A culinary trip to Austria and Hungary
Hallo and Helló!
I spent the last week in Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. Since those places are a historical center point for the 18th and 19th century (which was also the time where patisserie began growing), I had lots of chances to visit old castles where Bakers would invent new recipes, visit cafes and patisseries and check out the local history of baking. And here is a summary of my trip!
Vienna
My first café visit was in Cafe Central in Vienna. Although we had to wait in line for a short time, it was more than worth waiting. The Cafe Central is one of the many Coffee-houses in Vienna, and serve a big variety of baked goods and coffee. The highlight, as in every viennese cafe, is the Sachertorte. Being invented by a young apprentice in 1832 it probably is the most famous cake of Austria. Now, the recipe is kept secret in the Sacher hotel, but what I can tell you is that the Sachertorte is a chocolate cake filled with apricot jam. Of course I tried a piece, although it was the Cafe Centrals recipe, not the original Sacher. The cake is very rich and the apricot jam makes it even heavier in my opinion, with makes it a treat that I would not want to have that often.
The cake that I enjoyed a lot more was the "Sommerkuss" (summer kiss), which was a mille feuille with cream and raspberry sauce. It was my first encounter with this dough and I was pleasantly surprised!
Budapest
In Budapest, Hungary I visited the Szamos Cafe right next to the parlament. Downstairs is the self service cafe and upstairs a chocolate museum which I visited as well. As a special sight there is a kitchen in the cafe with a full glass wall so you can observe the patissieres at work. Since we learned a lot about chocolate, I went for the classic chocolate cake. (Although I later tried the Esterházy cake in Gödöllö, it is a nice cake but I was not completely taken away by it since I'm not the biggest fan of nut cakes)
Historic parts
What I enjoyed a lot was to see the development of fine baking in the austrian and hungarian royal palaces. In a visit in the viennese "silver chamber" which holds almost all pieces of the old royal dishes, cutlery and tools I came to see the very old cake and jelly molds that were used in the period of invention of most patisserie items today.
I also went to the "Naschmarkt". That is a market where many spices, herbs, fruit and exotic food are being sold. You often get the chance to try the food ("naschen= nibble/treat). The big variety of unusual foods and ingredients definitely inspired me! I purchased a pot of raspberry powder and I wish I could have bought all dried and powdered fruits but my bank account didn't quite allow that.
In the hungarian chocolate museum you can see lots of old (partially toxic !) chocolate molds. They used to be handmade by the chocolatiers and it is interesting to see the chosen motives. Next to classical chocolate Santa Clauses there are fish, pig, sports tools and rat molds.
I was definitely inspired and learned a lot on my trip. I hope you had as much fun reading this post as I had writing it :)
Have a productive day ♥ Greta
I spent the last week in Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. Since those places are a historical center point for the 18th and 19th century (which was also the time where patisserie began growing), I had lots of chances to visit old castles where Bakers would invent new recipes, visit cafes and patisseries and check out the local history of baking. And here is a summary of my trip!Vienna
My first café visit was in Cafe Central in Vienna. Although we had to wait in line for a short time, it was more than worth waiting. The Cafe Central is one of the many Coffee-houses in Vienna, and serve a big variety of baked goods and coffee. The highlight, as in every viennese cafe, is the Sachertorte. Being invented by a young apprentice in 1832 it probably is the most famous cake of Austria. Now, the recipe is kept secret in the Sacher hotel, but what I can tell you is that the Sachertorte is a chocolate cake filled with apricot jam. Of course I tried a piece, although it was the Cafe Centrals recipe, not the original Sacher. The cake is very rich and the apricot jam makes it even heavier in my opinion, with makes it a treat that I would not want to have that often.
Budapest
In Budapest, Hungary I visited the Szamos Cafe right next to the parlament. Downstairs is the self service cafe and upstairs a chocolate museum which I visited as well. As a special sight there is a kitchen in the cafe with a full glass wall so you can observe the patissieres at work. Since we learned a lot about chocolate, I went for the classic chocolate cake. (Although I later tried the Esterházy cake in Gödöllö, it is a nice cake but I was not completely taken away by it since I'm not the biggest fan of nut cakes)Historic parts
What I enjoyed a lot was to see the development of fine baking in the austrian and hungarian royal palaces. In a visit in the viennese "silver chamber" which holds almost all pieces of the old royal dishes, cutlery and tools I came to see the very old cake and jelly molds that were used in the period of invention of most patisserie items today.I also went to the "Naschmarkt". That is a market where many spices, herbs, fruit and exotic food are being sold. You often get the chance to try the food ("naschen= nibble/treat). The big variety of unusual foods and ingredients definitely inspired me! I purchased a pot of raspberry powder and I wish I could have bought all dried and powdered fruits but my bank account didn't quite allow that.
In the hungarian chocolate museum you can see lots of old (partially toxic !) chocolate molds. They used to be handmade by the chocolatiers and it is interesting to see the chosen motives. Next to classical chocolate Santa Clauses there are fish, pig, sports tools and rat molds.I was definitely inspired and learned a lot on my trip. I hope you had as much fun reading this post as I had writing it :)
Have a productive day ♥ Greta
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