Rote Grütze and a Little Hallig

Across the mudflats. Some of my favorite rote grütze memories are still being made, but one of the strongest goes back two decades and happened on a stretch of beach in Schleswig-Holstein. It started with our two dearest friends. They knew the area well and suggested a mudflat walk they said we should not miss. Across the tidal flats to a hallig, one of those tiny islands in the Wattenmeer National Park. They came with us, of course, and their brother as the guide. We followed the tide out and walked barefoot through the wet sand. Six kilometers out, then six kilometers back again. It felt like walking on the seabed, because that’s exactly what it was. The water had pulled back so far that everything looked wide and strange, at times not seeing any land in any direction. Cool sand under our feet, little worm holes everywhere, sharp shells in places, and jellyfish lying right there on the sand. Not your usual afternoon stroll, that’s for sure. We laughed plenty, but we also paid attention where we stepped. People do not always tell you this part. One should not do that walk without a guide. Fog can roll in quickly, and it's easy to get turned around out there. If one starts walking the wrong way while the tide is coming in, it can turn dangerous quickly. Our guide knew the route and the timing, and I was grateful for that the whole way. When we reached the hallig, we sat down with coffee and rote grütze with thick vanilla sauce. I can still taste it. The fruit's sweetness and that salty air still on our faces. We did not linger too long, though. The clock kept ticking, and we still had the whole way back before the tide came in again. That little bowl on the hallig brought back other rote grütze memories too. Mutti made her rote grütze with a mix of berries, often with plenty of red currants. My papa’s Mutti did it differently. Hers was all cherries, and I still remember picking them from the big sweet cherry trees in her garden. She served her rote grütze with warm dumplings (griessknödel), and to this day I cannot eat griessknödel without thinking of her. I love that rote grütze can be made with almost any fruit I have. Frozen works very well too. When I’m using fresh berries, I taste them before I add sugar. Some summers they’re so sweet that little sugar is needed. I can always add more later, but I can’t take it out once it’s in. Funny how a simple bowl of fruit can carry so much with it. But what I remember most is bigger than the walk or the dessert. It’s that we did it with friends we trust completely, the kind who make even a risky walk across the seabed feel safe. I thank God for friendships like that. Tschüss!Oma Gerhild P.S. Today's recipe: Rote Grütze

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Rote Grütze and a Little Hallig

Across the mudflats.

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