This article by Linda Dwyer (dwyer@wilcosun.com) first appeared in her column, Tastes of the Town, printed in the 7 November 2021 edition of The Sunday Sun, the weekend edition of The Williamson County Sun of Georgetown, Texas.
Who are the Wends? My day trip to Lee County provided the answer. Wends is a historical name for Slavs living near Germanic settlement areas.
In 1854, a sailing vessel docked in Galveston with immigrants from Lusatia, Germany: They were descended from Slavic tribes that once occupied much of Central Europe. They had been assimilated by surrounding countries until they inhabited only a small area. Oppression toward the minority led to migration.
Almost 600 Wendish people left in September, 1854. The group chose Texas because of glowing reports from Wends who had previously settled in Central Texas. A cholera outbreak took several lives before their arrival in December. Their migration ended in what is today Lee County, near Giddings.
The group set aside 95 acres for a church and school. Then they began work on their town, Serbin. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, a Central Texas painted church, was completed in 1871. lt is one of the oldest churches in America in continual use. Services were held in Wendish until 1921. A few elderly locals still know the language.
A museum interprets the history and houses a gift shop and archives. Folk dress, traditional Texas wedding dresses, and beautiful Wendish Easter eggs are a few of the exhibits. Outdoor exhibits include log buildings and farming equipment.
I enjoyed a guided tour of the lovely church and listened to the music of a 1904 pipe organ before heading to the museum. A Wendish meal was prepared by the church women. Sausage, noodles, pickled beets, green beans and peach cobbler were served. The sausage was outstanding and the noodles were comfort food at its best. Fall is a great time to learn about the Wends of Serbin, Texas.
The museum and library are open Tuesday through Sunday 1 – 5 p.m. The location is 1011 County Road 212, Giddings, Texas. Call 979-366-2441 to schedule a tour or explore on your own.
I discovered the Wendish also have history in Williamson County. In 1870, Peter Zieschang, along with about 35 other Wends, landed at New Orleans after departing from Germany. He started out in Serbin then settled briefly near present day Pflugerville. In 1871 he purchased land on Brushy Creek in southern Williamson County and started the settlement he called Hochkirch. Zieschang retained ties to the Wendish community in Serbin, and from time to time he and his family traveled there for church services.
This recipe for Wendish noodles comes from Hattie, the noodle lady in charge of producing the noodles we were served in Serbin. Hattie said cooking in broth and butter makes them special. I purchased a bag of noodles from the gift shop for Thanksgiving dinner.
Wendish Noodles
3 eggs
Water to fill half-eggshell 3 times (about 6 tablespoons)
3 cups flour plus additional for rolling out dough
¼ teaspoon salt
2 quarts chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
Chopped parsley (optional)
Break the eggs into a large bowl, saving the most intact half-eggshell. Beat eggs and water together. Add 3 cups of flour and the salt to form stiff dough. Roll out dough into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick on a well-floured cutting board or countertop. Allow the dough to dry for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
When dough is dry but still pliable, cut into long sections about 3 inches wide. Take 3-inch sections and cut into thin strips about 1/8-inch wide. Cut strips into preferred lengths for cooking. Place cut noodles on a dish towel and fluff noodles so air can circulate around them. Allow cut noodles to dry thoroughly, at least overnight or longer if necessary. If noodles won’t be cooked right away, store them in a sealed plastic bag in either the pantry or the freezer for up to six months.
When ready to cook noodles, bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Stir in butter, parsley and dried noodles. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until tender. Be careful not to overcook. Remove pot from heat, leaving lid on, and let sit another 10 to 15 minutes. Do not drain. Makes one pound of noodles or 20 servings.
*Two things to know upfront about making noodles: (1) If you use yard eggs, you can usually eliminate the water; and (2) try to avoid making noodles when it’s damp outside – the weather affects how fast they’ll dry.