In 1947, President Harry Truman told Congress that he was “fully aware of the broad implications” that his doctrine to contain communism around the world would entail.

In 2009, when I stared into a plate of hot schnitzel over waffles, with red beans and rice, sauerkraut and black-eyed peas on the side and an order of frog legs, I doubted if old “Give ’em Hell Harry” knew how broad those implications could be.

I’d just ordered lunch from Sassafras & Blues, a new German/Cajun/Soul Food joint off South Academy Boulevard, where the culinary breadth of containment can be measured in Styrofoam to-go boxes.

See, Colorado Springs owes almost all its culinary diversity to the Cold War. Whether it is Korean or Vietnamese or German, most of the ethnic cooks came over here because they married Americans stationed over there.

I’m hoping we invade Provence next.

Sassafras’ owner, Anita Lancaster, is from Munich but married an American serviceman from the South stationed in West Germany and followed him home.

The marriage didn’t last, but the culinary fusion did. So Lancaster, who spent most of her life in Colorado Springs as a housecleaner, took over the space vacated by Brothers Barbecue this winter.

These days, Lancaster waltzes around the kitchen, whipping up a varied and well-priced menu for a diverse crowd.

“We got a little something for everyone,” she said.

But can a German woman do justice to Cajun po’ boys and red beans and rice? Jawohl!

Here the softshell crab po’ boy ($10) comes stuffed with three full crabs, legs and all, in a delicate cornmeal crust with lettuce and tomato dressing and traditional remoulade as tasty as any I’ve ever had in New Orleans. With home-cut fries on the side, it’s a terrific deal.

So is the too-big-to-actually-take-a-bite-of pulled pork sandwich ($6.50). The barbecue sauce on the pork was a bit too ketchupy, but with soft, chewy bread and some more of those fresh fries, it was a good lunch.

The red beans and rice, ($2.25), which tend to be painfully salty at most restaurants, here are well-balanced. The beans are boosted by big chunks of chicken and spicy Cajun sausage, and the rice is not added until you order, so it stays fluffy.

Delve deeper into down-South oddness by ordering the chicken and waffles — four fried chicken wings served over, yes, a Belgian waffle ($7.25). The chicken is perfect — moist but not greasy — and the waffle batter is laced with some of Lancaster’s heavenly moonshine vanilla, made from whole vanilla beans steeped in Jim Beam. On top she offers fresh strawberry or honey butter. It is truly a guilty treat.

Sassafras is no slouch with the German dishes either. You can get a schnitzel platter— pounded, breaded and fried pork loin with a choice of two incongruous sides, such as collard greens and sauerkraut ($7.25) — or jagerschnitzel with noodles and rich brown mushroom gravy ($7.99).

On my second visit, I tried to mix it up and asked Lancaster to give me a made-up combo I called “der waffleschnitzel.”

“You want the schnitzel on the waffle? With sauerkraut?” she said, cocking her head.

“It’s fusion!” I said.

“No, it’s just weird,” she said, before telling me I could have the schnitzel on the waffle, but the sauerkraut would have to be on the side.

Desserts ($3.25) are dangerously good and always include peach cobbler, sweet potato pie and an ever-changing trifle. The first time I visited it was white chocolate tequila-lime, brownie, Baby Ruth.

“Is that all one dessert? That’s crazy,” a friend said.

“Yah, crazy good,” Lancaster replied, sticking a spoon into a huge bowl of something that turned out to be sweeter than the ultimate headliner at a church potluck dessert table.

Despite its many charms, Sassafras is not for everyone. It is carry-out only. And with everything made fresh, expect to wait 20 minutes if you don’t call ahead. It’s a good destination for foodies looking for an adventure, or folks with a hankering for some good wings, but bringing the whole family could be a hassle.

Sassafras & Blues             

★★★

(endearingly eclectic)

Address: 3869 Astrozon Blvd.

Contact: 391-1228

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays; 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays; closed Sundays

Entrees: $5.25-$12

Vegetarian: Waffles and fries

Alcohol: No

Credit cards: Yes

Kelvin Kaercher and his dog P.J. walk past his burned neighbor’s home on Thursday, July 23, 2009. On the night of the fire, Kaercher heard the explosion and ran to his neighbor’s aid throwing a rock against the bedroom window, but got no response. Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette

Jerilee Bennett