Wiener Schnitzel.

What is Austrian food? or even Viennese food? I found myself asking this way too late in the game, when my program counselor and advisor for this exchange began telling me how awful Austrian food was. His words, not mine, described how undesirable traditional Austrian food was, and advised me to eat at the French and Italian restaurants. 
Now, obviously I cannot live in Vienna for 4 months and NOT try some Austrian and Viennese specialties, especially in hosting a blog describing this situation exactly. 

Meh.. would be better without the raisins.. :P

So, to answer my first questions, Austrian food consists of a little bit more than the typical schnitzel or apple strudel. You can find potato salad (served alongside the schnitzel), topfenstrudel (stick to the apple), sachertorte, cheese danish, tafelspitz and Mozart balls, and I am sure a few other boiled meaty things.

Topfenstrudal, or cheese cake strudel, or as I tasted, scrambled egg nastiness. This is as far as I got with this one, thought I was going to be ill. 

Yes, OH-kay, it is not the most desirable and mouth watering list of food you have ever seen, but I would not describe it as horrible. Within the past 2 weeks I have often had the pleasure of sampling many delicious Viennese specialties. However, I have also had the misfortune of slowly chewing a mouthful of what I am convinced was a scrambled egg strudel. (Its was even soggy on the bottom, like store bought pie when you let it thaw in the foil pan.)  YUCK. With this traumatizing event still haunting me at night, I am not yet in the position to make an opinion about Viennese, and Austrian food.


As I am sure many of you know, the most well-known and famous Viennese dish is Wiener Schnitzel (Viennese Schnitzel). Traditionally, a piece of veal cut very thinly,  dipped in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs and then fried in a pan of hot oil until golden brown. Often served with a slice of lemon, that can be squeezed over the meat for added flavour. How could you not love it right? Deep friend meet in breadcrumbs.. its like A&W Chubby Chicken Fingers! 
In Vienna today the dish is almost always done with veal, however other Austrian cities and cities around the world have adapted the recipe and have begun using pork or chicken. These variations are just as readily available today all over the world. 

Obviously a Love.

As for the rest of Viennese food, I have come to realize I either love it or hate it. Unlike the entire country of Italy where I could eat forever and ever.. Vienna is a little less.. desirable. There, I said it. I love schnitzel, hate Topfenstrudal. I LOVE Mozart balls, I hate that they don't have peanut butter. But I guess that is most of Europe.


We'll see, I will not give my final opinion of this strange cuisine yet, it is too early. Who knows, maybe Viennese food will win me over in the next few months. For now, I have another cup of lemon-ginger tea to chug, as I have come down with a slight illness that will be gone by morning. I am optimistic. 


Auf Wiedersan! and Goodnight! shannon xx

Of course, between pastries, trying some local Austrian and Viennese beer is part of the job, this one was excellent!