down with good Mosel/Saar/Ruwer wines. We normally do this conglomeration in the wintertime. We normally do it for company. Therefore, I make the Spaetzle two days ahead (they should be kept in cold garage or fridge; if any are left over, they will freeze successfully for future use); I set the Spaetzle water out in the garage in the stock pot, then bring it in the day before the company to do the Klops. Then I set the whole stock pot, broth, Klops and all, back out in the garage until time to heat it all up for the company. The Klops benefit from the day of sitting in the broth. HAPPY COOKING AND EATING !!