Potato Devil

Have you ever seen one of these?

It's a "Potato Devil" aka "Kartoffel Teufel."

The other night, in my new newly re-energized dreamlife, I spent time with mine, which I believe lies about 225 miles NW of where I lie.

I must find it immediately.  I find that it's now rare and precious. You can't find one for love or money.

A long time ago my Potato Devil was given to me by the former wife of a person who is still a close friend.  I haven't been able to speak to this woman in quite some time, unfortunately, because the divorce was one of those where sides were chosen for you if you didn't actually choose sides yourself.

It was a great present, which I think may have been a combination birthday/belated house-warming gift.

The story of the Potato Devil, as related by the package literature, is this:

In Germany and Central Europe, at a time when energy was scarcer and more expensive than it is now, it was sometimes deemed profligate to fire the oven when all one wanted was to prepare some roast potoatoes, rather than make an entire meal.

So an ingenious person came up with this portable oven for stove-top use, which required far less fuel.

The way it works is that small jacketed potatoes (as many as will comfortably fit) are placed in the bottom half of the Potato Devil.  Added to these are a great many individual cloves of unpeeled garlic.

The Potato Devil top is then put in place and the device placed on a low flame, protected from direct heat by a "flame tamer."  After 30 minutes, the Potato Devil, still closed, is inverted.  After another 30 minutes the potatoes -- now perfectly roasted and heavily infused and perfumed with garlic -- are ready.  The garlic cloves, their papers slightly scorched, are peeled and can be eaten as they are or spread on bread or toast.

 

The method and device work absolutely perfectly every time.

Now, I find, you can't buy these things any longer (the manufacturer has gone out of business).  Those you might be able to track down are expensive.

Kartoffel Teufel, I'm on my way northwest.  Winter is coming.

Potato devil recipe (Variation):

(for cooking without fat and keep your oven ever clean)

Cook in the peel, without fat, golden around and well soft inside, potatoes will take an extraordinary taste.

Put your washed potatoes, not peeled, without water.

Put the devil directly into the oven (thermostat 8).

After 20 minutes, turn them and let them another 20 minutes.

Your potatoes are ready.

Accompanying a raclette, a cheese, this is a treat.

The color of your devil will change with usage.

To clean it, use a wire brush and washing-up liquid.

Let it dry on fresh air during half a day before storage.

Sweet chestnut recipe :

Incise with a knife the sweet chestnuts and place them in the devil.

Put it in the oven 1 hour with thermostat on 9-10.   

Urs Graf, Devil Following Hermit, 1512, Pen and ink drawing, Öffenliche Kunstsammlung, Basel