At age 8, my family moved from Chicago to Milwaukee, where we became reacquainted with my mothers cousin, who lived and worked there with her eccentric artist husband. During that reunion, I was introduced to a new obsession, the German Pancake.
The Reunion
Rosa Tusa was the Food Editor for both the Milwaukee Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post. Her mother and my grandmother were sisters. Similarly, my mother was also named Rosa and her middle name was Helen which is the first name of Rosa Tusa’s mother. 10 years had passed since they had seen one another. While my mother knew Rosa’s schedule might be challenging, she took the chance and called her. Not only was she happy to hear from us, offered to pick us up the next night to have dinner in her home.
Rosa’s World
Rosa lived in a historic home in the suburb of Whitefish Bay on the north shore of Milwaukee. The home sat on a bluff above Lake Michigan, on Lake Drive. The previous owner of the home was a German architect who modeled the home from a villa in Lake Como, Italy. Consequently, the house became known as Casa Del Lago, (home on the lake), it was a sprawling, rustic mansion with terra cotta floors in every room. There were two spiral staircases with velvet banisters, leading to the second and third levels. The ball room and library had 20 foot ceilings. In addition, Oriental area rugs were strewn about the house, some of which were occupied by a few of her 14 Great Danes.
The Muse
Rosa spent most of her life and her career traveling the world to write food articles. As a result, she married late in life. Her husband was an eccentric Bulgarian artist named Kyril Vassilev. They met while she was writing an article about him for the Milwaukee Sentinel. That meeting led to a brief romance and marriage. Kyril came to America, from Bulgaria, after the King of Bulgaria was murdered and after the Communist take over. It was rumored that Kyril’s brother and father were beheaded as prisoners of the war. As a result, Kyril fled the country to start a new life in America.
The Painter
As a young man, he painted the portraits of Bulgarian royalty. In addition, as he was a friend of Pope John XXIII, Kyril painted a portrait of him as the Pope, while he was still a Cardinal. When he arrived in Palm Beach, he was in high demand painting many socialites and celebrities. Further, among his close friends were Harry S Truman, Ernest Hemingway, and Jack Dempsey. At the time of our reunion, Rosa and Kyril were dividing their time between Casa Del Lago in Whitefish Bay and their home in West Palm Beach.
The Enchanted Evening
Upon arrival at Rosa’s home, she gave us a quick tour of the main floor. After that, she led us into the living room where we would spend the evening. Standing before a giant fireplace, she prepared our Porterhouse steaks over the fire. She had a hand forged grill set up in the fireplace setting a dramatic tone for the evening.
She was strong, elegant, and enigmatic. Standing in front of that fireplace the entire evening, she shared stories of her life. Reminiscing about the past, she spoke of her love of Spain and the many trips she took to Europe. She was fascinated with Spanish culture and food and even fought a bull on a trip to Cordoba. Likewise, she had a collection of Flamenco music albums which she played as background music that evening. Further, on a wall above her stereo hung a pair of castanets along with a manton purchased in Spain. Behind her, above the mantle, swords were hung in a crosswise fashion, memorializing her days as Wisconsin’s State fencing champion. Everything about her was larger than life. She oozed sophistication and everything in her home reflected her lust for life and penchant for elegant living.
The Presentation
She served our steaks on pewter plates that nestled into beautiful carved wood chargers. Likewise, we were presented with sterling silver forks and steak knives with curved horn handles. Earlier in the day, she made a Quiche Lorraine for a photo shoot. Consequently, she served a slice along with our steak. At 8 years old, I was mesmerized by all the details. It felt overwhelming. It was a simple meal, perfectly prepared with more flair and finesse than I had ever observed before. All the elegance, the backdrop of floor to ceiling leaded glass windows, and portraits on every wall, painted by Kyril, it felt special to be there in that moment.
Dinner
While we dined in front of the fire, Rosa was very attentive to us. Moreover, she was intrigued by the fact that my parents encouraged us all to pursue our dreams and didn’t pressure us to follow any particular career path. Additionally, delighted in our common interests, she urged my parents to consider her neighborhood as a place were we could not only thrive, but spend more time with her, as family. Likewise, while we were connected by blood, we were also connected by a love of art, music, and food. It felt like we were meant to be together.
A German Pancake For dessert?
After dinner, Rosa invited me into the kitchen to help her prepare dessert. Meanwhile, En route to the kitchen, we passed through the dining room. The room was so expansive, it accommodated two 12 foot dining room tables. Her butlers pantry, with leaded glass cabinetry, was nestled between the dining room and the kitchen. The kitchen was large with two islands. One island was marble, where she made her pasta and breads. The other island was a butchers block. All of the cabinetry was painted a deep, rich red. There was a large farmhouse sink beneath a window overlooking Lake Michigan. The moon was full, that night, casting a mysterious glow on the lake, adding to the magic of the evening.
After reviewing options, she decided we would whip up a German Pancake. She handed me a pan and put me to work. My soul must have left my body as I was suddenly floating my way through the simple recipe. How did I end up in this kitchen in charge of dessert? Above all, I was thrilled to be there.
Why a German Pancake?
Not knowing what a German Pancake was, I was excited to learn. Under her direction, I mixed the batter, and poured it into the hot pan. She instructed me to push the batter around the pan, as if I was making scrambled eggs. Following her direction, I made some nice folds and air pockets before placing the pan into the oven. 12 minutes later, we removed it from the oven. It was a masterpiece. The pancake had risen up along the sloping sides of the pan in the shape of the Roman Colosseum. We brought the sizzling pan into the living room where she served us each a wedge, topped with orange marmalade and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Discovery
My 8 year old self had never heard of a jam or jelly that wasn’t concord grape or strawberry. Orange Marmalade? The word marmalade slid off my tongue like honey. Moreover, I couldn’t wait to taste it. The pancake was light and airy, with those beautiful folds. With the marmalade, spread across the bottom, it looked like a beautiful amber colored sheet of glass. The flavor of the tiny fossil like flecks of orange zest and a slight dusting of powdered sugar changed my life forever. Syrup? Who needs syrup? It was magical . I longed for a second serving, but with my three older brothers commanding the dessert tray, I didn’t stand a chance.
The Gift of a German Pancake pan
I didn’t want the night to end, but we were assured there would be more adventures in the near future. Meanwhile, as we prepared to leave, Rosa packed up a box of 30 cookbooks, each focusing on a specific category of cooking. It was my gift for helping in the kitchen. Similarly, a few days later, to ensure I would make her German Pancake recipe again, she took me to a chef supply store to purchase a pan. It was beautiful, sloping sides and all!
Less than a mile from Rosa’s home on Lake Drive, is Jack Pandl’s Whitefish Bay Inn which has been operating since 1915. They are known for their German Pancake. Here is the their recipe, that has been featured in newspapers around the country.
Pandl’s German Pancake
1/2 C. All Purpose Flour
1/2 C. Milk
4 Large Eggs
1 Pinch of Salt
Mix flour, milk and salt. Add eggs and mix until smooth. Pour into a pan, greased with 1 pat of butter and some shortening or lard. (A fry pan with sloping sides is best). Fry, moving around in the pan until it starts to brown. Make short criss cross cuts with the spatula. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 12 minutes. Note: The pancake won’t start to rise until about 7-8 minutes into the baking process. Serve immediately with toppings of your choice.
Serves 4-6 for dessert, or two for breakfast.
German Pancake Serving Suggestions:
Do it like Rosa! Create a dramatic dessert after a dinner party. 5 minutes of mixing and 12 minutes in the oven. Serve as she did with orange marmalade and powdered sugar.
Or, try these:
Sliced or halved strawberries and grapes, topped with a drizzle of maple syrup. (As shown above)
Spread some Lemon Curd on the bottom and throw on a handful of fresh blueberries. Why not just drizzle some maple syrup to give that final decadent shine.
Amarena cherries, and a drizzle of cherry juice, some roasted slivered almonds, and topped with powdered sugar.
Or how about these:
Sliced peaches, plums, or nectarines, topped with maple syrup and powdered sugar.
Almost crispy bacon, or sausage, with eggs, topped with a slight drizzle of honey, agave, or maple syrup.
Havarti cheese and buttery sautéed mushrooms, topped with a fried egg or two.
Eggs? Did I say Eggs? How about arugula, blanched asparagus, shaved Romano cheese, with a fried egg on top!
The options are endless and there are no bad choices! Try making one, and it will become a habit. Enjoy!
