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Geography

Modern Austria: It is the homeland of world renowned skiers, of talented musicians, of lovers of table etiquette, and of people big on cooking, eating, and drinking well. It is also an internationally very active European republic which today, with 32,375 square miles, covers only a small fragment of the former Austrian empire.

For over 600 years, until World War I, the Austrian Empire had extended its national borders into modern Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, former Yugoslavia, Poland, and old geographical areas that were once upon a time called Bohemia and Moravia. It is a multi-ethnic melting pot that includes over 8 million people, who are 99% German-speaking but are not Germans. It is a country of Austrians who speak Viennese with a special, softer, Germanic accent, Austrians who commonly are bilingual and who speak Austrian/German with either a Hungarian, or Serbo-Croat, or Czech, or Northern Italian-Tirolean accent.

It is located in the southern part of Central Europe. Mountainous, wooded, and quaint, modern Austria borders Switzerland and Liechtenstein in the west, Germany in the northwest, the Czech Republic in the north, Hungary and former Yugoslavia in the east and southeast, and Italy in the southwest. It is today the political-administrative reflection of a federation of nine smaller states called the "Bundeslander." The nine Austrian Bundeslander are: Burgenland (with Eisenstadt as the state capital); Kaernten/Carinthia (with the city of Klagenfurt); Niederoesterreich/Lower Austria (with St. Polten); Oberoesterreich/Upper Austria (with Linz); Salzburg (with Salzburg); Steiermark/Styria (with Graz); Tirol (with Innsbruck); Vorarlberg (with Bregenz); Wien (with the internationally known city of Vienna, which is both capital of the state and capital of the country).

Regional Cuisines

Austrian cuisine in general: It is the culinary reflection of an ethnically mixed people who, during the many centuries of the Austrian Habsburg empire's expansion and contraction, have exchanged culinary know-how with Turkish, Swiss, Alsacian, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, German, Bohemian-Moravian, Hungarian, Polish, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovakian, Serbian, and Jewish cuisine. Typical Austrian dishes vary today according to the Bundeslander culinary history and to each "Bundesland's" agriculture with its export/import tradition.

For example, Burgenland cuisine is influenced by its flat topography and proximity to Hungary. Its specialties are prepared with abundant locally grown fruits and free roaming chicken and geese, and include dishes like the "Buergenlandisches Erdbeerkoch" (a type of baked strawberry mush dessert) and "Buergenlandische Gaenseleber" (goose liver simmered with onions). East southern Kaernten/Carinthia and Steiermark/Styria's cuisines, with Hungarian, Yugoslavian, and Italian culinary influences, feature Mediterranean style foods, including ham, a favorite ingredient in all three surrounding countries, and mild climate herbs and vegetables. Dishes from these areas include "Steirisches Verhackert's" (diced "Speck" (Austrian cured ham) mixed with minced garlic and heavy flavored pumpkin seed oil) or "Steirisches Poulard" (roasted herb stuffed capon or chicken). Niederoesterreich/Lower Austria's way of cooking reflects historic ties with eastern, Middle Eastern, and oriental cooking, and includes "Serviettenknoedel mit Semmelkren" (baked bread loaf with saffron gravy) and "Gezogener Apfelstrudel" (an almost transparent roll of pastry dough filled with apples which has common culinary roots with oriental "baklava").

Oberoesterreich/Upper Austria and ancient Salzburg states, which border with Germany and the Czech Republic include culinary classics like the well known "Linzertorte" (a flaky cake lined with currant or raspberry jam, encased and covered by a lattice of cake dough), and Mozart's home town's specialty, "Salzburger Nockerln" (a very light dessert souffle dusted with vanilla sugar). Tirolean and Vorarlberg specialties, inspired by ingredients native of mountainous poor soil and cool wooded areas with a tradition of importing from Italy and exchanging with Switzerland, include "Tiroler Leber mit Polenta" (veal or beef liver with onions, "speck," capers, lemon juice and white wine served on corn mush), "Groestl" (sliced pan fried onions and potatoes with or without meat), or "Schlutzkrapfen" (spinach stuffed pasta pockets, served like "ravioli," without tomato sauce only topped with melted butter and Parmesan cheese).

Due to the city's historic past steeped in European history, Vienna' s cuisine is unique and international. Viennese specialties were created by, and for, people who were influenced by a monarchic system that until the early part of this century was among the most influential European political powers and which had cultural ties to Europe as well as the American New World. As Vienna's Habsburg royal family was involved in power politics as far away as Spain, its cuisine absorbed many international ingredients. Viennese cuisine includes "Wiener Schnitzel" (breaded veal cutlet which has its twin version in Milan, Italy, called "Cotoletta alla Milanese"), "Parmesanschoeberlsuppe" (clear broth with diamond shaped Parmesan cheese flavored souffle dumplings created after Vienna's political power became dominant in Northern Italy), and Fiaker Goulash (Viennese paprika beef stew very similar to chili and to Hungarian goulash), and, of course, the renowned Sacher Torte (chocolate glazed cake filled with either apricot, currant or raspberry jam).

A typical Austrian meal includes usually from 2 to 7 courses according to the importance of the meal's guest or occasion. It is usually made up of an appetizer (Vorspeise), a soup (Suppe), and a main course (Hauptspeise) with one or two either raw or cooked side dishes (Beilagen). It may also include a dessert which can be either a cake ("Kuchen" or "Torte"), any baked specialty made with flour ("Mehlspeise"), or a warm or cold after-meal sweet treat ("Nachspeise"). With a fine meal, Austrian adults favor drinking either beer, wine or "sekt" (sparkling wine). Fruit juices, soft drinks like fruit flavored waters, and wine spritzers are also favorites among the younger generation of Austrians.

Austrian Recipes

Liptauer (paprika cheese spread) -- Appetizer
serves 4-6

Every classic collection of Austrian recipes includes at least one version of "Liptauer." All recipes call for three very important ingredients: a creamy type of ricotta known as "Topfen" (also called "Quark"), paprika, and chives. Liptauer is very much a question of taste; some Austrians mix into it a lot of paprika, butter, sour cream; others add chopped anchovies instead of anchovy paste, and even beer. This recipe retains the flavor of the Austrian specialty and is made with an American type of Topfen, called Quark, and has no butter.

2 cups (16 oz.) Topfen, also called Quark
1/2 small onion (about 1-2 oz.), trimmed, peeled, minced
15 medium-large sized pickled capers, drained, minced
1 medium size pickle, minced (optional)
1 bunch fresh chives, rinced, snipped finely (about 4 Tablespoons OR about 1 oz.)
1 teaspoon mild (Edelsuess type) paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1/2-1 teaspoon anchovy paste (1 large squirt)
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon beer (optional)
salt (to taste)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

In a food processor, mince onion, capers, and pickle. Snip fresh chives with kitchen scissors finely (do not chop with a food processor). In a medium size bowl combine and mix well "Quark," paprika, caraway, minced onion caper mixture, anchovy paste, mustard, salt (optional), pepper, and finely snipped chives. When the mixture is smooth, refrigerate, let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving over rye or whole wheat bread. Serve sprinkled with more fresh snipped chives with either beer or new wine (Heuriger Wein).

Tafelspitz (Viennese boiled beef) -- Main Course
serves 4-6

Cooked according to classic preparation rules, Tafelspitz (literally translated: the point of the table) is known to have been Austrian Hungarian Emperor Francis Joseph I's favorite meal. Viennese "Tafelspitz" for Austrians is not only a way to boil beef, but is a whole special culinary science prepared with a special cut of beef. It is not a pot roast. The authentic Tafelspitz requires a custom cut fresh piece of the hind part of beef (comparable to the American tri tip, also called silver tip); on the North American market a substitute can be fresh beef chuck brisket (not corned brisket).

The secrets of a juicy Tafelspitz are: heating the water to a rolling boil before the piece of meat is put in the water; the sudden sealing of the meat's juices as soon as the the meat's pores close when the Tafelspitz touches the boiling water; not too much salt, but enough to enhance the meat's flavor; a few pieces of vegetables (sometimes also sections of bones with marrow), the right cooking time, and the gentle rolling of the boiling water which will cook but not break the meat's fiber. This recipe is a simplified version of this very Austrian dish.

2 1/2 pounds fresh beef brisket
enough water for your suitable Dutch oven pot (about 5 Qt. pot capacity with about 4 Qts. of water) + salt (about 1/2 Tablespoon for every Qt. of water)
3 whole cloves garlic, slightly crushed, peeled
3 whole green (freeze dried) or white pepper corns
2 juniper berries (you may substitute with 1 bay leaf)
3 whole medium size carrots, peeled, trimmed (about 4 oz.)
1 small-medium onion, trimmed, unpeeled, halved (about 2 oz.)
3 sprigs fresh parsley OR
3 sprigs fresh lovage

In a suitable covered Dutch oven, bring water to a rolling boil over medium heat. When the water boils, add meat, garlic, pepper corns, juniper berries, and cover. Bring the water to a boil again and add carrots, onion, and parsley. Cover and let everything simmer for 60 minutes. Turn the meat over, add salt, and let everything cook, covered, for 90 additional minutes. Switch off the heat and let the meat steep for 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the broth and cut meat across the grain when you serve it. Serve Tafelspitz with "Apfelkren" and your choice of raw and cooked vegetables.

Note: Keep the broth for soups. Cut cold meat leftovers in thin strips and use like a meat salad mixed with raw sliced onions dressed with a simple oil, vinegar, salt and pepper vinaigrette.

How to make "Apfelkren" (apple horseradish sauce) for Tafelspitz: Combine and blend 1 pound Golden Delicious apples, cored, peeled, grated and cooked until very mushy with 1 Tablespoon wine vinegar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and 3 Tablespoons prepared horseradish.

B'soffene Brataepfel (Tirolean baked "drunken" apples) -- Dessert
serves 4

For this southwestern Austrian specialty absolutely do not use any of the flavored or green Peppermint Schnapps that are available on the American market. If you must, you may substitute the Austrian Schnaps with Italian "Grappa." The alcohol will evaporate during the cooking and the flavor will be superb.

4 whole Golden Delicious apples, cored, peeled
1/4 cup "Schnaps" (preferably made from apple or pear)
1/2 cup raisins
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/2 cup white wine
enough oil to brush a pie pan (use any suitable unflavored vegetable oil)
enough aluminum foil to cover the pie pan

Place one oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush the pie pan with oil. Place apples in the oil-brushed pan so that they are not touching each other. Drizzle the apples with the lemon juice to prevent apples from turning brown. Soak raisins in Schnaps.

In a small sauce pan, on medium heat, heat the wine, the cinnamon, and the sugar, stirring until everything is syrupy and the mixture boils (about 10 minutes). Divide soaked and drained raisins into four portions (keep the Schnaps juice) and stuff them into the apples.

Spoon half of the wine sugar syrup and the leftover Schnaps juice over the apples. Cover everything with aluminum foil and bake covered for about 30 minutes or until the apples are soft. 10 minutes before removing from oven pour over the apples remaining wine juice. Serve everything warm, not too hot, topped with sweetened whipped cream.

Wiener Phariseer Kaffee (Viennese rum liqueur spiked coffee)
serves 4

This recipe is an adaptation of the same Viennese coffee specialty served at Vienna's Cafe' Landtmann, located just across from the prominent "Volksoper" Theater-Opera house along the Dr. Karl Lueger Ring. There are many legends on why this coffee has its name. One that makes sense tells of a hypocritical priest who especially loved liqueur and wanted to hide it from his congregation. To brew this coffee use about 1 Tablespoon of freshly ground coffee per cup + 1/2 Tablespoon for the pot.

1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups freshly brewed Mocha type coffee (either Viennese Mocha, Mocha Java, or light French roast)
4 teaspoons sugar
4 Tablespoons either dark rum, Austrian red cherry liqueur, or Rum Topf juice enough sweetened whipped cream to top all coffees enough powdered cinnamon to dust the whipped cream

Place, in each of four coffee cups, 1/8 teaspoon cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 Tablespoon liqueur. Fill each cup with coffee and stir. Top each coffee with a portion of whipped cream and sprinkle with powdered cinnamon.

Staples

Austrian Topfen (Quark)
A type of cottage cheese used in many local specialty dishes like Liptauer. It is mild flavored, creamy, slightly acidic, white and delicious. Topfen/Quark can be also substituted with ricotta mixed with butter and sour cream.

Austrian cured ham (Speck)
Genuine Speck is a cold smoked fairly lean ham seasoned to traditional recipes, cured and matured for several months in cool Tirolean mountain air. It is often served as an appetizer with rye bread and pickles; it is a must in Tirolean dumplings called "Speck Knoedel."

Capers (Kapern)
Usually sold in glass jars pickled in salt brine and vinegar, capers are the closed buds of white flowers that grow in abundance throughout the Mediterranean regions and which are harvested while the buds are firm. They usually don't grow in Austria but are imported from nearby Italy where, in summer, they are found climbing along ancient walls like English ivy.

Mustard (Senf)
Prepared Austrian mustards come in a wide variety of flavors and degrees of spiciness. The most common mustards are the sweet types (Suess), the horseradish flavored types (Kren Senf), the spicy types (Scharf), the tarragon flavored types (Estragon Senf) and the wine flavored types (Kremser Senf).

Heavy cream (Schlag/Obers, also called Sahne)
Heavy cream in Austria is called either "Schlag," "Obers" or "Schlagobers," according to whether or not the cream is whipped. "Obers" is often served in Austrian homes and coffee houses as a side portion with either desserts, cakes, or flavored coffees.

Austrian coffee (Oesterreichischer Kaffee)
Coffee seems to be a staple nourishment to Austrians, who are very selective about the type of coffee they prepare and about the type of coffee beans they use for their coffees. By 1730 Austria's capital Vienna already had more than 30 public coffee houses. Today Austrians use three main ways to brew their coffee: the espresso way (of Italian origin), the filter way, and the Turkish way. Each coffee brewing method requires its special type of coffee grind and each Austrian "Hausfrau" has her special coffee roast and blend preference. Eduscho and Meinl Kaffee are among the popular Austrian brands. Mocha coffee seems to be the Austrian's all-round favorite. It is among the oldest type of coffee. Whether Austrian coffees are served simply black, with or without milk, or fancy -- with sugar sprinkles, with pieces of chocolate, with cherries, or spiked with liqueurs and brandies -- all have their special coffee name in the Austrian classic list of hot beverage.

Cherry liqueur (Kirschenliqueur)
It is absolutely not sherry or German distilled "Kirschwasser." It is an alcoholic sweet cherry liqueur similar to the Danish product "Cherry Heering." It is often used to flavor and color cakes.

Austrian "Schnaps"
It is not the green or colored syrupy "Schnapps" found on the North American market. It is a clear type of fruit brandy that is made from the distillation processes of various fruits. Common Austrian schnaps include: Plum schnaps ("Zwetchken-Schnaps," also called "Pflaumen-Schnaps"); Apple schnaps ("Apfel-Schnaps"); Pear schnaps ("Birnen-Schnaps"); and Apricot schnaps ("Marillen-Schnaps," also called "Aprikosen-Schnaps").

Austrian fruit bounce (Rum Topf)
It is a crock pot that in early summer is filled by Austrians with fresh seasonal fruit, sugar and sugar beet rum. The rum juice that absorbs the flavor of the fruit is usually dark reddish in color.

Sacher Torte (Sachertorte)
Yes, it is the world renowned chocolate glazed cake lined with jam. It was created in the early/middle 19th century by the Austrian baker, Herr Sacher, in honor of his benefactor, German-Austrian statesman Prince Klemens von Metternich, who played a major role in the European Congress of Vienna and in the demise of Napoleon Bonaparte. In Austria the original cake is still made, sold, and dispatched worldwide by the Sacher Hotel in downtown Vienna. The Sacher Hotel was founded in 1876 by the son of the baker who created the Sacher Torte. The Sacher Torte's recipe is said to be an Austrian national secret (see the Austrian source list below to order the authentic Viennese Sacher Torte worldwide).

Spices

Caraway (Kuemmel)
Small, brown, long and thin seeds that look like cumin or celery seeds and that, together with paprika, are vital in Austrian cuisine. Their flavor and aroma is totally different from cumin, which sometimes is mistakenly used instead of caraway for the similarity of both names. In Austrian, cumin is called "Kreuzkuemmel."

Paprika (Edelpaprika)
Dark or bright red powdered product made from Hungarian type chile peppers. It is much milder than cayenne pepper and should not be substituted with it or with chile powder. It is available either mild or sweet (Edelsuess) or hot-spicy (Scharf).

Cinnamon (Zimt)
It is the all-purpose dessert spice favorite. It is available whole, chipped, and powdered. It is a must in Austrian mulled wine (Gluehwein), in cinnamon rolls (Zimt Schnecken), in rice pudding (Milchreis) and fruit compotes (Kompott).

Herbs

Chives (Schnittelauch)
Green, tubular, pointed, onion-flavored stems which are usually the first herb that is visible after the cold snowy Austrian winter season. Freshly chopped chives lift many simple Austrian dishes. Sprinkled in soups, mixed with Topfen in Liptauer, chopped over salads, and used over rye bread with butter or "Schmalz" (rendered Speck fat), chives are a must in many Austrian specialties.

Parsley (Petersilie)
Native to mild climate Mediterranean regions, Austrian parsley is available fresh, with either flat or curly leaves, and dried. It is also usually included in a fresh vegetable addition for soups and stocks, called "Suppengruen" (carrot, celery, celeriac, kohlrabi, and parsley bunched together). When fresh it is rich in vitamin C, has a pleasantly mild flavor, and is best used mixed with minced garlic or onion.

Marjoram (Majoran)
It is basically the north-central European oregano with a milder flavor than the southern European oregano. Dried, it is a must in every Austrian pantry for dishes like goulash and roasted stuffed poultry.

Lovage (Liebstockel)
Available fresh and dry, celery flavored lovage looks like a miniature celery top. In Austrian cuisine, lovage is a celery substitute for stocks and in dishes which require mild celery flavored greens.

North American Sources

Vermont Butter & Cheese Company
Pitman Road, P.O. Box 95
Websterville, VT 05678
Tel. (802) 479-9371; Fax (802) 479-3674.
Vermont Butter and Cheese Company is a small American creamery that produces "Topfen/Quark" and distributes it packaged in either 8 oz. or 32 oz. heat sealed containers together with many other classic European style cheeses.

Hotel Sacher Wien
A - 1015 Wien
Philharmonikerstrasse 4
Tel. +43/1/51456; Cable:"Sacherhotel;" Telex: 112520; - Fax +43/1/457-810 OR
http://www.sacher.co.at/sacher/e_order.shtm
Hotel Sacher's "Sachertorte" is dispatched today all over the world in special wooden boxes which preserve the quality of the cake up to a fortnight, whether it is shipped by train, airplane, or mail service.

Austrian Press and Information Service
3524 International Court,
N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel. (202) 895-6775
Fax. (202) 895-6772
http://www.austria.org/
Write, call or fax for additional information on Austrian cuisine and to receive free brochure "The Cuisine of Austria" by Lisi Adams; 19 recipes of Austrian classic specialties.

Cookbooks

To Set Before The King: Katharina Schratt's Festive Recipes
Edited by Gertrud Graubart Champe
This 1996 Iowa Szathmary Culinary Arts Series volume is a "must" recipe collection for anyone who is seriously interested in authentic early 1900's Austrian cuisine and for those who wish to know more about Austrian Hungarian cuisine as it was prepared for Austrian Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I.
Adapted to American measurements, this collection of recipes also includes black and white illustrations and historic photographs.

Viennese Cooking
A very classic cook book; adapted to American measurements, without illustrations.

Austrian Cooking and Baking
by Gretel Beer
This is an unabridged and unaltered republication of an old work originally published under the title "Austrian Cooking" in 1954 by Andre Deutsche; it has 302 recipes with Austrian and English names of specialties and no illustrations.

Cooking the Austrian Way
by Helga Hughes
Children's cookbook published in a library-type binding; with color photographs.

Das Franz Ruhm Koch Buch (The Franz Ruhm Cookbook)
by Franz Ruhm
German; a revised version of an old Viennese classic first published at the beginning of this century.

Tyrolean Cook-Book
by Maria Drewes
With 16 color illustrations and Tyrolean food history.

Die Gute Kueche: Das Oesterreichische Jahrhundert Kochbuch (The Good Cuisine: The Austrian Century Cookbook)
by Plachutta and Wagner
612 color photographs, and Austrian and Viennese food history (German; an updated modern version of classic Austrian recipes elaborated by two very experienced Austrian culinary experts).

Die K.U.K. Wiener Kueche (The Royal and Imperial Viennese Cuisine)
by Wolf Neuber
German; a collection of recipes on early 20th century Austrian monarchic cuisine.

Where to order European published Austrian cookbooks...

International Book Import Service, Inc.
2995 Wall Triana Highway, Suite BA
Huntsville, AL 35824-1532
Telephone: (205) 464-0040 or
toll-free at 1-800-277-4247 from 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday or FAX: (205)
464-0071
E-Mail: IBIS@IBIService.com
http://www.IBIService.com

Use your new-found knowledge of Austria by attempting the companion crossword puzzle to this article!

Elisabeth Castleman is a Maryland-based professional culinary consultant, restaurant critic, freelance food writer and newspaper food columnist.

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