flipAbendbrot with rye bread and cold cuts
Abendbrot with rye bread and cold cuts
Why this dish? Cold Abendbrot was the ordinary evening meal of the Saxon bourgeoisie. Between concerts and after hours at the piano, Clara would find this simple, reassuring supper at her table in Leipzig, centered around a dense rye bread and a few slices of cervelat.
A platter of slices of dark rye bread, fresh butter, cold cuts (smoked ham, cervelat), cheese, and pickled gherkins. No cooking: you assemble, you spread, you share with the family at the end of the day.
When evening comes and the piano finally falls silent, I set the table without ceremony. A good dark rye bread, butter from the dairy, a few slices of cervelat and a crunchy gherkin — that restores strength without weighing down the mind. I cut the bread into thick slices, for a bread too soft does not nourish a worker. My children gather, and we eat in silence or in music, as we please.
- •Rye bread (Schwarzbrot) — one loaf (nourishing base)
- •Farm butter — to taste (spreading)
- •Cervelat and smoked ham — a few slices (cold cuts)
- •Hard cheese — a piece (garnish)
- •Pickled gherkins — a few (acidity, contrast)
Abendbrot with rye bread and cold cuts
A platter of slices of dark rye bread, fresh butter, cold cuts (smoked ham, cervelat), cheese, and pickled gherkins. No cooking: you assemble, you spread, you share with the family at the end of the day.
Why this dish? Cold Abendbrot was the ordinary evening meal of the Saxon bourgeoisie. Between concerts and after hours at the piano, Clara would find this simple, reassuring supper at her table in Leipzig, centered around a dense rye bread and a few slices of cervelat.
When evening comes and the piano finally falls silent, I set the table without ceremony. A good dark rye bread, butter from the dairy, a few slices of cervelat and a crunchy gherkin — that restores strength without weighing down the mind. I cut the bread into thick slices, for a bread too soft does not nourish a worker. My children gather, and we eat in silence or in music, as we please.
Ingredients (period version)
- Rye bread (Schwarzbrot) — one loaf (nourishing base)
- Farm butter — to taste (spreading)
- Cervelat and smoked ham — a few slices (cold cuts)
- Hard cheese — a piece (garnish)
- Pickled gherkins — a few (acidity, contrast)
Ingredients
- Whole rye bread — 8 slices (base)
- Salted butter — 50 g (spreading)
- Smoked ham + cervelat — 150 g (cold cuts)
- Emmental or Gouda — 100 g (cheese)
- Sour gherkins — 6 pieces (acidity)
Method
- Slice the rye bread into thick slices.
- Generously butter each slice.
- Arrange cold cuts, cheese, and gherkins on a wooden board.
- Let everyone compose their own open-faced sandwich at the table.
How it was made : Abendbrot ("evening bread") still refers to the German cold supper today. In the 19th century, the hot meal was taken at noon; in the evening, bread and cold leftovers were assembled, saving firewood and time.
The contemporary twist : Served as a tasting board with Bautzen mustard (Saxony) and sliced black radish.
Clara Schumann · Charactorium
