There is an inherent problem with blogging about food. As a blogger, I’m drawn to other food blogs, and find myself salivating over creations I read about. And then it happens. I feel compelled to try something I’ve read about, and try to make it mine. So it was when I read the post about making spaetzle on Smitten Kitchen last week, that I knew it would be the perfect side dish to the beer braised ribs I was going to make (coming up next!).Deb had lamented that she didn’t have a spaetzle maker, and that it took her several tries to get the hang of pushing the wet dough out through a colander. I happen to spot this spaetzle maker for only $6 at Bed Bath and Beyond, so figured I could test if it’s really easier with the right tool. Emphatically – no, it isn’t!Consequently I have no step by step photos of me struggling to push the dough through the holes, sticky dough landing everywhere. What I will say is that you need to work in small batches, it does get hot over the simmering stock, and that perhaps if my batter had been a bit wetter it would have pushed through more easily. Once in the water, you only need to simmer the dumplings (they are considered a dumpling, not a noodle and are a German or Austrian specialty) for a minute or so, then drain them and shock them in an ice bath so they don’t continue to cook.I was pretty proud of myself for sticking with the process for several batches to make enough for dinner. I drained them well……while I heated up olive oil and butter together in a skillet.I added the spaetzle and cooked them until they took on some nice golden brown crispy edges.I tossed the whole pan with some chopped fresh parsley – and promptly began eating right out of the pan because the spaetzle was so yummy. My short ribs took longer than expected to cook that night, so I ended up refrigerating the spaetzle to have with the ribs the next night, and reheating the dumplings with a bit of butter the next night. I must say it was much better right out of the pan when they first cooked, all hot and crispy, so try to eat them when you make them. I did freeze the rest of the spaetzle (before toasting it in the butter) and will let you know how that holds up when I use it!