Then and Now: Mercer County Historical Society Cookbook

A Regional Cookbook of Ethnic, Handed-Down and Modern-Day Recipes

Mercer County Historical Society Cookbook Committee, Beulah, North Dakota, 1994, 344 pages, Softcover.

Reprinted with permission in October, 2002 by Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, North Dakota State University Libraries, Fargo, ND.

The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection is pleased to provide this well organized and comprehensive cookbook prepared by the Mercer County Historical Society Cookbook Committee. Mercer County, in northwestern North Dakota was settled by Germans from Russia who immigrated from villages of South Russia (today near Odessa, Ukraine and Crimea, Ukraine).

Of special interest is the extensive cookbook section of ethnic recipes including: Borscht soup, dill soup, Ein Lauf soup (egg drop), Knoepfla soup, Rivella soup, dumplings, Fleisch Kuechla, Schnitz Kuechla, German meatballs, hot German potato salad, Kuchen, Kraut Biruch (biscuits), Bubba Spretschel (potato dumplings), Kase Knoepfla (cottage cheese buttons), Plachinda, pumpkin turnovers, Strudla, German potatoes and cabbage, stirrum, Lebkuchen, German pancakes, Zwieback (sweet bread toast), beet wine, Easter bread, bean soup, red eye, homemade noodles, homemade soap, summer sausage, and Russian apricot sauce.

The cookbook provides a detailed index for: appetizers and dips, beverages, breads, bars, cookies and candy, cakes and frostings, desserts, pies and ice creams; casseroles; meat, fish and poultry; soups and stews; salads and vegetables; ethnic; handed-down; canning, freezing and preserves; and miscellaneous.