Monday, October 3, 2016 seniorsnews.com.au
travel
Brisbane
Seniors 37
A coffee with Vienna Behold the history, tradition and delectable baked treats
EAT, DRINK AND BE KERRY KERRY HEANEY IN VIENNA, a cup of coffee and a piece of cake is much more than a quick refresher. Surrounded by history and tradition, Viennese coffee culture is so important it has even made the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Don’t go to Vienna on a diet as there are temptations on every corner. As a traveller, it behoves you to partake. Here’s eight Viennese food traditions to experience. 1. Melange coffee When coffee first came to Vienna, the strong, intense flavour of the beans was a surprise to the Viennese. Some smart person decided to ‘sweeten’ freshly brewed coffee with hot milk, which became known as the ‘Wiener melange’. I would swap my normal skinny cappuccino for one any day and it’ll be the first thing I have when I return. 2. Apple strudel With or without crumbs? That’s the hot question when it comes to making a strudel. Head to the Cafe Residenz Apfelstrudelshow Schonbrunn at Schloss Schonbrunn, Kavalierstrakt 52, to see them make this traditional Viennese dessert, from slicing the apples to rolling the thin dough. I’ve tried my hand at this and it wasn’t half bad. Visit my blog for a recipe. 3. Bundt cake Marmorgugelhupf is a marble bundt cake eaten
by Emperor Franz Joseph for breakfast, daily. The cake takes its shape from the grooved sides of the pan but the recipe varies. It’s a classic afternoon tea cake or Sunday breakfast cake for the not-so-royal. 4. Mannerschnitten These Neopolitan wafers, you’ll recognise the classic pink wrapper, are available from the Manner store at Stephansplatz 7. They were invented by Mr Manner (of course) in 1898 in honour of Emperor Franz Josef’s golden jubilee. 5. Demel K. & K. Located in Kohlmarkt 14 in a former imperial court, this confectioner show kitchen hosts visitors who watch the patissiers weave their magic. It’s busy, but worth the push through to the back to see the action. The sales and serving staff have been exclusively female at Demel for 200 years. 6. Cafe Sacher The chefs at the five-star Hotel Sacher, Philharmonikerstrasse 4, have been baking Sashertorte, a chocolate cake with apricot jam and chocolate glaze, from a secret recipe since 1876. There have been court cases over who invented the recipe. 7. Brasserie and Bakery, The Guesthouse Located between the State Opera and Stephansplatz, right next to the world-famous Albertina museum, The Guesthouse Vienna serves all-day breakfast and a special coffee roast made by Naber Kaffee. Designed by Sir Terrance Conran, it exudes a feeling of ‘home away from home’, with a quiet, relaxed elegance and plenty of life’s little luxuries.
SLICE OF HISTORY: Cafe Landtmann is one of Vienna’s most elegant cafes.
PHOTO: KERRY HEANEY
Marmorgugelhupf, marble bundt cake. PHOTO: KERRY HEANEY
PHOTO: KERRY HEANEY
Coffee and cake is a Viennese tradition. PHOTO: KERRY HEANEY
8. Cafe Landtmann Taking a prime corner position, Franz Landtmann opened Cafe Landtmann, one of Vienna’s most elegant cafes, in 1873 at the start of the coffee house tradition. Patrons at Landtmann have
included Sigmund Freud, Marlene Dietrich, Romy Schnieider, Paul McCartney, Hillary Clinton ... and Kerry Heaney. Kerry stayed in Vienna as a guest of The Guesthouse and Vienna Tourist Board.
The apple strudel is a must-try.