A Whirlwind Tour of Europe in 5 Recipes

By Laura Rancie.

 

If I asked you how many countries there are in Europe, would you know the answer? In a flash quiz at work, we got everything from 12 through to 60! One staffer noted he was only counting the countries who played soccer in the European league. 

The actual answer is there are 44 countries in Europe. As we spend a week immersed in European culture, food, ingredients and stories, I realised we must do a roundup of our most loved recipes from some of those cultures. 

Let’s start at the heart of Europe with Austria - known for its castles, baroque palaces and classic composers.

 

 

Fun Facts:

Wiener Schnitzel + recipe:

Every restaurant in the capital of Vienna will serve this on its menu, usually with a side accompaniment of potato salad or perhaps French fries. There are local festivals to celebrate the revered dish and September 9 is set aside as 'National Wiener Schnitzel Day'.

Talk to an historian and they will tell you that the earliest mention of a breaded schnitzel dates back to the 1700s in a cookbook featuring Austrian delicacies. At the time, crumbed meats had been gaining popularity throughout the continent. Wiener, meaning Viennese, was a later addition to the name (appearing in a book in 1831) to safeguard its origin and elevate Austrian culture amongst other dishes in neighbouring countries serving their own versions of crumbed meat. 

Located in Southeast Europe by the Adriatic Sea, the country celebrated the New Year as a fully integrated EU member, finally using the Euro.

You may better know it as the land from Game of Thrones, where Dubrovnik was its primary filming location for King’s Landing.

Fun Facts:

 

Slow Cooked Beef + recipe:

 

Mutton and beef are two very widely used meats throughout Croatia, often mixing in dates, herbs, prunes and dried figs, bacon and red wine with some sort of potato accompaniment.  Here we share a Chef recipe by Ino Kuvacic, slow-cooked beef stew with prunes and apples. 

In his famous quote, David Bowie called Berlin 'the greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine'. The capital city has a diverse and authentic street art presence through to a sophisticated contemporary art scene in West Berlin. When thinking of well-known German food sauerkraut, bratwurst and pretzels may first pop to mind.

 

Fun Facts:

• Known for iconic festivals like Oktoberfest and twinkling Christmas night markets,
• BMW and Mercedes-Benz are produced here.
• The Heidelberg Palace has ruins considered among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. 

 

Potato Salad and Apple Strudel recipes:

Because we couldn’t decide on which recipe to share, we are giving you both. German potato salad recipe here and our apple strudel, the apfelstrudel here. 

If you are wondering the difference between a German potato salad or the type you may be used to at home, it’s that the Germans will toss the potatoes in a vinegar-based dressing and traditionally served warm whereas in Australia, we may typically use more a creamy mayonnaise/sour cream base and serve cold. 

The birthplace of democracy, hot Summers and stunning islands, philosophical quotes, Ouzo and the wise old Yia Yias keeping a watchful eye over your every move. 

• Its complete official name is the Hellenic Republic.
• Name days are almost as big as birthdays.
• Greece has both a Prime Minister and President.

 

Cypriot grain salad recipe:

When considering a Mediterranean diet, Greece is largely involved with that contributing olive oil, wine and barley, fish from the abundant coastal waters and yoghurt from milk often obtained from the family goat. Common desserts are based on nuts, honey, fruit and filo pastries. 

Having grown up in the OG MasterChef era when George Calombaris was the epitome of a Celebrity Chef, I gravitated towards his Cypriot grain salad, becoming a staple in my growing family. Hearty, nutritious and comforting, the very epitome of a great meal, albeit a salad, it won’t disappoint.