While Noël approach, you may already be starting to make breedle. These little Alsatian biscuits are a real tradition in many families as the holidays approach. But what do we really know about these breedle ? Where do they come from, when did they appear? Well, an Alsatian, Danielle Crévenat-Werner, just published a book to explain everything. It's called “Unseri Breedle“, “Our cupcakes“.
“So where do these breedle come from? They come from the relationship of Alsace with the entire Germanic domain, since the breedle are also made in Germany, in Switzerland, in Austria, everywhere, says Danielle Crévenat Werner. Recipes written in French originally come from German recipes, notably recipes from the Palatinate or recipes from Karlsruhe. Where I found the origin of breedle and was able to date them was in a book from 1890, a culinary lexicon. But we don't only find this in the 19th century. For example, I discovered a book written by a cook which dates from the 18th century. Of course, we've been eating breedle for a long time, but it was in the 18th century that recipes began to be written down. Before, we also made breedle, but not in the same form as now. It was more like bread with sweets.”
Antoine Balandra
The first breedle even go back somehow in the middle ageswhere they were a little different. “The word breedle is the diminutive form of 'breakbread in German. Originally, it was bread dough into which little by little other things were added, notably delicacies.” explains the specialist.
Cakes to prepare at Advent
From the word brot therefore derives Breedle or Breedla in Alsatian. And bredele in French: “it’s the affective diminutive form, but really affective, used with children” says Danielle Crévenat Werner.
Well, all of this doesn't answer the only relevant question. Is it sacrilege to start preparing its breedle from November?
“It's not sacrilege. It all depends. Those who make them in November, it's often to send them to distant family and there is often a reason. But in the past, we started making them around the time of Advent It was the start of the holiday season and then it was generally the mothers who made the breedle. They made the breedle and they filled boxes or sometimes pots, then large, well-sealed containers. cupcakes, and They hid them until Christmas But that was before. Nowadays, the impression I have is that we eat breedle from the end of November or from the beginning of Advent. the Christmas market. We eat it all December and a little more in January. concludes Danielle Crévenat Werner.
The book: “Unseri Breedle, our little cakes” is published by Do Bentzinger Editeurthe Hebdo friend, 14 euros.
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