A BIT OF GERMANY IN ALTENBURG RESTAURANT

A tray of freshly baked bread is readied for customers at Trics. Ice cream, tapioca pudding and German coffee cake are also made there. In the background, Marilyn Haertling stirs a pot of apple dumplings.

Gift items from local crafters add to the homey atmosphere at the Altenburg restaurant.

The last name of the owners, Arlin and Rose, is Obendorfer, and Rose Obendorfer's maiden name is Leinbach. They live in the German-settled East Perry County town of Altenburg, which means "old city" in German.

Although the name of their restaurant -- Trics -- doesn't relate to the fatherland (Trics stands for Tower Rock Ice Cream and Snacks, the name of a former business there on Route C) the restaurant specializes in German-style cooking, especially on Saturdays.

"We draw a lot of people from Cape Girardeau and Jackson," said Rose Obendorfer. "It's a nice drive to here and the hillsides look like Germany. People say 'Let's go to that little German town and eat.'"

The Obendorfers have owned the restaurant for almost 11 years. The building was constructed near where a Dairy Queen-type business had been built about 20 years ago.

Prior restaurant managing experience the Obendorfers did not have. "We had no college degrees or anything having to do with running a restaurant," said Rose Obendorfer, smiling at the recollection.

But business has been good. There is a banquet room that seats 100 and most weekends it is the scene of a wedding reception, a sports banquet, a birthday or anniversary party, or an Altenburg Lions Club meeting. Strohs beer steins line one wall near an old piano.

"We do home cooking German-style," said Obendorfer, stirring a pot of sauerkraut. "That's the way me and my husband were raised.

"We serve a lot of pork like bratwurst and we've had weinerschnitzel. Germans like sugar so we cook sweets like desserts, puddings and pies and German coffee cake. And we make a special German cake called "blatzkuchen."

The big German food buffet is every Saturday evening; on Fridays it's barbecue ribs and pond-raised catfish. And during the week German food mingles with other types of delectables -- chicken, apple dumplings, kettle beef, ham, fruits and vegetables on a salad bar, and home-made ice cream and bread.

The Obendorfers have about seven part-time employees to help with cooking, waitressing and dishwashing. Rose Obendorfer's mother, Hilda Mirley, and daughter, Tammy Palish, are part of the crew.

The restaurant serves wine and beer and hand-made crafts such as angels can be bought.

The Obendorfers also operate a catering service.

"Last year we catered the Southeast Hospital party and this year we'll do the St. Francis Hospital party," said Obendorfer, glancing at a German folk song on a wall above a booth.

They have also catered parties at Thorngate, Schnucks, Spartech, Proctor & Gamble and at private residences.

"We keep pretty around here," said Obendorfer, stirring that pot of sauerkraut again.