I grew up eating Braunschweiger sandwiches on white bread smothered with mayonnaise. My mother and I were the only ones I remember eating it, but even as a kid, I loved it. I married a man who loved it and we raised a daughter who loves it. I was recently delighted to learn that my 13-year old grand daughter loves it. Wow!
When you eat in a German restaurant, you’ll probably
find a Braunschweiger spread on the menu.
They might call it ‘mousse’ or ‘pate’, but it is probably exactly what
I’m going to tell you how to make today!
Braunschweiger is a pork liver sausage that is
smoked. It comes from the city of
Braunschweig, also known as Brunswick.
Today, this city is a cultural center filled with medieval buildings,
museums, cathedrals … and modern buildings created for scientific research and
development.
From 1269 through 1814, the Duchy of Brunswick was
part of a trade route frequented by many travelers. Their sausages were very popular, and among
them was that liver sausage that carries the name of the city.
When you ask people how they eat their Braunschweiger
sandwiches … if they eat them at all … you’ll get lots of replies! Some love it spread on rye bread and covered
with mustard and onions. Others pile on
onions but drizzle on catsup! Others add
lots of dill pickle. White bread, whole
wheat bread and rye bread … all varieties work!
This appetizer spread is a big hit when I make it for
parties. There is never a morsel of it
left over! It truly is a vintage recipe
made popular in the 1960s.
In the old days, I used an electric mixer to combine
all these ingredients. Today, I put it
in a food processor, and it is finished in a minute! Maybe 3 minutes!
I’ve served this many different ways. I usually just put it in a crock and surround
it with crackers and dill pickles. You
can form it into a log or a ball and roll it in salted nuts like chopped
almonds, pumpkin seeds or hazelnuts. You
can also smear the very top with a little mayonnaise and sprinkle on chopped
olives, red onions or pimento. Just
enjoy it!
This column is part of my 2020 Vintage Vegetable
project. I’ll be sharing it with a
couple blog parties, so click through the list on my sidebar.
