Knedlíky or dumplings are the national pride of the Czech Republic and I have yet to be fortunate enough to have one, but I am assured we will have plenty of opportunities once we get to Prague.
You, like I, may not have known that there are three main kinds: bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky), potato dumplings (bramborové knedlíky), and sweet dumplings (ovocné knedlíky) filled with fruit or jam. There are also regional versions, for example in Karlovy Vary, the dough is made of left-over bread, egg and spices.
The Czech Republic is the biggest producer of pre-prepared dumplings in the world, with 95 percent for the Czech market, and the rest going to Slovakia, Austria, Poland, and Germany.
The most creative use of dumplings goes to Helmut Winter, a graphic designer in a Munich suburb. In 1967, he was so fed up with the noisy low-flying German and US fighter jets from a nearby military base, that he designed a giant catapult to pelt soggy dumplings at the planes.
There were no causalities, but the conflict was jokingly labeled "the Great Bavarian Dumpling War," with a mock armistice signed between the designer and US Army Major Donald Murphy.
Images and excerpts from Czech Radio
5 comments:
Mmmmmm, my mouth was watering while reading about Knedlíky and looking at the pictures!
And what a bizarre idea to hurl them at planes!?
Funny! Be good when you get there, or you may have to watch out for flying dumplings. The Czech model with her plate of dumplings made me laugh and the story made me laugh even more; but the ovocne knedliky sure look good!
Dumpling war...well, it's official, I have heard it all, and laughed at it. Wonderful blog m'dear! :)
Maj Murphy was US Army, not Air Force. He commanded a small helicopter air ambulance unit at Oberschleissheim Army Airfield. I was a sergeant on his staff.
Joe, Thank you for the correction. I have edited the text. Am so happy that you ran across this post; and I thank you for your service!
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