Old Recipes from Pomerania
or the hearty comfort foods of our forebears!
De Pommersch Spieskaumer*
Hering, Gurke, Suerkrut
Unʼn Tun mit Pökelsud.
Kense, Kreude un Krüer
Peperkauken für de Lüer.
Up de Brerer anʼne Wand
Bunzelpött mit allerhand.
Jaut wer uck dat Grieweschmult,
bauwen up e betge Sult.
Wien von Kespre un Johannesbeer
Die os Sündaugs schmecke der.
Up de „Weich“ da Brot nich tau vergeten,
denn Liew und Seel hült top at Eten.
Di un Dat un süs noch wat
Mudder krech os alle satt.
Die Wienter kann nu kaume
Wie hulle ust, bet taum Saumer.Verfasser unbekannt
*Note: The poem above is left in the Pomeranian dialect (Platt) — a vivid fragment of regional vernacular that reflects the close ties between language and food in Pomerania.
Is your favourite Pomeranian recipe missing?
We want to collect the culinary variety of our old homeland and share it with everyone. If you have a traditional recipe that isn’t listed here yet, please get in touch! We’d be delighted to publish it and help keep the flavours of Pomerania alive together.
Mashed Potatoes with Buttermilk (Stampfkartoffeln mit Buttermilch)
For four people you need:
- 500 g / 1 lb peeled potatoes
- 250 ml / 1 cup buttermilk
- 100 g / 3½ oz smoked lean bacon, diced
- 1 tbsp flour
- Salt
- Pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Fresh parsley or chives (optional)
The potatoes are cooked in salted water until soft. The water is poured off, the potatoes are mashed, and kept warm — traditionally, the pot was wrapped in a towel and placed in the featherbed. The diced bacon is fried in a pan, then the flour is added and stirred in well. Next the buttermilk is poured in gradually until a thick sauce has formed. This bacon–buttermilk sauce is poured over the mashed potatoes, everything is mixed thoroughly, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The dish tastes especially good when fresh parsley or chives are stirred in. Served with a glass of buttermilk, a green salad, and a fried egg, it was a beloved main course.
(Recipe by Ilse Großmann, née Hackbarth)
Pomeranian Dumpling soup (Pommersche Kliebensuppe)
For four people you need:
- 1 liter / 4 cups milk
- Grated lemon zest
- 100 g / ¾ cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- A little milk or water
The flour, eggs, sugar, and salt are mixed together to make a thick batter, adding a little milk or water if necessary. The liter of milk is brought to the boil with the lemon zest. The batter is then poured slowly into the boiling milk in a thin stream, stirring gently. The soup is simmered over moderate heat until the dumplings rise to the surface; then they are done. The soup is served warm. It was often eaten for breakfast, but especially for children it also made a good supper.
(Recipe by Ilse Großmann, née Hackbarth)
Pomeranian Steamed Dumplings (Dampfnudeln)
You need:
- 500 g / 4 cups flour
- 250 ml / 1 cup milk
- 80 g / ⅓ cup butter
- 80 g / ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 cube fresh yeast (about 42 g / 1½ oz)
- ½ tsp salt
All the ingredients are mixed to form a yeast dough and left to rise in a warm place. In the meantime, water is brought to the boil in a large pot. A clean kitchen towel is tied tightly over the top of the pot, and the risen yeast dough is placed on the towel. With the lid firmly closed, the dough is gently steamed until cooked through. The dumplings are served with melted butter and blueberry compote. Delicious!
(Recipe by Norma, née Baller)
Pomeranian White Herring Salad
You need:
- 4 salt herrings
- 3 medium potatoes, cooked the day before
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 3–4 pickled gherkins (depending on size)
- 2 apples
- 3 onions
- 4 slices cooked ham
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1½ tsp mustard
- Lemon juice
- Raspberry juice
- 1–2 tsp horseradish cream
The salt herrings are soaked overnight in plenty of cold water. The next day they are skinned, gutted, and thoroughly cleaned. The fish is freed from bones. All the other ingredients are diced. The onions are lightly sautéed in oil and left to cool. A marinade is prepared from the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and raspberry juice. All ingredients are added to this well-stirred marinade and mixed thoroughly. The salad is left to stand overnight to allow the flavors to blend. The next day it is seasoned with horseradish cream. In Pomerania, unlike in other regions, beetroot was not added to herring salad.
(Recipe by Elisabeth Teichmann, née Hackbarth —
granddaughter of August Hackbarth, Carlshöh)
Belgard Cookies (Belgarder Plätzchen)
You need:
- 5 eggs
- 500 g / 2½ cups sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 10 g / 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 5 g / 1 tsp ground cloves
- 65 g / ½ cup finely chopped candied lemon peel (lemonat)
- 65 g / ½ cup finely chopped candied orange peel (orangeat)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 small glass kirsch (cherry brandy)
- 500 g / 4 cups sliced almonds
- 500 g / 4 cups flour
All ingredients are mixed into a batter and spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The dough is baked at 170°C / 340°F for 15–20 minutes. After baking, it is cut first into strips and then into cubes. The cookies are quickly prepared, taste delicious, and keep well for a long time if stored in a tightly closed tin — unless they are eaten up beforehand.
This recipe was given to me by an elderly woman from the Palatinate, whose mother came to Pomerania — to the Belgard and Neustettin area — during labour service, and brought the recipe back with her.