The Ritual Master Hello everyone ! It’s already day 10 in our Austrian Advent Calendar, the festive menus are starting to get planned, so I thought I’d share some Austrian cookbooks for inspiration.
I mentioned on the first day of Advent that many Austro-Hungarian customs are still present today in my hometown and in all of my native Transylvania. It was such an amusing experience going through these cookbooks and discovering so many of the dishes of my childhood in their original form.
Let’s begin with the richest historical source for Austrian cooking, Habsburg Cuisine: Imperial Royal Cookbook by Herta Margarete Habsburg-Lothringen. Archduchess Herta Margarete has compiled this little book of recipes from the Imperial household as a gift to offer on her official travels, something that would promote Austrian traditions and be very personal at the same time. The recipes themselves are accompanied by historical anecdotes and family photos, it’s a cookbook that you enjoy reading on its own, not only when cooking or searching for inspiration. I have to mention the brief yet essential tour of all the Imperial provinces, many of which are independent states nowadays. Their contribution to the gastronomy of the Empire is not only recognized but highly appreciated to this day.
My second cookbook is connected to one of the Internationally known symbols of Austrian gastronomical excellence : the Sacher Hotel. The hotel was founded in 1876 by Eduard Sacher, son of the famous confectioner Franz Sacher who invented the world renouned Sachertorte in 1832. Over the years, the cuisines of this five star Viennese luxury hotel have served royalty and aristocracy alike, from Emperor Franz Joseph to King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, Queen Elisabeth II and Prince Philip, or Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly. The exquisite recipes concocted to receive such fine guests have been gathered in many different cookbooks, all equally elegant and inspiring. Yet the one thing they have in common is that none of them can reveal the recipe of the Sachertorte, remained secret to this day and closely guarded in the kitchens of the hotel.
Lastly, my guilty pleasure cookbook, The Austrian Café, the best of desserts and pastries. The title says it all, and your taste buds are suddenly more awake than ever. Little delicate pastries, large frosted cakes, pancakes and other sweet delights, everything is possible with a cookbook at hand. It’s the season to indulge, and this is the quickest method of travelling to Austria that will only cost you some flour, sugar and eggs.
I hope you’ll try some Austrian recipes this winter, they will bring a little of the Imperial magic onto your table.
Until tomorrow, happy cooking !
