Travel Destinations Archives • European Foodie and Travel Blog©

On the way to Austria, we stopped for a couple days in the in the Salzburg area. Salzburg is located on the border with Germany at the foot of the Eastern Alps. A river name Salzach flows through the middle of the city. On the left bank is the old town, designated as a pedestrian […]

Breads and Pastry

Germany

Northern Europe

Recipes

Eierweck, a German sweet yeast roll

These yeast rolls taste excellent, kind of reminds me a little of brioche. The crust is really thin and tender. The crumb is loose, fluffy-soft and has a buttery aroma. These “Eierweck” sweet bread yeast roll and croissants are found in my Franconia Bakery and the region of Würzburg. As a kid, I remember visiting […]

Austria

Germany

Main Course

Recipes

Side dish

Käsespätzle, or Cheese Spaetzle

While on vacation in Sankt Gilgen, Austria I had this typical Austrian dish called “Käsespatzen”. It consists of Spaetzle noodles and grated hard cheese that is alternately stacked and garnished with fried onions. The Cheese Spaetzle are pushed into the hot oven after they have been layered, so that the Spaetzle does not cool down and the […]

Germany

Main Course

Northern Europe

Recipes

Tafelspitz, or Franconian Wedding Dinner

Also called “Fränkisches Hochzeitsessen”, or Franconian Wedding Dinner. Beef boiled in spices and vegetables, it was a staple at our dinner table when growing up. Can be eaten with potatoes or wide noodles. Besides Horseradish sauce in recipe below, the condiment of my choice is Cranberry Chutney. I have not found Preiselbeeren, so this is […]

Italy

Main Course

Recipes

Southern Europe

Spaghetti Carbonara has a long history

According to a widespread legend, this dish goes back to the Italian Carbonari, who made charcoal in the Appenine mountains. It is said this Spaghetti dish was cooked over a fire in a cast iron pan during their breaks. The Carbonari (Italian for “charcoal makers”) were an informal network of secret revolutionary societies active in the Italian mountains from […]

Steckerlfish. Spanish Makrele, Fish on a stick

Austria

Germany

Northern Europe

Recipes

Seafood

The Steckerlfish, a Mackerel on a Stick

A delicacy is the “Steckerlfisch” or Fish on a Stick is a Spanish Mackerel that is grilled over a dug out pit with a grey layer of amber. This type of fish is one of my favorites visiting German or Austrian folk festivals.
The Steckerlfisch originates from the “kitchen” of the former Danube fishermen, and has been written about in books of the early 1900’s.

Allgemein

Germany

A German Murderer who died defending General Robert E. Lee

A book of history and mystery in Southern Germany was written by Ann Marie Ackerman, the award-winning author of “Death of an Assassin”. The book is about a true story of the German Murderer Who Died Defending Robert E. Lee (Kent State University Press, 2017). Ann-Marie is a former American prosecutor now living in Bönnigheim, […]

Germany

Northern Europe

Travel Destinations

Drachenburg Castle, an elegant Palace with a magnificent Terrace

One day a couple years ago we took the Old Trolly train halfway up to the Drachenburg Castle. It is a newer castle built in 1884, located about a mile below the Drachenfels ruin and a jewel of the romantic Middle Rhine and Königswinter. The Old Trolley Train “Drachenfelsbahn” is the oldest operated Rack or […]

Italy

Main Course

Northern Europe

Recipes

What? Spaghetti Bolognese not from Italy??!!

To make one thing clear, the Spaghetti Bolognese dish is not an Italian invention. Nevertheless, you can often find it on menus in many other countries prepared in different ways. The name “Spaghetti Bolognese” is actually used when you mean the long pasta that is served with minced meat sauce. So whenever I am in […]

Austria

Cake and Torte

Germany

Northern Europe

Recipes

A Kaiser, his mistress and a Gugelhupf

One wonders if you have a genuine “Kaisergugelhupf” (Emperor bundt cake) on your plate at the Café. Only bakers and baking enthusiasts, who do a little research would be familiar with the true consistency of the dough. After all, we know there are many different variations on the internet, and there is very large collections […]