Why do I call this an Austrian Style Sandwich, you may ask? Well, simple: Because I can. In Austria people usually eat open-faced sandwiches more often than the regular (closed) ones. I also do prefer the open-face kind, be it because you can actually see what you are about to eat or because you will need more time to enjoy the bread slices separately and therefore you will eat less. But if… continue reading »

I am a huge fan of this quick and easy sunflower bread – or to be more precise – of this rye and whole wheat sunflower seed bread. In Austria, we eat this kind of bread a lot.   It usually comes loaf-shaped and consists of a mixture of white and whole wheat flour. I also added rye flour to my recipe. Some varieties are dense and packed with seeds,… continue reading »

This braided sweet yeast bread with raisins is by far on of my favorite breakfasts (except for this super-easy sunflower bread). It’s super moist, it’s fluffy and it has a subtle sweet taste (note that it only contains 3 ½ tablespoons sugar). Told you: The perfect breakfast! I also love it as a snack in the afternoon, together with a cup of coffee.   I usually eat it plain when it… continue reading »

Buchteln or Wuchteln – you will hear both expressions in Austria – are a relatively unknown treasure. They are pull-apart style yeasted sweet rolls, filled with apricot jam.   The buns are not overly sweet, since the recipe only calls for 3 tablespoons of sugar. The dough itself is very fluffy and airy, surrounded by a crispy, nicely browned crust, which will get soft when cooled. You will often see them served, sitting… continue reading »

In monarchy days, while grand nations invested in armies and glory, Austrian aristocrats focused mostly on shiny buildings and imperial coffee houses. Known as a stiff aristocrat, and bureaucrat for that matter, Kaiser Franz Josef was also known for his love towards Austrian sweets and baked goods. And not without reason. While pastries like apple strudel and vanilla crescents are well known and marketed, not to mention raved about in… continue reading »

Sourdough bread simply tastes great. In Austria there are numerous (mostly small) bakeries, which are selling real sourdough bread. My parents would always buy such bread, believing that there is not only a difference in taste compared to conventional bread, but also in moisture and increased shelf-life. So when David and I moved to Boston last summer, something was missing. Li’l Vienna, you got it! No, but seriously, we missed… continue reading »