Austria’s Culinary Symphony
Meat and carbohydrates. That’s the image I normally conjure up when thinking about Austrian cuisine. It’s on the mark, but there’s so much more. Though these ingredients govern most meals, they come in a variety of delicious forms, including schnitzel, wurst, bread, and knödel.
Wurst (sausage) comes in a rainbow of different types. Frankfurters—made with pork and resembling the American hotdog—are normally served with mustard and horseradish. Currywurst is a thick sausage made with pork or veal and drowned in smoky curry sauce. These delicious meaty cylinders are always served with a fresh bread roll, such as the popular Semmel, or other white bread.
Frankfurter with fresh horseradish and mustard
As a social meat eater, I happily indulged in wurst during my visit. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find delicious and convincing veggie wurst options in grocery stores and select restaurants.
Kaspressknödelsuppe with Gösser Austrian beer
Knödel (dumplings) are minced bread made with cheese and sometimes meat. You can find them in soups or as the entrée, slathered in chantarelle or other savory sauce. One of my favorite summer snacks in Austria is kaspressknödelsuppe (cheese dumpling soup). It’s made with a clear savory broth with a large bobbing cheese knödel.
Krautfleckerl at Katrin Almhütte
After a rigorous 1,200-meter hike to Katrin alp near Bad Ischl, I rewarded myself with a cold beer and a delicious Austria meal at the popular Kartin Almhütte atop the mountain. I started with savory kaspressknödelsuppe before carb-replenishing with krautfleckerl—a warm dish of cabbage with noodles. Overlooking dense forests and jagged mountain tops, this was the perfect reprieve before the long hike back down.
Given my proximity to several glacial lakes and reputably clean waters, I opted to try the local fish. Trout was the popular and most abundant choice. The meat is tender and light with no hint of the dreaded fish taste that can be prominent. You can find it at fancy sit-down restaurants or casual lakeside huts.
Wolfgang See trout served on salt block
My favorite trout sampling was in Bad Ischl at Kaisersfeinstes (Kaiser’s Finest) where the restaurant, normally seating 14, was run by one woman, Patricia, who performed the cooking, cleaning, and waiting on customers. The trout was served raw on a hot salt block where it cooked over a few minutes. Paired with a crisp Austrian white wine, it was supreme. The cozy dining atmosphere and the marvel that was a one-woman operation made this one of my favorite stops.
Obertrumer beer from Salzburg region
I stumbled upon chantarelle season in Austria, which runs from late summer to autumn. This bright orange fan-shaped fungus carries fruity and nutty notes. They’re sold in copious amounts in local farmers’ markets and can easily be found on most menus made into soups, tossed on salads, or spooned over knödels in a delicate sauce.
A shot of local schnapps rounds off a satisfying meal. Plum and apple are popular local varieties, but the schnapps list runs on. There’s hazelnut, blood orange, and pear to name a few. My personal favorite is zirben (pine) schnapps. Made with stone pine, the cones are hand-picked in June and July before they become woody. Satisfying to the last drop, the essence of this unique liquor brings forward the fresh green earthy forest flavor.
Austrian food has a wonderful balance of protein and carbohydrates using simple tasty ingredients. Seasonal treats such as chantarelles add dynamism and diversity to Alpen cuisine.