Vienna in Austria has an intellectual and artistic legacy and it has produced some of the most famous composers and other important figures. Mozart and Beethoven started life in the city and Sigmund Freud is another son of Vienna. The city boasts museums, art galleries and imperial palaces, baroque architecture and a marvelous coffee-house culture. The Imperial Chapel, “Burgkapelle” is the place to hear the famous Vienna Boys’ Choir singing Sunday Mass. A visit to the Spanish Riding School reveals the famous Lipizzaner stallions and their equine ballet. However, the city is also known for its restaurants and delicious cuisine. Read on to discover the traditional food of Vienna, Austria.
1. Wiener Schnitzel (Viennese Cutlet)
This is one of Vienna’s most famous dishes and no one cooks it quite like the Viennese chefs. Veal slices are butterfly cut to around 4 mm (0.16 in) in thickness and then lightly pounded to flatten the meat. The meat is then lightly salted and dipped alternately in flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs. The resulting schnitzels are then fried in clarified butter or lard and regularly tossed as they cook to ensure even browning and crispness. Wiener Schnitzels are usually served with lettuce, lightly tossed in a vinaigrette dressing with chopped onions or chives. Traditionally, they are accompanied by either parsley potatoes or Erdäpfelsalat (potato salad) or cucumber salad. However, these days they are often served with French fries or roasted potatoes.
2. Erdäpfelsalat (Potato Salad)
Potato salad is known as Erdäpfelsalat in Austria and is a dish that can be served warm or cold. While in other countries, potato salad is served with mayonnaise. Austria has a different and delicious take on the salad. It is recommended to place the potatoes in the refrigerator before making the salad to allow the starches to convert into sugars, giving the potato a creamier and sweeter texture. The potatoes are then peeled and chopped into smaller pieces before cooking. Immediately after they are cooked, a sprinkling of vinegar is added. Chicken broth is then added for the final, creamy salad, with a little chopped parsley for coloring.
3. Knödel (dumplings)
Knödel, or dumplings, are made from cubed stale or toasted bread, combined with onion, egg, milk and parsley. First, the onion and parsley are cooked in butter until brown. The bread cubes are then poured into the pan and tossed well. The eggs are whisked with milk, salt and pepper and poured over the bread and onion mixture and allowed to stand for an hour. The dough is then shaped into balls and placed in a rack, inside a larger dish, to steam for an hour. The dumplings are then drizzled with melted butter prior to serving, usually with a meat dish. Austrians often add potato to the mix, or fruit to make a dessert dumpling.
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4. Sachertorte (Sacher chocolate cake)
The Sachertorte (or Sacher cake) is an iconic chocolate cake, named after its inventor, Franz Sacher. The cake has a thick chocolate icing and is filled with apricot jam. There have been many variations of the famous chocolate cake, but the “Original Sacher Torte” can only be bought at the Hotel Sacher in Vienna and Salzburg, the duty-free area of the airport in Vienna or online. The recipe has been kept secret, but the icing is said to contain three different chocolate types from different producers. The result is mouth-wateringly delicious with its rich, moist chocolate taste.
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5. Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel)
Apfelstrudel is so much more than plain old apple pie and it is one of the most beloved desserts in Vienna. A thin, strudel pastry is brushed with melted butter. The filling comprises chopped apples, chopped walnuts, raisins, toasted breadcrumbs and cinnamon sugar. The apple strudel is baked in the oven until the pastry is golden brown and crisp and when cool, is dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Enjoy the treat with a huge dollop of whipped cream!
6. Palatshinken (Austrian pancakes or crepes)
Unlike American pancakes, Austria’s palatschinken resemble the traditional French crêpes. After being tossed in the pan, they are traditionally spread with apricot jam or marmalade and then rolled up and dusted with confectioner’s sugar before being served. Add a dollop of cream to top the treat.
7. Lattella (fruit juice and whey soft drink)
Lattella is more than a fruit juice. It was invented in 1979 by Hermann Horngacher and is produced by Tirol Milch. The producers combine various fruit juices with whey, a by-product of milk in the manufacture of cheese, for a creamy and sweet flavor.
8. Powidltascherl (plum jam turnovers)
The word “Powidl” is a Bohemian word for a type of plum jam. It also is used in Austria to indicate the time the preparation of the food takes, which was traditionally spent by peasant women chatting as they worked. This is not a quick and easy snack! First, the dough is made with flour, milk, butter and egg yolks. This dough is rolled out to a thickness of around 2mm (0.8 in) and a cutter is used to make the shapes of the turnovers. The plum jam is spread on the dough. Then a mixture of breadcrumbs, nuts, sugar and vanilla is cooked and spread onto the dough shapes, which are then folded over and baked until golden brown. As with many Viennese dishes, they are sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
9. Tafelspitz
Tafelspitz is veal or beef boiled in a spicy, root vegetable broth until tender and served with a sauce of horseradish and minced apples (Apfelkren). This is a classic Viennese dish and is popular throughout Austria.
10. Rindergulasch (Austrian goulash or stew)
This Austrian version of stew or Hungarian goulash is prepared with cubed beef chuck, slowly cooked with paprika, caraway seeds and vegetables. The resulting dish is served over spaetlze (a kind of soft egg noodle) or with the traditional Knödel (bread dumplings) as pictured here.
"Guten Appetit" in Vienna
This tasty selection of dishes and treats has no doubt stirred the tastebuds! Enjoy all these and more when visiting beautiful Vienna, Austria.
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