F(e)asting on Mehlspeisen

Abstract

The author explains how traditionally-minded Catholics in Southern Germany and Austria have answered the question - What to do when you can’t eat meat? In the Catholic regions of German-speaking lands, where fast days comprised almost half of the year, a category of recipes, many very regional in nature, developed over the centuries. Called Mehlspeisen, which means ‘flour foods’, these recipes are variations on the theme of flour, eggs, milk, and a bit of butter and sugar. This article looks at some of the recipes and their adaptations.