Kaiserschmarrn!

Because my birthday falls on a Monday (tomorrow) this year, Nettl woke me up with breakfast this morning. Kaiserschmarrn! (pronounced "KY-zer-shmahrn"). Translated as, "The king's mish-mash" or "The Emperor's Mess", this is considered comfort food in my ancestral home.

It consists of pancakes, usually with raisins, that are shredded after preparation and served with a various fruit compotes, including plum, strawberry and apple among others. It is usually sprinkled with powdered sugar. Normally the pancake is caramelized and made with more than the usual number of eggs, and often including raisins, chopped almonds, apple jam or small pieces of apple. The pancake is split into pieces while frying, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and is served hot with [a fruit] sauce. Curiously, and as it is a quite filling meal, in addition to dessert it can also be eaten for lunch at touristic places like mountainside restaurants and taverns in the Austrian alps.

The translation of Kaiserschmarren has generated some etymological debate. While “Kaiser” is literally translatable as Emperor, the same cannot be said for “Schmarren”. “Schmarren” has been translated as a trifle, a nonsense or fluff, or even as a mild expletive. However, “Schmarren” in Austrian German is more accurately a concept and hence no single correct translation is possible. It is generally agreed that the dish was first prepared for the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph I (1830–1916). The genesis of its name is not agreed, there are several stories which all rank about Emperor Francis Joseph I. One story, likely apocryphal, involves the Emperor and his wife, Elisabeth of Bavaria, of the House of Wittelsbach. Obsessed with maintaining a minimal waistline, the Empress Elisabeth directed the royal chef to prepare only light desserts for her imperial palate, much to the consternation and annoyance of her notoriously austere husband. Upon being presented with the chef’s confection, she found it too rich and refused to eat it. The exasperated Francis Joseph quipped, “Now let me see what Schmarr'n our chef has cooked up.” It met with his approval apparently as he finished his and his wife’s serving. Thereafter, the dessert was called Kaiserschmarren across the Empire.
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Here's the recipe. Try it. You'll like it!

• 1/2 cup milk
• 5 eggs
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 4 oz. flour
• Salt
• Raisins
• 1/4 cup rum
• Butter
• Powdered sugar
• Fruit preserves
  

1. Mix the milk, eggs, sugar and flour thoroughly with a whisk, salt slightly, add the raisins and rum.
2. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture.
3. Heat the butter in a pan, pour in the dough and fry until one side is golden brown, then turn.
4. After about 1 minute, break up the pancake with 2 forks and finish frying, turning the pieces several times.
5. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve immediately with plum preserves.

Since my bout of depression last week I've been taking stock of things. You know, I've known wealthy people who weren't happy. I've known famous people who weren't happy. I've known highly successful people who weren't happy. But I've never met one person who was in love and loved in return who was unhappy. Hello! Anyone at home? Thank you Nettl. Having you in my life is the greatest gift of all.