It can be hard to find really good strudel in the Lowcountry, but Dr. Jacobo Mintzer of Isle of Palms hopes to change that. Mintzer is a psychiatrist who specializes in Alzheimer’s disease. He is also a strudel aficionado.
Strudel is a tender baked delicacy that layers the crunch of paper-thin, rich buttery pastry with — most commonly — warm, spiced fruit such as cinnamon, nutmeg and apples. Savory versions can also be found, stuffed with ingredients like cabbage, potato or meat. Sweet versions often come with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Mintzer grew up in Buenos Aires, an Argentinian city where strudel could be found on almost every corner. Every weekend, his father and uncle would each bring home a new version, and the family would vote on its favorites.
“The competition was to eat it with whipped cream, without cream, with ice cream, without ice cream, with raisins, without raisins,” Mintzer said about the weekly ritual. “There was a lot of strudel availability. I always had strudel as part of my life. I did my residency in Israel, and there was plenty of strudel everywhere, especially in Tel Aviv. But then I came to Miami: no strudel.”
Flash forward many years and Mintzer found himself living in Charleston, craving his favorite dessert and unable to find it. An idea was born.
What’s makes a great strudel
While the exact origin of the dessert remains up for debate, many argue it was influenced by the Ottoman Empire and pastries like baklava. Strudel flourished in Europe in the 18th century Austrian empire and remains a cornerstone of Austrian and German cuisine today. The word strudel comes from German — translating to “whirlpool” or “eddy “ — and describes the layered dough. That dough should be paper-thin, and apple (apfelstrudel) is the most commonly found filling.
“The whole story starts with the fact that I love strudel,” Mintzer said. “However, South Carolina is not very strong on strudel capabilities. I was disappointed about it.”
About two years ago, Mintzer shared that he was in Columbia and happened upon a local bakery, the Strudel Shop. This is when he first connected with Kevin Kelley, owner of the now-closed bakery. Mintzer, who keeps Kosher at home, asked Kelley to make a dairy-free version and he knocked it out of the park.
What makes a strudel great? It’s a simple yet essential formula according to Kelley.
“There are a few things. One, you’ve got to have great ingredients. That and time. I think people try to rush the dough. It’s almost like God tells you how far you can pull [the dough] and when to stop. It’s the feel of the dough, just like a musician knows what the next note is to play. I think that if you’re paying attention, listening to the dough, feeling the dough and using your senses, then you know.”
A strudel showdown
Mintzer’s journey to find the best strudel in South Carolina means that you, too, may be able to experience the wonders of the flaky treat. In an effort to expose more people to the dessert, he has orchestrated a strudel competition.
On Sept. 30, Oktoberfest at New Realm Brewing Co. will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Daniel Island. The event is a fundraiser for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and one highlight of the day will be South Carolina’s inaugural strudel competition.
There will be two components to the contest: a judged competition and the peoples’ choice. The judges will be Remy Funfrock, executive pastry chef at Hotel Bennett and Andrew Wilson, executive chef at the Harbour Club at WestEdge. Competitors include Kelley, Robert Struthers (chef at Five Loaves and Sesame Burgers and Beer), Felix Godward (owner of Felix Empanadas), Andrew Gajadhar (founder of the Gaj Kitchen) and Paul Raul Coste Perales (chef at Saveurs Du Monde Café).
The rules for competition are simple and focus on what distinguishes a good strudel from a great one. Only fresh apples can be used; no frozen, canned or premade apple filling. Premade phyllo dough also may not be used, and the strudel prep will be videotaped to ensure all rules are followed.
“To be honest, South Carolina is a strudel desert,” Minzter said about his motivation to start the competition. “I hope it will give me access to good strudel in the city of Charleston. That people will care for it, and I will be able to do what my father and uncle did: to compete for the best strudel every weekend. Totally self-indulgent!”
The people’s choice competition will be determined by popular vote, and all participants will prepare enough strudel for attendees to sample. What could be better than delicious dough for a good cause?
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