Janoschka magazine_Linked_V2_2017

44 t o t e l l t h e t r u t h
Swabian monks have
it all wrapped up
How the “Maultasche” got its dough
Legend has it that resourceful Cistercian monks from Maulbronn,
Germany thought up this recipe in the 15th century,
and not just because the filling was tastier and they were
easier to prepare this way. The fact is that the inhabitants
of the Swabian monastery were more interested in hiding
the forbidden meat filling from divine eyes during Lent. By
doing this, they believed that their enjoyment of meat dishes,
and therefore the transgressive breaking of their fast,
would go unnoticed.
And today? The cheating monks would not stand a chance.
There is now complete transparency: all the ingredients
are clearly labelled on food packaging. Nutrition tables, information
about the origins of the ingredients and the like,
even tell us today which substances are not to be found in
our food: no fat in gummy bears, no gluten in bread and no
lactose in milk.
Modern, informative packaging gives us important information.
Just imagine the supermarket shelves full of completely
blank food packaging: modern Maultaschen, so to
speak. We can only guess what our monks would have
thought about this. And whether they would have gone as
far in their deception as to label Swabian Maultaschen with
“Suitable for Vegetarians”.