What’s Eaten Where: Vienna

This is the City of Dreams, the home of Sigmund Freud. But it’s also known as the City of Music, thanks to its rich musical legacy: Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, and Mahler all once lived in Vienna. Even today, the world’s second-largest German-speaking city (after Berlin) is a pretty great place to live, consistently ranked in the top 10 of lists such as Most Liveable City, Most Prosperous… And, it also enjoys a delectable, meaty cuisine…

Although Vienna is renowned for its exquisite cakes and pastries (including the mouth-watering Kaiserschmarrn, thick, fluffy pancakes torn into chunks and served with plum jam and powdered sugar that are said to have been a favourite of emperor Kaiser Franz Joseph) it’s meat dishes which most typify the city.

“There’s goulash; oven roast pork; beef roulades filled with bacon and carrots,” reveals Mary Anglberger, Vienna-based writer, teacher, and expert foodie. “And we’re big on sausages, often served as a main dish with a side of sauerkraut and roast potatoes.”

The classic Viennese dish is Wiener schnitzel: “A thin piece of veal or pork that is breaded and cooked to a crisp brown in a pan bubbling with butter lard,” says Mary. “This is often so big, it barely fits on your plate! Traditionally a Wiener Schnitzel is served with boiled potatoes that are then browned a bit in the pan along with the Schnitzel, sprinkled with fresh parsley. And a real Wiener schnitzel will come with a slice of lemon on top and a dollop of lingonberry jam on the side.”

The Viennese also enjoy their dumplings, or Knödel. “Austrians and their neighbours are all fond of dumplings,” says Mary, “and here they’re considered a real skill; local lore suggests that any bride-to-be would have to win over her future mother-in-law with her Knödel-making skills before joining the family!” Made from stale bread soaked in milk mixed with egg, fried onions, and chopped parsley, they’re apparently delicious. But then so is all of Vienna’s cuisine. Perhaps this should be called the City of Food, instead?