CHRISTMAS Markets, SCHNITZEL Cooking Class & Historic SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE!! // CITY 5: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
GUTEN TAG FREUNDE!
Thank you for checking out our FIFTH travel video on Aria Esmeralda!
We wanted to take a little break over Christmas to be able to spend cherished time with family and friends. Thank you so much for your patience and HAPPY 2020!
Now its time to take a time capsule back a month or so ago to December 2019…
We left Antwerp, Belgium on the 21st of November and headed east to the beautiful, Christmas-dipped city of Vienna, Austria!
It was the first time we both started to feel SUPER Christmassy! With only one month left until our little Christmas break, we were full of festive cheer!
Our energy levels are slowly depleting to the point where we can’t say simple words without MULTIPLE takes. TWELVE to be exact! Although Vienna has been so charming and lovely to us that we have almost forgotten our zombie-like states!
We are so thankful for all of your support and for being a part of this crazy journey with us! We hope you will stick along for the ride as we explore this beautiful world, one step at a time.
Ben and I were so excited to visit the beautiful historic city of Vienna! As it was quickly approaching December, we were craving some festive spirit and Christmas cheer, and Vienna did not disappoint!
We left lovely Antwerp in the early hours of the morning on the 21st of November and caught a 5 am train to Brussels airport. We arrived in Vienna in the early afternoon and were immediately struck by its stunning architecture, welcoming residents and overall beauty.
Ben and I are members of a website called Trusted Housesitters where animal lovers can apply to look after pets in various cities around the world whilst their owners are away. Sitters get free accommodation and the owners get a free pet sitter for the length of the sit.
This is what brought us to Vienna in the first place. Ben and I spent two weeks looking after a cheeky cat and two beautiful rabbits in an apartment just outside Vienna’s city centre. It was so lovely coming home to furry cuddles after a long day of work or exploring!
Food, Glorious Food!
Okay. So it is pretty evident from all the recipes posted and all of our cooking classes that Ben and I are BIG foodies! One of the things we loved about Vienna was the variety of food we discovered in Vienna itself and its various Christmas markets.
Obviously, being in Austria, there are a few traditional Viennese dishes we HAD to try. Dishes such as schnitzel, bratwurst, and strudel to name a few! However, one of my favourite foods that we discovered is a pastry called a baumstriezel (pictured below).
Variations of this DELICIOUS sugary pastry are also eaten in other countries around Europe but are called different names. For example, Kürtőskalács in Hungary, Trdelník in Romania, or simply “chimney cake” in other countries.
Baumstriezel is a pastry made from dough wrapped around a baking spit, dusted with butter and cooked until golden. It is then dusted with sugar and then baked until caramelised. After baking, the pastry can then be topped with other ingredients, and in our case, it was cinnamon sugar and almonds.
If you are ever in the realms of a European Christmas market, make sure to keep an eye out for this tasty pastry!
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
I mentioned earlier that Ben and I were so looking forward to finally feeling festive as December approached. Vienna was completely submerged in Christmas cheer and it was beautiful!
There were Christmas decorations all across the city, complete with Christmas markets, glowing against the December-night sky. We were utterly consumed with the Christmas spirit as we wandered through the twinkly lights, wooden hatches, and handmade Christmas baubles.
We drank spiced apple punch, smelled the aromas of cinnamon, mulled wine and freshly baked cakes and held hands lovingly, whilst lost in a Winter Wonderland.
Schnitzel & Strudel
On Saturday the 30th of November, Ben and I took the train to west Vienna for our “Schnitzel & Strudel” cooking class with Airbnb experiences!
We had such a lovely time learning traditional Austrian recipes in a beautiful Viennese Biedermeier-Style house from the 1800s. We spent three hours learning and cooking a wide variety of dishes from soup, to schnitzel to strudel – recipes included at the end!
Our host was extremely welcoming and accommodating and possessed a true passion for her country’s cuisine and family history. We met a lovely American family and spent cherished time chatting, eating delicious food and comparing the cultures and Christmas traditions of our respective countries.
Viennese Potato Soup
Potato Salad
Sour Cream & Cucumber Salad
Chicken Schnitzel
Apple Strudel
Schönbrunn for Lovers
On one of our final days in Vienna, we spent a chilly day taking in the breathtaking magnificence of the Schönbrunn Palace.
The gorgeous palace is one of the most treasured historic buildings in Austria and was the summer home of many generations of the Habsburg royal family. It has a massive 1,441 rooms, each one reflecting the passing of time over its 300-year history.
Today, the palace is a major mark on every tourist’s checklist when travelling to Vienna and receives millions of visitors every year. The palace grounds feature a wide variety of interesting sites, including immaculate gardens, 32 sculptures, a huge hill supporting the Gloriette structure and the “Roman Ruins” architectural feature.
The Schönbrunn Palace has had many famous visitors and residents over the past 300 years, including Mozart, who performed for the Habsburg family when he was only a child!
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – that’s for sure!
Ben and I cherished our time spent together in this beautiful city. It was so relaxing to walk around, hand-in-hand, just taking in everything.
We are trying our best to wind down before the glacier of Christmas hits, but we can’t wait to see our families and friends in only a few week’s time for a relaxing break!
The sweet, sugary scent of freshly baked apple strudel – there is nothing else quite like it! It is a traditional Viennese pastry and is also popular in other countries such as Italy, Germany, Romania, and Poland.
It consists of sour apples and sweet raisins wrapped up in blankets of thin, flakey pastry. The dessert is then dusted with powdered sugar and served with fresh whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or vanilla custard.
The History of Apple Strudel
The earliest knowledge of strudel dates back to 1697, in the form of a hand-written recipe, stored today in the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus library in Vienna.
The pastry grew in popularity in the 18th century. Here, Austrian cuisine, in general, was formed due to the multi-cultural influences throughout the expansion of the Austrian Habsburg Empire.
Many variations of strudels exist today. The pastry can be either savoury, with ingredients such as spinach, cream cheese or pumpkin or sweet, made with apples, berries, and other fruits.
This recipe is an authentic, traditional recipe that we learned from scratch in an immersive Austrian cuisine cooking class in the historic city of Vienna. This strudel incorporates the traditional ingredients of toasted breadcrumbs and sweet raisins. These ingredients complement the strudel perfectly and are a delicious addition!
Similarly to wiener schnitzel, apple strudel is viewed as one of the national dishes of Austria, and it is a cherished pastry frequently shared among family and friends due to its large size.
Hot, sweet and light, apple strudel is the PERFECT post-dinner treat, and with a variety of possible fillings – it’s an ideal choice for any time of the year!
I hope you enjoy this authentic apple strudel recipe! Let us know if you make any additions or substitutions.
A staple Austrian specialty, chicken schnitzel is a delicious, light dish that is one of the national dishes of Austria. A thin breaded fillet of chicken, chicken schnitzel is often served alongside a traditional Austrian potato salad and garnished with lemon slices and lingonberry sauce.
Variations of the dish are served all around the world. Schnitzel is similar to escalopes served in France, tonkatsu served in Japan and milanesa which is served in Italy, Mexico and Brazil.
The History of Chicken Schnitzel
There have been disputes between the Austrians and the Italians as to the origins of the schnitzel. The Italians claim that their version of the schnitzel, the milanesa, dates all the way back to the 11th century. However, Austrians claim that their version dates back even further to the middle ages!
Schnitzel itself originates in Austria and is described as a thin slice of meat which is battered in breadcrumbs and fried. For schnitzel, a variety of different meats can be used, for example, chicken, pork, turkey and the more common, veal which is actually known as wiener schnitzel.
Chicken schnitzel is made with thin slices of chicken breast (sometimes pounded for even more thinness), which are then dipped in flour, egg mixture and breadcrumbs. The fillets are then fried for a couple of minutes each side until brown and crispy.
Schnitzel is a very simple, quick but INCREDIBLY TASTY dish to whip up, and is often served with an authentic Austrian potato salad or cucumber and sour cream salad. Traditionally, It should then garnished with lemon slices and cranberry or lingonberry sauce.
Our Cooking Class Experience
Ben and I signed up for yet ANOTHER fantastic Airbnb cooking experience. We are quickly discovering that it is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local culture! You also get the added bonus of cooking delicious food whilst interacting with interesting people from all walks of life.
Our “Schnitzel & Strudel” cooking class took place in a beautiful Viennese Biedermeier-Style house from the 1800s. Our host was extremely welcoming and accommodating and possessed a true passion for her country’s cuisine and family history.
Prepped, cooked and ready to eat in just under 30 minutes, chicken schnitzel is the PERFECT tasty and fuss-free meal for busy lives!
I hope you enjoy this authentic chicken schnitzel recipe! Let us know if you make any additions or substitutions.
This delicious Austrian potato salad is the traditional accompaniment to wiener schnitzel, one of the principal delicacies of Austria.
It is light, cool and when combined with schnitzel and lingonberry sauce, it is absolutely DEVINE! This simple dish uses basic, common ingredients and is quick and easy to prepare. In addition to schnitzel, it is also perfect for summer barbecues and picnics.
When Ben and I tried our first schnitzels in the heart of Vienna, we were taken aback by the potato salad, as for some reason we assumed it would be hot! We were thinking of common meat accompaniments, for example, boiled potatoes and chips and were expecting something similar.
Clearly we were uncultured swines who had no knowledge of authentic Austrian cuisine, and for that, we apologise!
Traditional Austrian potato salad differs from typical American potato salad in that it is much lighter due to the absence of mayonnaise. Instead, it has an apple cider vinegar base with the added flavours of Dijon mustard, garlic, and onions.
It is important to use the right kind of potato in this salad, otherwise, they could quickly crumble and won’t be the right consistency.
For this recipe, I would recommend small to medium-sized waxy potatoes. Doing this allows you to achieve perfect slices without as many crumblies!
I hope you enjoy this fresh Austrian potato salad! Let us know if you make any additions or substitutions!
This recipe is the perfect side salad for a hearty main meal. Sour cream and cucumber salad is a simple, fresh and delicious traditional addition to a Viennese schnitzel dish as it is light and compliments the breaded meat beautifully!
Sour cream and cucumber salad is particularly common in Austria, Hungary, and Poland. It works well with a variety of meats including chicken, pork and fish. A cooling and refreshing medley of sour cream, garlic, and cucumbers, it is also ideal for a summer barbeque!
Similarly to other salad recipes, it tastes great after being chilled for a few hours to enhance the flavours, and can, therefore, be made quite far in advance.
The key to this salad is to use English cucumbers and for the cucumbers to be sliced as thinly as possible, by using either a peeler or a mandolin. The thinner the better, as they should appear almost translucent.
Further additions to this recipe can include thinly sliced onions and garlic. Despite these ingredients not being traditional, they can still be a great accompaniment if you’re looking for a thicker consistency or slightly crunchier salad.
I hope you enjoy this delicious refreshing cucumber salad! Let us know if you make any additions or substitutions!
December has arrived and Christmas is almost upon us! If now isn’t the best time to eat some delicious, heartwarming Viennese potato soup, then I don’t know what is!
This soup is a hot and hearty medley of potatoes, carrots, and celeriac, combined with various herbs and spices. It is the perfect cozy evening meal to welcome the chills of the winter season!
The History of Viennese Potato Soup
Potatoes were first brought to Vienna in 1588 by botanist Charles de L’Ecluse. Despite initially considered to be harmful and noxious, during the Napoleonic Wars, the popularity of potatoes increased due to wide food shortages.
Today, potatoes are a prominent ingredient in various Viennese dishes and are served in a variety of ways. These include being boiled, fried, puréed and even being used as a dough for Austrian dumplings or noodles!
Our Cooking Class Experience
Ben and I learned this delicious recipe during a fantastic cooking class in Vienna which we organised through Airbnb Experiences.
We spent three hours in a beautiful Viennese Biedermeier-Style house from the 1800s, learning a wide variety of dishes from soup, to schnitzel to strudel. Our host was extremely welcoming and accommodating and possessed a true passion for her country’s cuisine and family history.
Traditional Viennese potato soup usually features dried porcini mushrooms, however, as your lovely author is allergic, they have been left out from this recipe!
If you do wish to include mushrooms for a more authentic recipe, use 15 grams of dried porcini or fresh button mushrooms.
Welcome Christmas-time with the cozy cuddle of some hearty traditional Austrian soup – the PERFECT hot dish for a cold winter night!
I hope you enjoy this heartwarming Viennese recipe! Let us know if you make any additions or substitutions, for example – mushrooms!
Lost & Wild Thoughts. 