a taste of vienna

	A Taste of Vienna
	Text: Joshua Korn, Katharina Schenk----- Pics: © by Georg und Katharina Schenk	Eating in Vienna can be dangerous- at least the food will certainly make you look like a dumpling within hours.

Eating in Vienna can be dangerous - at least, the food will certainly make you look like a dumpling within a few hours. Traditional Viennese food is full of fat; it has a lot of calories.

Typical Viennese food originates in a period of time when people's lives were much harder so that they needed every calorie in form of fat and carbon hydrates to survive. Of course, a large number of traditional dishes have now been modified to less fatty versions, for example, many specialities are "paniert" which means "battered"; the well-known dish "Wiener Schnitzel" isn't fried in pork lard anymore (as done traditionally), but fried in vegetable oil or butter. Modern versions are slightly healthier, still extremely rich in calories - and delicious!
There are other traditional Viennese dishes which are time-consuming in their preparation; some of them are commonly eaten on holidays, at parties, family reunions or when guests are expected. "Blutwurst" is a sausage the main ingredient of which is blood (not unlike the British black pudding). "Sauerkraut" is a popular diet not only in Austria but also Germany; it is a fermented form of cabbage. There are various types of preparation; it is mostly eaten with "Knoedel"- Austrian dumplings. "Knoedel" can be made from bread, potatoes or flour and can be savoury or sweet (filled with fruit such as plums or apricots). Versions of "Knoedel" are also common in traditional Eastern European cuisine. "Knoedel"date back to the time when Vienna was the centre of the Austro- Hungarian Empire. At that time, further Viennese specialities such as "Palatschinken" (pancakes), "Leberknoedelsuppe" (liverdumpling soup) or "Mohr im Hemd" (a tasty chocolate cake with chocolate sauce and cream) were created. Viennese cuisine is influenced by Western and Eastern European cooking, which illustrates Vienna's importance as the gateway between the East and West.

It is not unusual during an ordinary working day to eat a breakfast that is more like a brunch followed by a three-course lunch followed by a huge dinner. According to the "First Viennese nourishment report" half of all people eat these classical three meals without anything in between. The modern-day phenomenon of snacking and dieting, however, is on the increase in Vienna. These days, many young people - especially students - are more conscious of keeping their bodies in shape. The Viennese nourishment report found that 63 % of the Viennese students questioned in the study mention that their nourishment habits changed when they started studying and that the main motivation for these changes were health reasons. Despite the change in eating habits among the young, most people still eat simple traditional Viennese food at least once per week.

Eating out is very popular in Vienna and there are many different types of eating places - traditional, modern as well as international - and, of course, fast food restaurants. Most young people in Vienna love McDonald's (and similar fast food- chains), but for many years, Vienna has had its own fast food place: the "Wuerstelstand" where " Wuerstel" sausages, of which there are many types such as "Kaesekrainer" or "Burenwurst"- are sold, usually with different kinds of bread and mustard. People eat " Wuerstel" at the "Wuerstelstand" as if they were standing at a bar, even at sub-zero temperatures. Going to the "Wuerstelstand" means much more than just having a snack, eating a sausage and drinking beer. " Wuerstelstaende" are also places of communication. They are open till late in the night or even early in the morning. All types of people go to the "Wuerstelstand" - from the homeless to the bank manager. Many people go there just to find someone to talk to. In contrast to fast food- culture, Vienna offers a myriad of Chinese, Japanese, mediterranean, African and Eastern European restaurants which mirror the multicultural diversity of modern Vienna as well as the "Gasthaus", which is an old- style Austrian eating place. The "Gasthaus" was used as a second living room in former times when many people lived in cramped and substandard housing. It was (and in a way still is) a "home from home" where one can sit, relax, chat, read the newspapers provided or even play cards with friends. The modern day "Gasthaus" is indeed very comfortable and homely, serving Viennese cuisine.

Of course, a taste of Vienna would not be complete without mentioning the varied markets both Austrian and Balkan. The markets are an alternative to the supermarkets because they sell a wide range of food products some of which are difficult or impossible to obtain at supermarkets, such as exotic spices or Turkish products.

Eating in Vienna mirrors the life in Vienna, a mixture of the old and the new. Vienna is a modern city, but it does not neglect traditions. Having a family lunch on Sundays and holidays is still common, but during the week one may as well eat Chinese food or at McDonald's every night. Vienna has a history of being a melting pot of peoples from different cultures, in the past from West and East Europe, but nowadays also from Turkey, Greece, Africa and Asia. All the people that continue to populate Vienna bring with them new and varied influences on food. Eating in Vienna is not always dangerous; after a "Knoedel", "Wiener Schnitzel" and "Apfelstrudel" orgy, try eating Sushi for a while. It is low-fat, healthy and delicious!

Sources:

-Erster Wiener Ernaehrungsbericht. Hg.: WHO. Wien 1994, S. 170-208;

-Inge Lehne/ Lonnie Johnson: VIENNA- The Past in the Present. Wien: Oesterreichischer Bundesverlag 1995.