Tomorrow marks week number two in which I have lived a dream life in a dream country.
Here is the Food History.com's description
What is Wiener Schnitzel
Wienerschnitzel is a thin crumbed slice of veal (usually 3 to 6 ounces) fried in oil and served with lemon, and often ligonberry jam and Erdapfel potato salad (German Potato Salad) Pomme Frits (French Fries) or boiled potatoes with parsley and butter.
Sometimes gold dust was added to the crumb mixture to give it an even better golden brown color.
What does the word Wiener Schnitzel come from?
It basically means schnitzel in the style of Vienna, (Wiener) Austria.
In Austria, the term Wiener Schnitzel is protected by law, and any schnitzel called by that name has to be made from veal.
When was the first Wiener Schnitzel made?
"Wiener Schnitzel and its Italian counterpart, Cotoletta Milanese, involved two Hapsburg domains in a culinary quarrel. Both branches of the family, Austrian and Italian, claimed credit for the invention of the dish, the latter branch tracing their claim all the way back to a banquet given in 1134 for the canon of Milan's St. Ambrogio Cathedral."
---Horizon Cookbook and Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking Through the Ages, William Harlan Hale [American Heritage:New York] 1968 (p. 516)
Now, the Schnitzel is made from pork, beef, and Johnathan's favorite, a cordon bleu schnitzel. This seems to be an unnatural combining of cultures and therefore, I stick to the traditional Schnitzel mit Pommes Frits.
We ate at a national landmark (like our McDonald's, a little) Der Schnitzel Haus. The menu contained various styles of schnitzel and the side dishes. Of course, I have to depend on the pictures and the few German words I have learned. The process requires them to cook it when ordered though. (Waiting is a Viennese "pastime" also) When served, a culinary wonder occurs. This transcends continents and reminds me of a combination of the aforementioned Chicken Fried steak AND Fried Catfish. Wunderbar! Stack that sucker onto a stack of fries,and ya'll got a meal fit for an Okie in Austria.
I have decided to begin an Official Schnitzel Consumption Counter.
Today the SCC is at 6 Schitzels.
A little low for two weeks, I know (especially since there is a small street vendor called Schnitzel Hertzendorf just 6 blocks from our house). I will catch up by visiting all the recommended places our players have suggested. Here is what I have learned. I an Austrian suggests something to eat. Order it. It WILL be good. Don't try to do it yourself. Take their suggestion. (This does NOT include any blood sausage for this boy though)
Today, our defensive captain, Fritz Limbeck, took us to Vapiano. Fritz transported us through crowded, (with traffic and pedestrians)narrow streets at a speed and style in which I was a little uncomfortable. Especially when we went into the oncoming lane of traffic to beat a line of cars so he could take a corner in a hurry. (This doesn't compare to a guy that I witnessed pull his car into oncoming traffic, make a U turn, and parallel his small car. All in less than the time it took to write this).
You always have to search frantically for a parking place and plan on walking a while when you find one. Discovering the elusive parking place, we enter this bustling Italian restaurant. Upon entering, you are given a card with which you swipe when you receive your order. When you leave, you swipe the card again and pay the amount. If you lose your card, 50 euros is the standard amount to get out of the place. The menu is on a large chalk board above about 8 cooking stations in which patrons wait while the cook prepares their order. Seating is then largely a matter of luck. Stools that face long bars are the norm. You may or may not sit alone with your party. Steam and smoke rise above the cook stations while people chat. It is a cacophony of the combination of noise from the kitchen, the clientele, and the sounds of people enjoying or anticipating a good meal..
Don't go into an Austrian eating establishment in a hurry. (Not even McDonalds). We get lucky and a cook opens a new line near ours, we jump lines and in no time are watching our spaghetti Bolognese with sausage, rosemary, peppers, and grated cheese from Parma, Italy being produced. The cook is fluent in English and changes back and forth from German as she is cooking Fritz’s, as well as mine at the same time. We receive the amazing looking dish, and navigate our trays through the crowd to where Johnathan has commandeered a spot for the three of us. The desire to speak departs from me as a glimpse of pasta-lined heaven appears on my palette. Oh great, another good place to eat. Just what every “man-sized” person wants to discover.
Following the main course, we are enticed to the desert bar. I order cheesecake. Can you believe it? It also tasted good. We sit at a small table in large, red leather chairs to consume our desert. Then I lean back in the chair the way one does when finishing a memorable meal.
We return to the Villa. Finalizing practice plans, we load into Coach’s van and drive to Modling. Two and a half hours in a balmy 23 degree night practice later, we are back at the Villa, where Coach Manny Auzinger (O-line coach and techno guru) installs a cube that uses the newest portable cell phone technology to acquire wireless internet signal. It is called a webcube. No cable, no satellite dish, no phone line. Pay a flat rate and connect up to 5 wireless computers to it. Gotta’ get me one of these in the states. Bye-bye overpriced land line internet.
I build a fire and sit in the dark gazing into the flames. I have portrayed some of the sights, sounds, and tastes, I have encountered. But at times like these, in the flickering dance of the flames, I miss Susan. I always do, but activity such as a trip into the center of an amazing city makes for a great diversion. Now it is quiet and I am alone with memories and the gnawing realization that I am experiencing this without my “besten fruenden”. Talking on the phone is a poor substitute and I am proud of how she has lived with her decision to remain to teach her students.
I miss all my family, students , city, and team. Thirty-two years of memories don’t fade with 2 weeks in even a wonderful locale as this.
Tomorrow, an interview and more adventure.
Ciao.
Escalope of veal
ReplyDeleteThe Wiener schnitzel is traditionally made from veal. The butcher cuts the tender, lean meat from the topside of veal. It is, for frying chips ideally suited for. Similarly, one can take but sliced meat from veal or back.
Pork cutlet
The pork is very juicy. Let us cut the meat from the butcher from hip or leg. 8 mm thick, slightly light pink pieces, laced with fine veins fat (marbling) and a slightly matte surface is characterized by a good piece of meat for steak meat.
# The chips cold rinse, pat dry and lightly tap (plate) and cut slightly more time on the edges.
# flour and bread crumbs give each in a plate or shallow bowl.
# The egg in a dish with milk and lightly salted Whisk.
# The steak with salt and pepper (and maybe some crushed garlic) rub.
# Now the bread chips. I.e. one after the first turn in the flour, then pass through the egg and at the close of business in the bread crumbs (bread crumbs).
# Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan, the chips 2 - fry 3 minutes, turn and add 1 tablespoon butter geh. Next 2 - 3 minutes fry.
Drain the fried chips let # (perhaps dab with kitchen roll the fat) and serve with a lemon slice.