Growing up on a farm in Germany in the fifties, most food was homemade or raised at home. Cabbage was turned into sauerkraut, and cucumbers into pickles. Vegetables were canned. Pork was turned into wurst, and pumpkin was made into a sweet-and-sour treat and preserved for cold winter days, served as a side dish with roasts, sausages, or cold plates. We didn't have freezers—only a small refrigerator. When I saw a recipe for sweet-and-sour pumpkin on a German website, I had to try it. It took several attempts, but I finally got approval from my German friends and others. Of course, you have to like sweet-and-sour. I substituted butternut squash for pumpkin, which I prefer. 

As I write this post, I have a jar of sweet-and-sour butternut squash next to me. Tasting it helps me describe it better. I love the sweetness that first hits your taste buds, followed by the vinegar kicking in to balance it out. It’s been a while since I made it, and I have to decipher my notes on the recipe. It’s not easy, and that’s part of why I have my blog—to make sense of my scribbling and stay connected with my blogger friends. 

I like how the original author of this recipe canned the sweet-and-sour pumpkin. It's so simple—you just bake it in the oven. I enjoy learning new things that make my life easier. If you choose not to can it, it will stay fresh in the fridge for weeks. I canned a few jars and kept the rest in the fridge.

This sweet-and-sour squash would be perfect on a cheeseboard or any other type of platter right now. I add it to my meat dishes.

If you decide to make this, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Remember, though, you need to like the sweet-and-sour combination. I remember my high school girlfriend Gabriele, who passed away years ago in a terrible accident, hated the sweet and sour combo. I still miss her. 

 


Ingredients:


This recipe yields approximately 8 cups of sweet-and-sour butternut squash. 
Run the jars that you are going to use through the dishwasher before you fill them. 

3 ½ pounds of butternut squash
2 cups of white wine vinegar 
2 cups of sugar
1 lemon, with peel included
1 vanilla bean
1 1-inch piece of ginger
 2 cinnamon sticks 
1 TSP.  cloves
1 ½ cups of water

Directions:

Peel the squash and cut it into ½-inch cubes or slices, depending on your preference. Mix ½ cup vinegar with ½ cup water, then add the squash to a covered container and refrigerate overnight. 
Peel the lemon into thin slices, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible. Set aside and squeeze out the lemon juice. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Cut the bean into four pieces. Peel the ginger and slice it into small pieces. Add the sugar, the remaining vinegar, all the spices, and 1 ½ cups of water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the squash with the liquid and cook for about 3 minutes. As I mentioned before, I like my squash a little crunchy. 
Ladle the squash and liquid into clean jars. I made a larger jar and stored it in the fridge, where it will last a week or longer. Mine never does. I filled the rest of the squash into canning jars, sealed them, and baked them in a preheated 400-degree oven. I placed the jars in a pan with hot water, making sure they don’t touch each other. Turn off the oven once the liquid in the squash starts to bubble. Leave the jars in the oven for 30 minutes without opening the doors. Take the jars out of the oven and test for sealing. I put mine upside down until they pop; that means they are sealed.
Guten Appetit!
Adapted from a German website called Lecker
By the Sunnycovechef
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Here’s a delicious vegetarian lasagna made with butternut squash and . It’s a true gem and makes a stunning presentation on any table.
​Click here for the recipe.

Another recipe I have made many times is halibut with a butternut squash coulis and edamame beans. A culinary delight for the health-conscious cook. 
​Click here for the recipe

Life is good here at the cove. My husband’s health is improving, and the sun is shining. What more could I want? Well, maybe a chocolate cake with juicy pears. It’s a perfect mix of all my favorite ingredients: chocolate, pears, and hazelnuts. I couldn't resist when I saw this recipe in a German calendar that my friend Monika sent me years ago. The author, Elizabeth Raether, compares it to Romeo and Juliet—two who find each other in pure love, free from envy and rivalry—dark chocolate and juicy pears in a simple yet delicious, typical German cake, not too sweet with a subtle chocolate flavor and a crunch from the roasted nuts. Perfect any time of day with or without whipped cream.

I made this cake a few weeks ago when I needed some time in the kitchen to escape from everything. I shared it with friends, and it received great reviews; however, I ate most of it myself—late at night, for breakfast, and during afternoon tea.

I baked the cake again using different pears. The first time, I used Anjou pears, which were sweet and juicy, making the cake moister than the second time, when I used Bosc pears. I also didn’t bake the cake long enough the first time, so the middle wasn’t fully cooked. The second time, I increased the baking time and tested for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center. The cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to insert the toothpick into the middle of the cake. The cake is dry when first baked, but becomes moister the next day, and the chocolate flavor becomes more intense. 

Ingredients:
I used a 10-inch (24 cm) cake pan with a removable bottom.

8 ounces ( 200g)  soft butter
4 eggs at room temperature, yolks and whites separated 
3.5 ounces (100g) dark chocolate with 70% cocoa 
4 ounces (100g), about a cup of roasted and mostly peeled hazelnuts 
4 ½ ounces, a full cup (125g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. backing powder 
5 ripe pears

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). 
Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it slowly in a bowl set over simmering, not boiling, water.
​Beat the egg whites in a mixer until they form semi-stiff to almost-stiff peaks. Transfer them to a separate bowl. Beat the sugar and butter until creamy, then add one egg at a time, mixing after each addition. 
I buy my hazelnuts at Trader Joe’s, where they come peeled and lightly roasted. In this recipe, I roasted them again in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until they released their aroma. Then, I ground them in a food processor until very fine. Be careful not to turn them into hazelnut butter. 
Mix the flour with the baking powder and add it to the dough. Now mix in the  melted chocolate and ground hazelnuts until well combined. 
Finally, carefully mix in the egg white using a wooden or plastic spoon in a circular motion. 
Pour the batter into a well-greased cake pan with a removable bottom. 
Peel the pears, cut them in half, and remove the stems and cores. Then, cut the pears lengthwise into slices, keeping the top half intact. Arrange the pears around the batter in a circle, with one half in the middle. Bake the cake on a convection bake cycle for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
Take the cake out of the oven, let it cool for a few minutes, and carefully remove the top of the cake pan. Keep the bottom piece in place. The cake is moister the next day.
Guten Appetit!
Recipe from Elizabeth Raether 
Posted and translated by the Sunnycovechef
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Whole pears are poached in tawny port and cranberry juice, making it the perfect dessert for a heavy meal.
​ Click here for the recipe. 

Here is a French tart with pears on almond cream that makes your mouth water. Ckick here for the recipe. 

Are you searching for an American-style pear cake with raisins, nuts, and warming spices?
Click here for the recipe