(Editor’s note: All photos by Ivana Avramovic for Dispatches Europe.)
You are in for a real treat this weekend if you find yourself in Vienna. The Genussfestival (Culinary Festival) starts today and goes on until Sunday, 8 May, at Vienna’s Stadtpark, the city park located in the center of Vienna.
If you have ever wanted to sample Austria’s renowned wines, or various clear spirits and liquors from across Austria, now is the time to head to the park and visit one of the 180 stands. As for food, you will find sausages at the stands, but also other traditional Austrian food such as Krautfleckerl, noodles with bits of cabbage, or bread topped with creamed cheese with herbs.
You are not sure that Krautfleckerl sounds that appealing to you? Don’t worry, you can go straight to desserts whether it is poppy seed strudel, ice-cream or anything in between. The focus seems to be on small specialized high-quality producers, many of them organic, but the prices seem more than acceptable.
A glass of great wine will cost you between 3 euros and 4 euros. Add a taste of Vulkanschinken on bread with some freshly grated horseradish for 2.5 euros and you have yourself a mouth-watering delight.
The name of the festival – Genuss – means pleasure, indulgence or treat in German. It’s up to you how much you indulge. As for me, I am skipping grocery shopping and cooking this weekend. There is too much good food and drinks to sample in one day.
The details:
6 May through 8 May
Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free admission!
Click here for more information.
MEATS
Meat
Have you ever tried smoked meat or sausage from Chamois, deer or wild boar? If you have not and are curious, you can buy some and take home at the Mölltal Fleisch stand at the Genus Festival in Stadtpark from 6-8 Mai. Stadtpark is on the Parkring street in the center of Vienna.
Austria is renowned for high-quality wine. You can try the wines from Carinthia, the province bordering with Italy and Slovenia at the Wein aus Kärnten Stand here. Windes from the provinces of Burgenland, Styria (Steiremark), Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) can be found at other stands throughout Stadtpark.
SCHNAPPS
Schnapps
For a taste of one of the schnapps (brandy) varieties – raspberry, Williams pear, blueberry, or sour cherry, be prepared to pay 2.5 euros. Or you can buy a bottle to take home. Other foods and drink to sample are cheeses, hams, bread, crackers, vinegar, bread spreads made with herbs, jams, chilly, as well as fresh organic produce.
Other foods and drink to sample are cheeses, hams, bread, crackers, vinegar, bread spreads made with herbs, jams, chilly, as well as fresh organic produce.
Snails
Snails may not be the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of Viennese food, but they are supposed to be a delicacy and therefore a part of the culinary festival in Viennaßs Stadpark this weekend. Are you brave enough to try?
Cuisine
The association of chefs’ stands from Salzburg (Verband der Köche in German) was a popular place to get food, with lines stretching longer than at many other food stands on the first day of the food festival in Vienna. What better recommendation does one need?!
For a taste of traditional Austrian cuisine, try the Krautfleckerl, noodles with small pieces of cabbage. If that is not for you, perhaps goulash or sausages from the Gasthaus Möslinger stand in the park would feed your hunger on your stroll through the city. This weekend only, the Stadtpark is filled with 180 stands providing exquisite food and drink as part of the Culinary Festival in Vienna.
This weekend only, the Stadtpark is filled with 180 stands providing exquisite food and drink as part of the Culinary Festival in Vienna.
People
Finding something delicious to eat or drink this weekend in Vienna should not be a problem if you head to the Stadtpark, the park in the centar of Vienna, where the Culinary Festival with 180 stands is taking place. Finding a place to sit – not a problem either on this lovely sunny Viennese weekend. Whether you find a bench, bring a picnic blanket, or forgo the blanket and sit straight on the grass. Wine at this fancy picnic is served in elegant wine glasses, though.
Jams
JAMS
Feeling adventurous about your food? Perhaps you can try one of the jam varieties mixed with caramel, chocolate or chilly. You can get them at the Pfändergold stand.
QUAIL
Quail
Perhaps you know Austrian food very well. So if you want to know something new, perhaps quail eggs – in a jar or in dry noodles – would be of interest. Find them at the Wachtelei stand.
Find them at the Wachtelei stand.
