Sachertorte

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Ryan decided to make Sachertorte for this month's supper club dessert. Everyone always quickly claims all the other parts - appetizers, main, sides - and leaves desserts wide open for Ryan to offer up a new concoction. Sachertorte, this time.

We have a funny history with Sachertorte: even while we travelled to Vienna (2008), walked by the Sacher cafe, and read about it in guidebooks, we kept walking past because the cafe was full of American tourists. It's like we have a radar in our hands that starts to electrocute us if we get closer. You can pick out the brands on their fanny packs (Polo or Kirkland) or the common color selection (blue umbrella, red windbreaker). Nowadays you just look for a gut and sloppy clothing.

I'm being overly-dramatic, since in intimate situations we've made neat connections with other Americans - like the two sisters we met in Triberg (2006), the only other room taken in our ancient hotel, and they were so excited about their schedule of Black Forest city hopping, seeing more and more churches, and checking off the sites on their guidebook. We all picked out our Cuckoo clocks together, hugged, and said goodbye.

But on that cold evening in Vienna, seeing the bright lights of the Sacher hotel, the gorgeous black dots of cake on everyone's table alongside coffee, it all wanted us to come in and try out the famous 1832 torte...but alas, no, we boogied across the street, around the corner, and out of sight. (We did end up somewhere much more local, with hilarity ensuing.)

So...Sachertorte...Ryan surprised me with the selection, but I was super excited to watch him build his masterpiece. I guess I never realized that the key to the yumminess is the layer of Apricot jam in between the cakes. He bought Hero brand, the best, and he went to town.









More history on Sachertorte.

The result was loved, adored, and eaten by all.

Tschüß!!

Photo Recap: Days 6-8, Vienna, Austria (Europe 2008)

From my journal:

I have mixed emotions over Vienna. The people are friendly, [but it is] not as pretty as Slovenia and definitely more modern, but without the chicness of Germany.

Is it a money thing? At the crossroads of Eastern/Central Europe, it seems like there is a very mixed identity and culture.

The sightseeing was awesome and probably would have been better if we hadn't have had the 6 hour train ride plus a sleepless night above yet another nightclub. I can pick them, can't I!

Seeing the Hapsburg palace and treasury was so neat. We saw crowns, clothing and serviing pieces for centuries of Kings. You could spend days in there.

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Top 3 memories:

* The awful 1st night dealing with the disco - using bathroom fans and all to block the noise
* The Hapsburg palace
* Eating fries at an unnamed institution after a loooooong chat perched at a local bar

Tschüß!!