This month our News Extra was food and language focussed - in this update from March, we've got some Greek Easter Bread and Austrian Potato Salad, alongside our usual quiz answers.
Download a PDF of the March 2023 News Extra for IGO members: March IGO News Extra ()
Longer Article - from Sheila, leader of IGO group Modern Conversational Greek
TSOUREKI
One of the topics for my Greek Course is 'Festivals'. Last Easter I gave the participants a recipe for Greek Easter Bread and we decided to try to make one each and post a photo of our attempts online for the group to judge which was the best.I don't think we came to any conclusions as we could not taste them and they all looked good!
Here is a photo of the one I made. Get in touch if you would like the recipe, though some of the ingredients, for example amarinth, are difficult to buy locally but can be purchased online.
Longer Article - from Brenda, leader of the IGO German Group
A favourite Austrian dish: Kaiserschmarrn or Emperor’s Jumble
This dish is basically a pancake mixture, cooked in a thick layer then diced and refried. It is often garnished with sultanas or raisins, and is served with a fruit puree, normally made from plums or apple. The name originated from Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916). There are many recipes and variations available on the internet, I am confident that I would find all of them totally acceptable!
Here is one of the theories about the origin of Kaiserschmarrn:
Die Süßspeise wurde erstmals 1854 der österreichischen Kaiserin Elisabeth serviert Erst danach wurde die Süßspeise für Kaiser Franz Joseph I. „umgewidmet“ und Kaiserschmarrn genannt.
Viennese Potato Salad – Kartoffelsalat
Der Kartoffelsalat in Österreich und Deutschland ist ganz anders als dem, den wir hier in England kriegen.
Es gibt keine Mayonnaise, nur eine Dressing mit hauptsächlich Essig, Rnderbrühe und Öl drin. Lecker!
Austrian potato salad is in my opinion far superior to the tinned variety we get here in England, covered in mayonnaise. In Austria and Germany the cold sliced salad potatoes are dressed in a mixture of oil, vinegar and beef broth, with additions such as onion or gherkins for example. Delicious!
A favourite ‘Sehenswürdigkeit‘ (Landmark, sight worth seeing) Die Otto Wagner Villa in Vienna
For several years I have been lucky enough to visit Vienna, Austria fairly regularly, accompanying my husband who has work-related connections, colleagues and friends there. We spent 2 weeks there in January and I took the opportunity to take my husband to a place I had previously visited alone, which had impressed me and I was confident he would enjoy seeing it too, which he did.
This is the Otto Wagner Villa, home to the Ernst Fuchs Museum, in the outskirts of the city.
1972 kaufte der Maler Ernst Fuchs um damalige 14 Millionen Schilling das Anwesen, ließ die Villa renovieren und adaptieren und richtete hier sein Atelier ein. Fuchs saßen hier Placido Domingo, Oskar Werner und Falco Modell. Seit 1988 beherbergte die nun hundertjährige Villa das Privatmuseum Ernst Fuchs. Fuchs starb am 9. November 2015.
Answers to Quiz in March's IGO News Extra
- Mary Berry
- Yoghurt, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Fresh Minut, Cucumber
- Nigella Lawson
- Pancetta, Cheese (Parmesan and Pecorino), Eggs, Garlic, Butter, Salt and Pepper
- 1980s
Fantastic food based photo by Ana of the IGO Smartphone Art Group!