Cuisine of Austria - Regional cuisine - Encyclopedia II

Typically Viennese dishes include:

• Vanillekipferl (sweet vanilla-hazlenut biscuits)
• Apfelstrudel (a kind of apple dessert)
• Topfenstrudel (a cream cheese strudel)
• Palatschinke (a Viennese crêpe, from the Hungarian palacsinta)
• Powidl
• Wiener schnitzel
• Sachertorte (a chocolate cake)
• Tafelspitz (boiled beef, often served with apple and horseradish sauce)
• Goulash (a hotpot similar to Hungarian pörkölt - gulyás is a soup in hungary)
• Selchfleisch (smoked meat) with sauerkraut und dumplings.
• Rindsuppe (beef soup)
• Beuschel (a ragout containing calf lungs and heart)
• Liptauer cheese

The Danish pastry is said to originate from Vienna and in Denmark is called wienerbrød (Viennese bread). But that is probably because it uses a certain kind of dough consisting of butter and flour in the classic cuisine refered to as "Viennese Dough".

In Lower Austria, local delicacies such as Waldviertel poppies, Marchfeld asparagus and Wachau apricots are cultivated. Their influence can be felt in the local cuisine, for example in poppy noodles. Game dishes are very common. Lower Austria is striking for the differences within its regional cuisine due to its size and the variety of its landscape.

Burgenland's cuisine has been influenced by Hungarian cuisine owing to its former position within the Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Dishes consist mainly of fish, chicken or goose, for example goose livers. Polenta is a popular side-dish. On St Martin's Day (November 11) a Martinigans (St Martin's goose) is often prepared, whilst carp is a typical Christmas dish.

In Styrian Buschenschanken (inns), Verhackertes (a spread made from finely chopped bacon) is served. Schilcher, a very dry rosé, is the regional style of wine in West Styria. A typically Styrian delicacy is pumpkin seed oil, which lends itself particularly to salads on account of its nutty taste. Many varieties of pumpkin dish are also very popular. Heidensterz, a pancake made from buckwheat flour, is a local dish enjoyed in cold weather.

Carinthia's many lakes mean that fish is a popular main course. Grain, dairy produce and meat are important ingredients in Carinthian cuisine. Carinthian Kasnudeln (noodle dough pockets filled with quark and mint) and smaller Schlickkrapfen (mainly with a meat filling) are well-known local delicacies. Klachlsuppe (pig's trotter soup) and Reindling (a type of fruit loaf) are also produced locally.

Various types of dumpling are an important part of Upper Austrian cuisine, as they are in neighbouring Bavaria and Bohemia. The Linzer Torte, a cake which includes ground hazelnuts and marmelade, is a popular dessert from the region.

Kasnockerln (cheese dumplings) are a popular meal, as are freshwater fish, particularly trout, served in various ways. Salzburger Nockerln (a meringue-like dish) is a well-known local dessert.

Tyrolean bacon and all sorts of dumplings play an important roll in the cuisine of the Tyrol. Dumplings are prepared with bacon, spinach or Tyrolean Graukäse (a sour milk cheese) and eaten on their own, in a soup, or as a side-dish. Graukäse is also dressed with oil and vinegar and served garnished with onion rings. Other local delicacies are Tiroler Gröstl (pan-fried meat, potatoes and onions) and Schlutzkrapfen (noodle dough pockets filled with meat or potatoes). Doughnuts and Kiachle (fritters) fried in dripping are also popular. Melchermuas (a type of pancake) is still prepared in an iron pan in alpine lodges.

The cuisine of Vorarlberg has been influenced by the alemannic cuisine of neighbouring Switzerland and Swabia. Cheese and cheese products play a major roll in the cuisine, with Käsknöpfle and Kässpätzle (egg noodles prepared with cheese) being popular dishes. Other delicacies include Krutspätzle (sauerkraut noodles), Käsdönnala (similar to a quiche), Schupfnudla (made from a dough mixing potato and flour), Flädlesuppe (pancake soup), Öpfelküachle (apple cake) and Funkaküachle (cake traditionally eaten on the first Sunday of Lent).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Regional cuisine", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page