Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Season the beef with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Add onions, celery, carrot, garlic, white wine vinegar, white wine water, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley, thyme and salt and pepper, to taste. Cover, and simmer 1 1/2 hours, turn meat, re-cover, and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer until tender. Transfer to a large platter and keep warm. Strain cooking liquid into a bowl, remove 1/2 cup to be used for the braised cabbage and set aside. Heat butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk in flour and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in cooking liquid, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring, until thickened and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in gingersnaps and honey, to taste. Carve meat at the table (not too thin or slices will crumble) and serve with plenty of gravy. Or carve in the kitchen, arrange slices slightly overlapping on a platter, and pour some of the gravy down the center; pass the rest. Serve with braised cabbage and buttered noodles.

Heat butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add the cabbage, cooking liquid and wine and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook until the cabbage is wilted, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well, return to the pan, toss with the butter and parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.