Wine Food Pairing, The Summer turns to Autumn in Austrian Cafes
Denise Clarke
November 04, 2007
Outdoor garden cafes or gasthaus in Austria, so popular for wine food pairing in the spring and summer when the temperatures are warm, will soon have to move indoors. As it gets closer to the winter rain and snow, the large garden areas will empty out and all activity will be moving into the small cramped inside facilities. The stone urns with the colorful flowers will be blanketed by a heavy layer of snow and the delightful courtyard fountains that bubble along merrily will be silenced. Soon, interesting icicles will be hanging down from the eves.
The interior of the cafes will be crowded with cold, wet patrons, the air smoke filled from cigarettes and the windows fogged from the steaming hot soup of the day. OH MY! What to do? My cure of choice is to enjoy a hot spiced wine! This sweet drink is terrific to perk up any winter blues attack!
Hot spiced wine or Gluwein, as the Germans call it, is heated red or white wine, sweetened with sugar and spiced up with cloves, cinnamon, allspice and sometimes a bit of citrus, YUMMY! Wrapping your hands around a hot mug of this stuff is a great way to take the chill out of your fingers, much better than gloves! Just to inhale the fragrance is a sure fire way to sooth the savage winter soul.
You can pair this wine with a, warm from the oven, croissant and think you have died and gone to heaven or perhaps sample a tasty bowl of soup. The Austrians are famous for hearty soups. Try a pumpkin cream soup, so popular in the mid to late fall when this wonderful squash is in season. Many times it is garnished with heavy green pumpkin seed oil and it is sure to satisfy even largest of appetites. Rahmsuppe is also a good choice. It is made from potatoes and sour cream, a savory soup that is spiced with caraway seeds, garlic and topped with freshly made croutons, what is not to love about that?
After your snack, the Austrians always love to have a coffee. My very favorite coffee choice while in Austria is a melange. This soothing coffee beverage was invented in Vienna and is a fifty-fifty mix of coffee and milk, foamed on the top. Most cafes serve this impressive drink on a silver tray, paired with a glass of sparkling mineral water and sometimes even a special cookie or chocolate. Oh, so European!
A wine food pairing like this will surely thaw you out on the coldest of days and get you ready for the rest of your afternoon. CHEERS!
The interior of the cafes will be crowded with cold, wet patrons, the air smoke filled from cigarettes and the windows fogged from the steaming hot soup of the day. OH MY! What to do? My cure of choice is to enjoy a hot spiced wine! This sweet drink is terrific to perk up any winter blues attack!
Hot spiced wine or Gluwein, as the Germans call it, is heated red or white wine, sweetened with sugar and spiced up with cloves, cinnamon, allspice and sometimes a bit of citrus, YUMMY! Wrapping your hands around a hot mug of this stuff is a great way to take the chill out of your fingers, much better than gloves! Just to inhale the fragrance is a sure fire way to sooth the savage winter soul.
You can pair this wine with a, warm from the oven, croissant and think you have died and gone to heaven or perhaps sample a tasty bowl of soup. The Austrians are famous for hearty soups. Try a pumpkin cream soup, so popular in the mid to late fall when this wonderful squash is in season. Many times it is garnished with heavy green pumpkin seed oil and it is sure to satisfy even largest of appetites. Rahmsuppe is also a good choice. It is made from potatoes and sour cream, a savory soup that is spiced with caraway seeds, garlic and topped with freshly made croutons, what is not to love about that?
After your snack, the Austrians always love to have a coffee. My very favorite coffee choice while in Austria is a melange. This soothing coffee beverage was invented in Vienna and is a fifty-fifty mix of coffee and milk, foamed on the top. Most cafes serve this impressive drink on a silver tray, paired with a glass of sparkling mineral water and sometimes even a special cookie or chocolate. Oh, so European!
A wine food pairing like this will surely thaw you out on the coldest of days and get you ready for the rest of your afternoon. CHEERS!
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