Monday 3 November 2014

Food not to be missed in Vienna

The land of Mozart, Beethoven and many other great artists, Vienna is quite a musical city. Home to centuries of imperial grandeur, Vienna also has some great culinary treasures to offer. They are not hidden, but definitely require some great taste in food to appreciate ;).

Below I have listed the food experiences which I feel should not be missed in the Austrian capital -

  Grab a sausage at a Würstelstand


"Würstel" means sausage in German. These traditional Austrian street food outlets were created during the Austro-Hungarian dynasty. There are many different types of sausages, but I will recommend the Käsekrainer. Its a sausage filled with cheese. An absolute delight for cheese lovers. The cheese is hot. Be careful not to burn your mouth.




 Try the Stelze at the Schweizerhaus

Stelze is German for roasted pork knuckle. I got a chance to try this Austrian dish in Schweizerhaus in Prater. It was a delicious experience. A definite treat for meat lovers. Vegetarians, please close your eyes.



We managed to find an empty table in the beer garden. After walking for almost half an hour through the amusement park, my stomach was growling. We ordered for the the Stelze (the roasted pork knuckle) and two local beers. I am not a beer drinker, but was hoping Vienna would change me. The waiter appeared with this huge meat piece, leaving us speechless for at least a few moments. It was big, and we were not sure if we could finish it. We ordered for some mustard and horseradish.(Yup, you have to order it separately). For my Indian taste buds, I required some sauces with the the meat. It took some effort to cut, but it tasted delicious with the sauces. I would definitely recommend trying this Viennese speciality to all foodies, especially meat lovers.


Don't forget to sample some local Viennese beers.



Don't miss the Schnitzel

It is considered the national dish of Austria and is popular in many countries. Schnitzel comes from the word "Schnitz" which means slice. Its a slice of boneless meat which is pounded until it becomes very thin and then it is coated with flour, egg and bread crumbs and then fried. The Wiener Schnitzel is traditionally made from veal. Other Schnitzel varieties could use pork, chicken, mutton, beef etc.
This piece of deep fried goodness is definitely worth a try. Apart from restaurants in Vienna, it is also available on sausage stands - sliced, easy to eat and in takeaway boxes.


Desserts

Viennese cuisine is popular for its amazing sweets and desserts.

Get ready to satisfy your sweet tooth - Viennese style

Apfelstrudel or Apple strudel

It is interesting to know that the strudel was actually influenced by the Turkish Baklava. It came to Austria through Turkey via Hungary.


This heavenly pastry is filled with apples,cinnamon, raisins and bread crumbs and is served with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. It is eaten with whipped cream, custard or vanilla sauce.
I tried this delicious dessert at the Cafe Museum. Very close to the Opera House. It has great Ambience and some amazing desserts.


 Sachertorte

This famous torte (cake) is a rich delicious chocolate cake with an apricot jam filling inside. This cake is so famous in Austria, that they have a day dedicated just to this rich cake - The National Sachertorte day, which is celebrated each year on the 5th of december. 




The Sachertorte was created by Franz Sacher in the year 1832 for the Prince Klemens Von Matternich. 

Viennese coffee

History says that the Turks are responsible for spreading the coffee culture in Vienna. When they retreated after the second siege of Vienna, they left some of their coffee supplies. Since then coffee and coffee houses have become a major part of Viennese culture.



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