Viennese cuisine
Viennese cuisine is the culinary tradition of Vienna, the Austrian capital, and one of the country's best-known food traditions. It is famous for Wiener schnitzel and pastries, and for the habit of enjoying coffee and cakes in the afternoon.
History
Viennese cooking grew out of many different sources. From the early 17th century, Italian influence left its mark on the vocabulary, as in risibisi, melanzani and maroni. In the 18th century French cuisine gained weight in urban households, and the term «Wiener Küche» appeared in German-language cookbooks around the end of that century, although it was often confused with Austrian cuisine as a whole.
Under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, dishes arrived from many peoples: Hungarian goulash, South Slav ćevapčići, and the Palatschinken and Powidltascherl of Czech tradition. Today, the so-called Neue Wiener Küche combines classic recipes with principles of nouvelle cuisine.
Culture
The Viennese coffee house is central to city life. It is listed in Austria's inventory of intangible cultural heritage as a place where time and space are consumed, though the bill shows only the coffee. In the afternoon, the Konditorei serve cakes such as Sachertorte and Kaiserschmarrn, while dishes like Tafelspitz and Beuschel remain part of the home repertoire.
Legend and fact
The croissant is often said to have originated in Vienna after the defeat of the Turks at the Siege of Vienna. However, this is a popular and doubtful explanation, without firm documentary support.