Eating my way through Central Europe
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Breakfast at the Novotel. Not as extensive as yesterday but still interesting.
Eggplant cream to spread on toast. Who knew this was a thing? Have you ever seen it?
Onions sautéed in butter.
Mushrooms sautéed in the British style, this time tarted up with onions and bell pepper.
The bread appeared to be very healthy but there was no sign indicating exactly how healthy.
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We just returned from Eastern Europe (we started in Bucharest and ended in Budapest). I was so thrilled with all of the eggplant dips/spreads - especially in Romania, but we had them everywhere!
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HOT FOR GOULASH.
Very warm today and we were glad when our guide lead us in to a medieval wine cellar circa demonstration of how to make goulash. I’ve heard of it but have never tried it. Cool!
Our instructor had a little demonstration burner set up and perfectly arranged mise en place on an an adjacent table.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/069WNxzFb5q1NdPcg82-fi3cQ
It’s easy enough to make and it used two vegetables that I had never seen in California but I have seen in Ohio grocery stores - celery root end parsley root. I had wondered what one might do with them and now I know. So do the Hungarian people who shop there, presumably.
I really like it! It’s not quite like any soup I’ve ever had, owing largely to the inclusion of crushed caraway seeds. The noodle making procedure is interesting - you make a standard wheat dough, hydrated to the level of Play-doh, and then pick bits off with your fingers. Those are cooked separately and stirred in at the last.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/06c9JQPx6vUNosLr3N6jB5VgQ
That little red dot on the rim of the bowl is some of that hot paprika. I bought some more on the way out.
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FOOD AND WINE
Dinner was billed as a small family winery, operated by the same family for 5 generations. Turned to be somewhat more grand than that - a thriving facility with two restaurants, everything as up to date as next week.
First wine tasting in the 300 year old wine cellar that looks like it’s built yesterday. 3 wines to try -Red, White, Rose. White quite good, Rose OK, Red, not so much. Don’t take my word for it, though, because I don’t drink much wine.
Generous pours as tastings go, so when we sat down to dinner everyone was in a great mood. All local fare in a style I’d describe as CA wine country cooking. All very well made.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/071WRrPn9CuyEvt4wAa7oFhWA
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b4L0vruMtJNr3VOWGmYQYp7w
https://share.icloud.com/photos/02aB44fIjxCvhhsN_VJOyPmHQ
More wine with dinner, a round of toasts, then everyone sang 1970’s pop hits in the bus on the way back to the hotel.
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All sounds lovely @Steve-Miller !
How long is your vacation, all told?
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This bottle cap design is very clever in that the cap doesn’t come fully off. I’ve never seen it before.
All of the bottles are like this - probably a EU regulation. Deserves adoption in the US.
@Steve-Miller said in Eating my way through Central Europe:
This bottle cap design is very clever in that the cap doesn’t come fully off. I’ve never seen it before.
All of the bottles are like this - probably a EU regulation. Deserves adoption in the US.
I fucking hate those things. They make me want to rip them off and litter in protest.
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All sounds lovely @Steve-Miller !
How long is your vacation, all told?
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We’re going home Tuesday.
@Steve-Miller so almost another week to enjoy all the yummies!
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FOOD FOR THE SOUL!
Vienna is the home of Strauss (and Junior) along with Mozart. Classical concert tonight. I’m not a big classical guy despite listening to like 17 cassette tapes on how to enjoy classical music back in the day. I don’t dislike it, just don’t really get it.
This concert was designed for people like me! The selections they chose were ones I know from cartoon shows and Merry go Rounds. One was a piece I recognized from a music box my mother had. They folded in a medley from The Sound of Music and even a bit of Chubby Checker.
The purists in the group were a bit disappointed that they abbreviated each piece to fit it all in. I didn’t mind and want to hear more.
Spectacular hall - 1870-ish. Strauss conducted there at one point. Great acoustics.
And the piano! A fine big Bosendorfer, maybe a 190? It mostly stayed in the background but every once in a while he could really let ‘er rip. The upper register sounded especially pretty to me.
Sweet!
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FOOD FOR THE SOUL!
Vienna is the home of Strauss (and Junior) along with Mozart. Classical concert tonight. I’m not a big classical guy despite listening to like 17 cassette tapes on how to enjoy classical music back in the day. I don’t dislike it, just don’t really get it.
This concert was designed for people like me! The selections they chose were ones I know from cartoon shows and Merry go Rounds. One was a piece I recognized from a music box my mother had. They folded in a medley from The Sound of Music and even a bit of Chubby Checker.
The purists in the group were a bit disappointed that they abbreviated each piece to fit it all in. I didn’t mind and want to hear more.
Spectacular hall - 1870-ish. Strauss conducted there at one point. Great acoustics.
And the piano! A fine big Bosendorfer, maybe a 190? It mostly stayed in the background but every once in a while he could really let ‘er rip. The upper register sounded especially pretty to me.
Sweet!
@Steve-Miller Sounds wonderful! (no pun intended!) And the hall looks fantastic!
I have no problem with making music accessible, and given the trend of fewer and fewer people listening to classical music, I think it's really important as a way to get new listeners and keep casual ones.
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THAT MOZART GUY.
Lunch at the Mozart cafe. You can’t hardly turn around without seeing his name plastered on something. Cafe very nice, ate outdoors.
Had “Schinkenfleckerl”. Think carbonara without any peas. Lots of pepper.
Accompanied by a cucumber salad, again awash in sour cream.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/08f5uSG7FK7GpH2AP1Fe-Kddw
Sachertorte for dessert, made at the hotel that invented it. I really liked it, Sharon not so much.
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Our guide told us about them but I haven’t seen them.
I’ll keep looking.
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Crispy farm duck with dumpling and cabbage with apples.
I don’t know why duck isn’t more popular in the US.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/049n9f68EP31nR7BTOb9TrCfQ
Sorry I messed up the plate before I remembered to take the picture. It looked better when they presented it.
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HOTEL SCHLICKER
Our last night in Europe.
We moved out of the Leonardo, the slick modern hotel the tour company had us in, and moved closer to the city center for the last two days. All of the hotels the tour company chose were fine - clean, modern chains with ample space and air conditioning. Charm, not so much.
Enter Hotel Schlicker. Chosen at random from the Internet, decent reviews, perfect location. Not expensive compared others on Marienplatz - the old city center.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/08dl6t4cRvTs4zrf474wQxDLg
First mentioned as a hotel in city records in 1532, the current building was erected on the site in 1898. It’s been renovated many times since, the latest being about 15 years ago judging by the light fixtures. Room is larger than the ones in most old hotels and the A/C is not only functional but very quiet. Furniture is French Provincial-esque and there are two nice armchairs. Set up for cold weather- two radiators, heated towel bars and windows that seal like refrigerator doors.
Breakfast included. Buffet style. No beans here, no fried mushrooms. Instead we have what I’d call classic hotel food from 50 years ago. They still teach chefs to make this stuff but few ever do.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/00av9g0NXGBX3UgiIw8wQlW8Q
Fruit cups in orange rinds carved to look like flowers. Radish roses. Finger foods like stuffed paprika peppers (yes!) and other small peppers as well, exquisite little pastries. Proper scrambled eggs, small German white sausages. 6 kinds of Muesli. Lots of fruit. Local deli meat - why is it so good? Boars Head eat your heart out - and take your filthy factories with you.
We fly out tomorrow morning so we get one more breakfast - our last meal in Europe. I’ll be reproducing some of what we had at home but I can’t see myself making radish roses any time soon. Even so, I’ll be leaving with the same feeling you get from a proper German supper.
Well satisfied.
