A long forgotten Mennonite dish: schwoatemoag
It appears that there are a few versions of this recipe, which originated in Germany where it was known as “saumagen”. The Mennonite version in Canada was simply cooked ground pig skin (schwoaten) mixed with hogs head meat, onions, salt, pepper and then stuffed into a pig’s stomach (moag). The stomach is then “sewn” shut and cooked in water. The filled stomach is removed from the water after cooking and weighed down with a stone crock to remove the moisture. It was sliced after cooling and sometimes fried.
Schwoatemoag would be under the category of “waste nothing but the oink”.
For a more palatable dish, try the sweet and sour varscht below.
Bring back some wonderful memories of Penner Foods with sweet and sour varscht! Here is the recipe for the entire world to enjoy!
Penner Foods Sweet and Sour Farmer Sausage
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tabelsoons vinegar
Boil until well blended
Makes enough sauce for 1 farmer sausage
Check out our other Penner Foods items
Artist's conception of world's largest varscht.
Winkler Manitoba has declared itself “The Varscht capital of Canada”. “The city has long been know for it’s famous Mennonite farmer sausage and it’s about time we get recognition for it” says John Klassen. “And people should know that we do more in Winkler than just knack sot and drink yerba”. The city plans to begin construction of the 200 foot tall varscht this summer and have it completed by next year. It will then be perched on top of the city water tower. Plans are also in the works for an interpretive center that will allow visitors to watch the varch making process. The monument to Winkler will also have an elevator that will take you to he top of the varsch, similar to the dinosaur in Drumheller, Alberta. Not to be outdone, Altona has announced plans to erect the world’s biggest borscht grope. More of that in the next Menno Tribune.
