Until 1918, Austria was the center of the multi-ethnic Habsburg Empire (also known as the "Austrian Empire", and later as the "Austro-Hungarian Empire"). This was a polygot multi-ethnic empire that at various times encompassed not only Austria itself, but also Hungary, parts of Germany and Italy, the Czech Republic, and large areas of the Balkans. It is a result of this history, that Austrian cuisine shows many diverse from the countries of the region.
Some popular Austrian recipes include:
* Wiener schnitzel - Slices of meat (traditionally veal, but pork or turkey is sometimes used nowadays), dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, and then deep fried. Wiener schnitzel are traditionally eaten with potato salad and a slice of lemon.
* Kndel - Kndel are traditional Austrian dumplings. There are quite a few different kinds, including ones made from potato ("kartoffelkndel"), from dry bread (s"emmelkndel"), and which bacon ("speckkndel"). Kndel may be eaten as a side dish, or in soups.
* Goulash - Goulash is a beef stew originally from Hungary. It is made using beef, onions, and peppers, and flavored using paprika.
* Tafelspitz - Beef boiled with root vegetables.
* Sachertorte - Chocolate cake with dark chocolate icing and jam (usually apricot) in the middle.
* Palatschinken - Pancakes filled with jam and sprinkled with sugar.
* Vanillekipferl - Traditional crescent-shaped biscuits from Vienna, containing nuts (ground almonds or hazelnuts) and flavored with vanilla.
* Apfel strudel - Apple strudel - a pastry with apples, raisins and sugar. Cinnamon and rum are used for flavoring in some versions.
Discover more about Austrian Recipes at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/cook_austrian.php - visit this site for more information, pictures and details of Austrian cookbooks.
