In short, we went to Germany and Austria. First stop was Frankfut where we ate mostly meat. Lots of meat. Huge amounts of meat. Especially sausages! Sausages, Schnitzel, and sautéed potatoes. Always started and followed by beer... enough beer to fill a swimming pool with it.
Frankfurt
Austria
I had never been to Austria before, nor had I eaten cake in a car before. Two firsts!! We had a six hour drive to Austria so I guess our friend Ingrid figured the best way to keep me quiet was to feed me her Almond cake.
Ingrid's Mallorquin Almond Cake
8 eggs (separated)
250 g icing sugar
250 g ground almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
peel of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp caster sugar
few drops Vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
Beat the egg whites. Beat the yolks with sugar and Vanilla essence until creamy and pale. Fold in almonds, cinnamon, baking powder and lemon peel. At the end fold in the beaten egg whites carefully. Bake approx. 40 minutes at 175 degrees.
We stayed in a place called Mittelberg, second last spot where you can leave your car before starting the climb up the mountains. An amazing place with only locally sourced foods and wines. The place below was definately the best by a long shot. Waitress was serving us wearing a "Dirndl" (a traditional dress based on the historical costume of Alpine peasants), and all the meat is sourced from the mountains around, even the farmers get a mention and a photo! Seriously recommended.
A lamb a cheese ravioli with crispy shallots to start! Named after the Walser region. I swear I knew that!
„As Wild mit Blauchruudknöödel ond Türggastrudel“
This was deer leg roulade, stuffed with porcini mushrooms, with a polenta strudel, deep fried red cabbage and chocolate dumplings and a vanilla and juniper berry sauce!
„Bachene Fleischkrapfa“
Lamb mince, wrapped in studdel pastry, deep fried, served with a wild mushroom sauce.
We finished our meals with a regional cheese board with a Quark mouse:
We drank:
2009 Grüner Veltliner „Ried Kreutless“ Federspiel
Smoky and nutty with a core of quince. A hint of pink pepper. A decent white to start a meal.
Vineyard Knoll, Unterloiben, Wachau
2007 Cuvée 7², Sieben Sommeliérs Kleinwalsertal
Ruby-red with violet reflexes. Distinctive flavour of cherries, damson plums and cinnamon. Compact and full-bodied, lots of Tannins, and ripe fruits, really enjoyed that one!
House-red, in cooperation with the Vineyard Gager, Deutschkreutz
Widdersteinhütte
(Chalet at the foot of the "Widderstein" peak, 2500 m)
Like Dampfnudeln, Austrian Germknödel are a flour-based dessert, a proper house-made speciality. "Germ" is the Austrian word for yeast and these yeasted dumplings hide a surprise inside. A spoonful of "Powidl" (plum butter) is placed on the dough, which is then formed into a ball. Served either with melted butter or vanilla sauce and poppy seeds crushed with sugar.
... and "Apfelstrudel"
(we got the first slice, straight from the oven...!)
flushed down with a pint of a local "Weizen" beer:
Later on we got hungry again (surprise!), this was our chalet-dinner:
Beef & pork sausages with Sauerkraut
Vegetable Omlette with mountain herbs
Our last pint at the second chalet, the "Mindelheimer Hütte", shortly before we hit the road down from 2000 metres ...
5 hours, 2 bus trips, few blisters, legs like jelly and absulutely idiotic-looking sunburnt later (despite using SPF 50+), hunted by a vision of spending the rest of the day (and probably night) stuck on the way, covered in mud because cought by a coming up storm, we arrived back in our village, where we luckily found a hotel room to spend the last night. And there it was again, a thunder storm! On the next morning, back to 29 degrees, we headed back towards Mrs Saltysquids parental residence. Unable to walk for days, we committed to more BBQs, beer in the sun and maybe this time a little more salad and veg...
