Recipe Ghent Waterzooi

The borders between today’s Austria and its southern neighbours are particularly dissipating in Carinthia. Instead of drizzling with melted butter, here the famous ‘Kasnudel’ are topped with melted Sasaka: the word comes from the Slovenian language and simply means finely-diced bacon or a type of lardons. Besides being a wonderfully spicy spread for bread, it also figures prominently in Styrian cuisine, proving that the colorful culinary merry-go-round in the former territories of the Habsburg Monarchy is still vibrant today.

The lake trout “swims across” national borders and makes itself at home in deep, oxygen-rich lakes: in northern Russia, in Scandinavia, in the Baltic states, in Iceland. And of course, in Austria’s lakes. The sea trout is truly a globetrotter. In past times, it was the main fish to be found in Austrian lakes such as the Weissensee or the Millstätter See. And it is a great favourite with Austrian chefs and gastronomes. There’s very good reason for which the sea trout is the “Austrian Fish of the Year 2013”.

Strudel, štrudl, štrudla and štrukli – these are the names given by our neighbors in Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to this sweet dream of light pastry and its juicy filling. But in English, the only word which has made it into common use is the German “Strudel”. That is a powerful signal of just how famous the Viennese Apfelstrudel has now become internationally. But it’s all too easily forgotten that this fine pastry once traveled an extensive route from Arabia via the Ottoman Empire and Turkey, before becoming resident in Vienna. However, the long journey was worth it!

All over the world, German cuisine is associated with traditional Bavarian dishes. Thinking about German food, who would not mention pretzels, sauerkraut, dumplings and of course, the home-made Spätzle noodles!