Austria is a landlocked central European country. For many centuries, the country was the center of the Habsburg Empire (which was widely known as the “Austrian Empire” and later as the “Austro-Hungarian Empire”). The Habsburg Empire included not only Austria, but also Hungary, what is today Czechoslovakia, Croatia and other parts of the former Yugoslavia, as well as, at times, parts of Germany and Italy. As a result of the history, Austrian cuisine has been influenced by many other countries in the region, and as well as uniquely Austrian dishes, you will also find adaptations of Hungarian, German and other dishes on the Austrian menu.

Some popular Austrian dishes include:

* Tafelspitz – Boiled beef with root vegetables.

* Wiener schnitzel – Translated literally from the German, “Wiener schnitzel” means “Viennese cutlet”. The dish is made by taking a thin strip of meat, dipping it into wheat flour, eggs and bread crumbs, and then deep frying. The traditional meat for Wiener schnitzel is veal, but nowadays, other meats such as pork or turkey are sometimes used. The traditional accompaniments for Wiener schnitzel are potato salad and a slice of lemon.

* Goulash – Goulash is a traditional Hungarian dish (but has also been adopted by Austrians), which is made by slowly simmering chunks of beef (shoulder, shin or shank) in water or stock. Goulash is flavored with paprika and herbs, and contains chopped onions, peppers, a little tomato or tomato juice, and sometimes potatoes. Although made as a soup, during the cooking process, the collagen in the meat turns to gelatin, which results in a very thick stew-like texture.

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