Austria is a nation of Kipfeln. Yes, and especially the citizens of Li’l Vienna. So what’s all that about? First of all I’m delighted with every kind of Kipferl. I myself am definitely a Kipferl person and David is too – maybe more in the second sense I’ll explain hereafter. The expression Kipfe(r)l refers to anything crescent-shaped, but only in terms of pastry and baking. In most of the many… continue reading »
Many European recipes call for vanilla sugar. This kind of sugar is available in every supermarket and is as popular as vanilla extract in other countries like the US. Usually, it’s not a problem to substitute vanilla extract for vanilla sugar – in cakes, cookies or custards for instance. But sometimes it’s not possible to replace vanilla sugar. One of this kind is the recipe for vanilla crescents (Austrian Vanillekipferl). For… continue reading »
I can’t deny it any more: Winter is coming is here! And what else would you desire more on cold days than a steaming hot bowl of homemade soup? Just before suggeling up under a sofa-blanket with a warm soup belly for a movie. The recipe below is one of my regulars: It’s easy to prepare, needs only a handful of ingredients (onion, carrots, potatoes and celery) and is ready in less than… continue reading »
This authentic Italian treat is one of the most amazing chocolate cakes I’ve ever tried – and I call myself an expert when it comes to chocolate cake. The cake has a thin hard shell covering a moist interior. The finely ground almonds (almond flour) give it a nice flavor and bite. The name Torta Caprese origins from the Italian island Capri where it’s said that a chef forgot… continue reading »
I started making burger buns myself a few years ago. I couldn’t find any good buns in the Austrian supermarkets, because they all tasted too sweet and artificial to my taste buds. Frankly, I bought some rolls at one of the many bakeries. The bakeries in Austria are awesome not to say ones of the best in the world. I really miss them here in Boston: brown bread with a… continue reading »
Who says BBQ is only fun during summer? Well, I definitely do not. I love grilling all year round – even during winter months. And apparently, I am not alone with this weird habit. According to the grill manufacturer Weber, more than half of American grill owners grill all year round. And before you condemn me for quoting a grill manufacturer, I think even if their numbers may be pushed a little,… continue reading »
Kaya (coconut jam) is very popular in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia and Singapore. I came across this dreamy coconut spread in a Ya Kun Kaya Toast restaurant in Singapore, when, totally touristy, ordering a butter-kaya toast for breakfast. Sometimes travel guide suggestions really work out. Btw, there is almost equal amounts of butter in this toast as bread and Kaya, it’s really a 1/8 inch thick slice – minimum…. continue reading »
It’s still plum season, and since they are easier to carry than pumpkins, I recently bought a couple of them. Back home I thought about what to do with them and suddenly the Clafoutis idea popped into my mind. Since I haven’t had this typical French dessert for quite some time, I went for it – with a few tweaks to the original recipe of course. French Plum Clafoutis (Clafoutis… continue reading »
Family recipe for an original Viennese apple strudel from scratch. Learn how to make paper-thin strudel dough and the perfect apple filling! Some clichés are clichés for a reason. This here is certainly one of them. While you think Appel Strudel on a site featuring Viennese food is almost sketchy, you may want to start thinking of why any tourist returning from Vienna talks about this treat. In the end,… continue reading »
Being Austrian basically means eating a lot of Italian food. In fact: Austrians and Swiss eat more pasta than Italians themselves. So Austria is, and always has been, a big melting pot absorbing all the food of its neighbor-countries. Risotto is one of my favorites though – besides pasta, pasta and pasta. It is easy to prepare, great to modify (asparagus, pumpkin or mixed veggies) and since you need some wine for the preparation,… continue reading »
So, this is a real Austrian classic. When consumed, it dyes your lips and tongue purple which can make a whole family look like zombies. Believe me, my granny does look really scary after eating stewed elderberries ;-) If you are lucky like me you have an elder bush right in your garden. If not, make it a daytrip out of the city to pick some of these wonderful berries…. continue reading »
I bet you have never tried one of these before. Yep, thought so… Theses little pieces of heaven are made of blueberries and kind of a pancake batter. The whipped egg whites make them really fluffy. Just give this recipe a try, I promise it’s really simple and I promise, it won’t be the only time ;-) In Austria people eat a lot of sweet stuff – even for main course, not only… continue reading »