Rural Missouri - October 2019 - 17

by Heather Berry | hberry@ruralmissouri.coop

and capers; Kaseschnitzel, which comes with a layer of melted cheese, and
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n October, leaves start to turn beautiful hues of orange, gold and bur- mushrooms and a splash of brandy. All schnitzel entrees come over a bed of
gundy. The air is alive with the crispness announcing the arrival of fall. delicious housemade spaetzle (German noodles) to round out the meal.
Of course, there's the regular schnitzel, breaded and golden fried like the
It's the perfect time to take weekend trips across Missouri and get off the
well-worn major highways to discover new paths to enjoy. And if your drive others, but plated on a bed of kraut with a fresh lemon to "bring out the schnitbrings you near Cole Camp, you're going to want to make a stop at The Ger- zel's goodness" as stated on the menu.
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man Table.
wine options.
Now if you're thinking, "I don't like German food," then
If you have room, top off the meal with a delicious dessert made from
please make this the stop to help sway you otherwise. The
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robust fare isn't all sausage noshing and beer. Contrary to popseasoned with sugar and cinnamon and served warm with a scoop of
ular belief, all German meals don't involve sauerkraut (and we
ice cream and a drizzle of caramel; warm bread pudding served with
saw you just wrinkle your nose when you read "sauerkraut").
vanilla rum sauce (no raisins added) or a Bavarian chocolate torte,
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and this Benton County eatery offers those authentic dishes made
Cole Camp
Sam says it's the Black Forest cake - a chocolate cake layered
from scratch.
with cherries, Kirshwasser (cherry brandy) and fresh whipped
Owner Sam Cole is a Cole Camp native, with much of her family
cream - that's one of the most popular.
heritage tracing back to Germany. Since 2011, she's been drawA children's menu is also available and includes chicken schniting people to the town's only German restaurant for unforgettable
zel bites, grilled cheese, hot dogs or peanut butter and jelly. "And if
meals.
Originally, Sam had a downtown restaurant seating a mere 30 patrons. they clean their plate, they get a scoop of ice cream," Sam adds.
When the building next door became available, she and her husband, Greg,
So if you still think German food isn't for you, give The German Table a try -
said a prayer, took the plunge and opened The German Table. Sam says on we're sure the hearty welcome and even heartier menu will convince you otherwise.
Friday and Saturday they easily serve 120 people daily.
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facility. When the hospital downsized, her job was cut.
"I always thought I'd like to open a restaurant and joked that the Lord got
Reuben
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was ever going to be a good time, this was it.
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says. Everything she highlighted read "make sure there's a need, make sure
there's a need."
While there are German restaurants in Kansas City and St. Louis, Sam says
the closest one to Cole Camp is more than an hour away.
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hearty appetizer, such as potato pancakes made from shredded potatoes and
seasoned with fresh, minced onion, then browned and served with a side of
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sandwich chopped into a creamy dip and served with marbled rye, or a warm,
made-from-scratch salted pretzel served with the house dressing and German
mustard.
If sandwiches are what you desire, there are numerous delectable options.
These include grilled meatloaf, glazed with ketchup and brown sugar and
placed between slices of freshly baked bread. Black Forest ham comes with
Swiss cheese on a grilled pretzel bun. The thick-sliced fried bologna sandwich
is topped with spicy mustard. The German burger is a perfect blend of pork and
beef, grilled and topped with bacon and American, Swiss or blue cheese and
served on a cornmeal-dusted Kaiser roll.
Of course, the best of the wursts are available, too. Not sure what a wurst is?
Simply put, it's a sausage, usually plated over a bed of kraut and with a hearty
whole-grain German mustard.
There are pork bratwurst, which are prepared regular or smoked. KnockZXUVW SDFN D ORW RI ÁDYRU DQG DUH PDGH IURP SRUN DQG EHHI VDXVDJH :HLVV
wurst is a moister brat made of a seasoned veal and pork. All brats are beer
basted when grilled and come with two sides along with fresh bread and butter.
Another option is the Back Yonder Farms Bratwurst, which is lightly seasoned and made from pasture-raised, antibiotic-free pork, locally grown in Cole
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Moving to more hearty options, consider one of the six current schnitzels
offered at The German Table. Schnitzel means "slice" and is really a cooking
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lightly coated in a breading and pan-fried to a golden brown.
"Our most popular are jagerschnitzel and ziguenerschnitzel," says Sam.
The jagerschnitzel is topped with a rich beef, wine, mushroom and garlic
sauce. Ziguenerschnitzel, also known as "Gypsy schnitzel" has a zesty multiJagerschnitzel
colored bell pepper sauce and is seasoned with paprika.
The Holstein schnitzel comes topped with a fried egg, served sunny side up,

The German Table
Specialties: A variety of wursts (sausages) and housemade schnitzel made six ways; hearty sandwiches such as
the grilled meatloaf, Black Forest chicken or ham and Reuben. Nice selection of wine; German beer on tap.
Price: Appetizers from $5 to $6. Sandwiches from $8 to $11. Entrees from $14 to $16. Desserts from $4 to $5.
Details: Open Thursday through Saturday, 7 to 11 a.m. for breakfast, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch. Reopens for dinner service from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Closed Sunday through Wednesday. Reservations not required but recommended.
Cash, check and credit cards accepted. Nonsmoking.
Directions: Located at 107 E. Main St. in Cole Camp.

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Rural Missouri - October 2019

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