Our article on Sterz caused some comment. In a message dated 03/01/2004, a correspondent writes:

"My mother made a sterz from buckwheat flour, my stepmother from Güssing made it with flour and called it schmarn sterz. My wife makes it from flour and calls it schmurra. She came from Kreutzstaetten Romania, (the Banat). I like them all with fruit salad poured over a big bowl of the stuff. Now we have grandchildren who ask via e-mail, 'How do you make Schmurra, Grandma?' Our family was always blessed with great cooks who, unfortunately, never wrote anything down!!"

To which I reply:

Ah - a bit of an ethnic twist, although similar to egg sterz, Sterz and Schmarn (Kaiserschmarren) are two distinctly different dishes! Schmarn is known in some English language Austrian cookbooks as Kaiser Pancakes (although they are chopped up). This was one of Emperor Franz Josef's favorite dishes, so you are in good company. Often made with raisins, so dumping fruit salad on it is not a bad idea. His were also served with a Plum puree (you could use prune butter - Lekvar). Ingredients are 6 eggs, flour (7 oz.), sugar (1.5 oz.), milk (8 oz.), pinch of salt, raisins (optional), butter to cover pan and powdered sugar. You can halve this recipe if desired.

This is more of a dessert, while Sterz is a breakfast or supper main item with soup. Of course, you can serve it or sterz either with or following soup if desired.