Austrian cuisine

Austrian cuisine is a collection of local and regional traditions that share roots in the culinary heritage of the former Habsburg realms. It is internationally known for its pastries, such as strudel and Kaiserschmarrn, and for meat dishes like Wiener schnitzel, as well as for its coffeehouse culture.

History

Austrian food is often called Viennese cuisine, but that label covers only part of the picture. The cooking of Vienna drew mainly on the traditions of the Habsburg Empire, and every federal state of Austria keeps its own regional customs.

Its roots lie within Central Europe. Austria shares much with Hungary, with which it was united in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and with Bavaria, Bohemia and northern Italy. From Hungary came dishes such as goulash, which Austria adapted into Saftgulasch, a thicker version slow-cooked with a generous amount of onion. From Italian and German cooking it borrowed techniques and some ingredients, and pancakes of Hungarian origin, the Palatschinken, spread across the region.

Sweets are among the country's most recognisable traditions. The Sachertorte, the Linzer torte and the apple strudel reflect a pastry culture that took shape in the cities and is often enjoyed with coffee. The Viennese café became a central part of the city's identity, and some of its specialities later travelled to other countries.

Culture

Traditional Austrian food is closely tied to home life and to festivals. Breakfast is usually continental, with bread rolls, jam, cold meats or cheese, served with coffee, tea or juice. For a long time the main meal was eaten at midday, but longer working hours and longer commutes have moved it to the evening for many people. A mid-morning or mid-afternoon Jause, a slice of bread with cheese or ham, is a familiar habit, and its fuller version, the Brettljause, comes on a wooden board with cold cuts, pickles, horseradish and cheese.

Regional variety is considerable. Lower Austria is known for Waldviertel poppy seeds, Marchfeld asparagus and Wachau apricots, which appear in dishes such as Marillenknödel and poppy seed noodles. Burgenland, shaped by its Hungarian past, favours spicier dishes built on fish, poultry or pork, and polenta is popular among its Croatian minority. Styria is the home of pumpkin seed oil, which adds a nutty note to salads, and of Schilcher, a very dry rosé. Carinthia, with its many lakes, makes fish a common main course, alongside Kasnudeln filled with quark and mint. Tyrol is known for its dumplings, and Vorarlberg for its cheese dishes such as Käsknöpfle and Kässpätzle, which reflect its ties to Switzerland and Swabia.

Game has a long place on the table, especially in autumn, when many restaurants offer dishes such as Hirschbraten, roast venison. Wine also carries cultural weight. The Heuriger is both young wine and the tavern where growers serve it with food, and Vienna is unusual in having vineyards within its city limits. Today Austrian cuisine sits alongside international influences, yet its coffeehouses, pastry shops and taverns remain places of everyday gathering.

Trivia