Wähe

Wähe is what we ate in Switzerland on Fridays when Catholics would not be allowed to eat meat. Wähe would be offered in bakeries by the slice in varieties made most often with apples, apricots, plums or berries, but were also made from onions or cheese alone. Friday lunches consisted for us usually of a choice of two pieces of Wähe per person served with coffee. Wähe and Birchermuesli are by far my favorite Swiss-style delicatessen, Fondü does not even come close.

In an attempt to clean up my diet and get a hold of a recent flare-up of inflammation, I have resisted the temptations of sweets and bread but resorted to baking myself almost daily now apple tarts, a nice ritual first thing in the morning. Yeah, it may be better to abstain from flour in regards to the calming of inflammation, but I can do only so much at any given time. I abstained from coffee and buying sweets for the last 3 weeks, mostly. Meanwhile, I drink a whole lot more, probably still not enough, but hey, one step at a time.

So, I prepare a crust from organic spelt flour with a bit of wheatgerm and flaxseeds mixed in mainly for texture. (I am afraid the benefits of those ingredients are no longer great after having been baked.) With a mix of purified water, sesame oil and Braggs I make a simple dough, cover the pan and place it in the oven that got pre-heated to 425 degrees. Next, I break one, maybe two eggs, add a dash of cayenne, maybe a dash of sugar, depending on the quality of the topping, the juice of one small lemon (clementines or oranges make for welcome variations) and then add one or two grated apples. Then I may add one or two cut-up dates or a few currants and if available cranberries. (I keep some in the freezer all year, grab a handful here and there as needed. They are great in soups too.) This mixture gets to fill the pan and to bake for another maybe 20 minutes. Plenty time to prepare a cup of coffee, or of late my ginger-brew, and check on my social media sites.

My pups get to enjoy pieces of the crust after I savored my treat. I figure a bit of flour and oil with no sugar or salt is better for them at any time than the usual commercial dog treats. They seem to agree, considering their enthusiasm. 

Wishing all a peaceful and nourishing day this Sunday morning.