Saffron and Austrian Viennese Cuisine : An Enduring and Tasteful Friendship

Austria is a country well-known for its imperial grandeur. It is the country which paved a hallway to fame and fortune to Haydn, Mozart and Strauss. Austria cannot be complete without the mention of the famous movie ”Sound of Music”. This melodious film, starring Julie Andrews, was shot in Salzburg, one of the most fascinating cities in the whole of Austria.

There is no doubt that Austria has a great musical heritage. Austria offers both pristine landscapes and a sophisticated urban center. It is a country where nature and technological advances collide but amicably.

With its fertile forests, bouncing vineyards, lush meadows, undulating hills, scenic river landscapes and idyllic moors, Austria’s largest province has a variety of scenery and landscapes that is unique in Central Europe.

The wine-tasting sessions are a delightful presentation to Austria's take on champagne, but it's the scenic beauty that is actually incredible.

When it comes to Austria, you perhaps think of the River Danube, Mozart, and the flair they have for turning out the most fabulous sweet pastries and desserts. But before we head off on a musical trail, let’s step back a moment and consider the role Austria has played in spreading the cultivation of Saffron in Spain.

Saffron looks back on a long history in lower Austria and has left its mark on the region’s culture and traditions. The importation of Saffron in Austria has existed since 1200 AD. The high-quality dishes produced using Saffron in Austria are renowned across the planet. It was introduced by Greek Kozani farmers in the 17th century and by various local merchants who brought bulbs and samples back with them to Austria from far away places.

Walking through the magnificent Gothic architectural structures you can’t help but think about the huge cultural tides that have shaped the cuisine of Austria. Classic or contemporary ,simple or elaborate, regional or international - the cross-cultural cuisines and the elegant culture of Austria are a constant source of pleasure for bon vivants.

It is really difficult to pen down the sheer pleasure of the ecstatic Austrian cuisine. Austrian cuisine is also called Vienna cuisine. Vienna and Cuisine are inseparable like the yin and the yang .Culinary delights such as ‘Buchteln’ (sweet bread with a jam filling), ‘Muas’ (a kind of pancake) or herb tea can be sampled with great pleasure. The taste of Alpine pasture butter on warm fresh, home-baked bread served will transport you with pleasure. Cakes and pastries are of course a special attraction of every coffee house. They are almost always home-made, often carefully guarded house recipes. Creativity and high-precision expertise are the emblems of traditional Austrian cuisine and seldom will you find a highly acclaimed recipe without saffron.

Austrian cuisine is an amalgamation of different culinary delights. Over many generations a distinctive tradition of Austrian Cuisine has developed. Although Austria as a country is not large in terms of land mass , but in terms of the cultural heritage and large warmheartedness of its residents, one can be assured that it is has a tremendous culinary impact on the world.

Its historic and renowned cuisine draw millions of food enthusiasts across the globe each year. The history of Austria's rich multi -Cuisine is best described in the verse by Walt Whitman “I am large, I contain multitudes”.

Austria was a mulch-national empire, which was the melting pot of different cultures which in turn contributed their unique style to the cuisine. For example: The versatile Hapsburg Empire spread its wings from Imperial Russia to the Adriatic and comprised of various nationalities. Furthermore, Hapsburg kingdom extended to include Switzerland, Alsace, Burgundy, Spain, Holland, Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy,in the last seven centuries. These kinds of cultural exchange has contributed immensely in shaping Austrian cuisine.

Most of the Austrian delicacies that you can devour in restaurant’s can be found in the homes of the amicable Austrians. Numerous recipes and spices like Saffron have been spread to the European countries thanks to the influential Austrian kingdom.

The onset of Austria’s famous “coffee culture” is the courtesy of the Turkish advance. The Turkish introduced a different sect of spices and drinks to the Austrian kitchen.

Afar from the foreign influences on Austrian cuisine, every Austrian town attributes its own taste to the dishes: Frittatensuppe comes from Syriaacon dumplings from Tyrol; and Salzburg, Mozart’s home, has contributed the so-called Salzburger Nockerln, a sweet soufflé made from egg whites.

Salzbury is famous for its Cheese and beer culture. Upper Austria is renowned for its Dumplings. Burgenland is famous for its fish and poultry dishes.

Now let’s look at a yummy Saffron Austrian dish. It is called Mandlauflauf or Saffron Almond Casserole

Mandlauflauf - Saffron Almond Casserole

Ingredients:

Leftover Bread rolls

Milk

Eggs

Almonds

Raisins

Rum

Vanilla

1 teaspoon of Saffron threads

Butter

Method: Start by soaking the bread roll in milk for about 30 Minutes. Subsequently slice them into small pieces. Now, whisk some egg whites to get nice stiff layering a bowl, combine egg yolks, almonds, raisins , a hint of rum , vanilla , sugar and last but nor least Saffron threads for that extra taste. Yummy, isn’t it? The Casserole should be gently greased with butter. Properly blend in all the elements in a Casserole and bake it.

To serve: You can serve your Mandlauflauf or Saffron Almond Casserole with fruit pie.

Unquestionably, sweet desserts are favorites with everyone. However, this Austrian dessert is a full course meal. Moreover, looks like a very economical one as well, considering the fact that leftover bread rolls are used in it .

Saffron was very commonly used in the 17th century Viennese cuisine especially to give a rich yellow color to the dish. That’s why Saffron and Viennese cuisine form a perennial relationship that has withstood the test of time.