When you hear the word Handkäs, two things spontaneously come to mind: Frankfurt and music! Because the Handkäs with music is simply a quite firm and over the borders of the Main metropolis well-known component of the Frankfurt kitchen culture. But there are many other dishes that can be conjured up from the popular sour milk cheese. Celebrity chef Mirko Reeh, who distinguishes himself through a certain versatility with various TV appearances, cooking schools, restaurant chef and life chef, has recognised the variation possibilities of Handkäs and has already celebrated them in numerous cooking cakes. After he was suggested by the participants again and again to write a cookbook on the subject of Handkäs, Rhee has now followed this wish.
In "Handkäse Deluxe" Mirko Reeh presents, after a brief introduction on the history and production of hand cheese, a whole sixty recipes in which the small hearty delicacy is the focus. Of course, the classic version and the musical version are not to be missed, but they are only the starting point for a whole series of much more unusual recipe suggestions. Whether it's Mirko's Hand Cheese Bread, Hand Cheese Carpaccio with Sour Cream Salsa Hand Cheese Fondue or Cooked Cheese Schnitzel with Baked Potatoes, the book proves time and again that there are virtually no limits to kitchen creativity when it comes to hand cheese. Some recipes sound a little unusual at first, such as the beetroot casserole with hand cheese, hand cheese au gratin with figs and thyme or hand cheese wrapped in Parma ham on pear and vanilla puree. But if you have the courage to try some of the more daring combinations, you will soon realise how versatile this popular little delicacy can be.
The recipes are presented very clearly and are easy to cook thanks to precise, simple descriptions. Mirko Reeh refrains from too flowery embellishment, takes himself as a person completely back, thereby also really puts the hand cheese in the center and is limited in the texts to the essential instructions for preparation. The whole thing is rounded off by some photos, which sometimes make you want to try out some of the creations presented here yourself very quickly.
"Handkäse Deluxe" is formally a very classic cookbook, but in terms of content it really brings a breath of fresh air into the kitchen. Whether savory or sweet, hot or cold, hearty or light - what Mirko Reeh gets out of the small Hessian delicacy, should surprise even very big hand cheese lovers. So if you want to think outside the box and not always enjoy your Handkäs with the same music, you should definitely get this cookbook. Absolutely recommended!
Mirko Reeh at AMBIENTE 2014, photo: Sebastian Betzold
An article by Frankfurt-Tipp
