Austria

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The Wachau is a region which straddles the banks of the Danube, is rich in history and blessed with a mild climate and outstanding white wines. Surrounded by this magic scenery a Festival takes place that over the past seven editions has won its place on the international gastronomy scene. During its three-week-long program, the world heritage site of Wachau dazzles with a delicious culinary programme and the presence of top international chefs.

At the beginning of May, the Vienna Stadtpark will be turned into a place of epicurean delights: The "Genussfestival" will be a showcase for select culinary specialties from Austria.

Over the last six years, "wachau GOURMETfestival" has been established as one of the most important international culinary art festivals. It is mentioned in one breath with festivals in St. Moritz or Rheingau and other benchmarks and has long outrun numerous traditional and well-established festivals.

In the city of Salzburg the month of March is marked by the EAT & MEET culinary festival.

Sachergugelhupf Recipes

The reason why the Hotel “Sacher” is as popular as Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace is not its luxury accommodation, but the Sachertorte. Its fame has spread well beyond Austria and it is also the basis for this Gugelhupf recipe.

Oil cakes have a long tradition especially in Mediterranean countries where olive oil is abundant. In Austria sunflower or rape oil is used instead and candied bitter orange peel, aranzini, and pine kernels are also added.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is said to have loved sweet dishes prepared with almonds, marzipan and sugar such as the famous Mozartkugel chocolates, or the majestic Mozart-Gugelhupf.

The Austrians are convinced that the word “Gugelhupf” origins in the Middle High German “gugele” (monk’s hood) and “hopf” (yeast). It might also come from the Alsace “Kouglhof”, though, a sweet dish which, according to legend, the Three Wise Men carried with them.

Once the size of the Austrian poppy harvest was capable of influencing even the English stock market! That’s exactly what happened in the 1930s, when the Waldviertel Graumohn poppy was being traded on the London Commodities Market. Even though those are bygone days, poppy-growing in Austria is still booming, and along with it the cakes cooked with poppy seeds with the Mohngugelhupf being one of the most special delicacies the country has to offer.

The Marmorgugelhupf definitely presides over apple strudel, Powidlgolatschen (a glazed pastry with a plum jam filling) and all the other sweet dishes in the cake display of Austrian coffee houses.