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A classic Austrian dish (introduced long ago via Bohemia), Powidltascherln are the culinary equivalent of puffy little clouds in an endlessly blue summer sky. Yes, they are that good!

Pate choux is rolled, cut, and filled with Powidl, a concentrated, thick plum jam with a deep flavor. The filled “Tascherln” (Austrian for little pockets) are then simmered in water, and eventually coated in bread crumbs (made from traditional Semmeln), which are slightly roasted with butter and flavored with vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon. All topped off with a light dusting of sugar and a small side of Zwetschkenroester, Austrian style plum compote.

The end result is divine – the rich Powidl is encased by the softest dough, which contrasts nicely with the buttery crunchy breadcrumbs and their exquisite hint of vanilla and cinnamon. Comfort food at its best.

This morning, I went to Brunnenmarkt in Vienna’s 16th district for a little baklava shopping. The market is one of Europe’s longest street markets, and is a fantastic place for both shopping and people watching.

The area around the market is home to a large number of Turkish people as well as Croatians and Serbs who come to shop and socialize in the many little cafes lining the streets. It’s even livelier on Saturdays when everyone comes out to mingle and haggle, giving the whole market the feel of a bazaar. There’s everything from produce, cheese, dried fruit and nuts, to meat, fish, cheap clothes, shoes, and household goods.

It’s a truly multicultural experience as old Turkish men with big mustaches disappear into tiny cafes, Pakistani vendors sell cheap jeans and Croatian soccer jerseys, women in headscarves emerge from bakeries with big loaves of freshly baked flatbread, and produce vendors compete with each other for the next customer.

Cheese made from goat and sheep's milk

Alpine cheese from Western Austria

Daily essentials for sale - coffee and little shopping carts

Dried figs from Turkey

Beautiful dried apricots

Walnuts

Cheese

More cheese

Baklava #1

Baklava #2

And Baklava #3 - glorious!

Brunnenmarkt
Brunnengasse
1160 Vienna, Austria
Monday through Friday 6AM-7:30PM
Saturday 6AM-5PM

The weather has been great lately with the first hint of spring in the air. I’m tired of winter dishes and have been itching to cook lighter food with fresh herbs and vegetables. This tart is a nice taste of things to come in the warmer months ahead – the fresh aroma of mint and lemon combined with creamy feta, crispy puff pastry, and delicious zucchini. The original recipe is from an old issue of Donna Hay Magazine.

Zucchini Tart With Mint And Feta (serves 4)

1 sheet puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
zucchini, thinly sliced (amount depends on the size of the puff pastry sheet)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
finely grated rind of 1 organic lemon
sea salt and black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
about 5 oz (150g) feta, crumbled or cubed
mint leaves
extra olive oil for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 390F (200C)
2. Place pastry on baking sheet lined with baking paper.
3. Place the zucchini slices, olive oil, lemon rind, salt, and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat.
4. Layer the zucchini in rows on the pastry with slices overlapping, leaving a 1/2″ border all around.
5. Brush pastry border with egg.
6. Bake for about 25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.
7. Let cool slightly and top with feta and mint leaves. Sprinkle with extra pepper and drizzle with extra olive oil.

Enjoy!

I was inspired to bake some cookies today! No point in fighting chocolate cravings, right? These are my husband’s favorite chocolate chip cookies, and he always tries to sneak some as soon as they have come out of the oven.

The original recipe is from an old issue of Everyday Food magazine, but I like to use less sugar and real ground coffee instead of the instant stuff. Vietnamese coffee beans which have been roasted in butter work particularly well in this recipe. A tall glass of cold milk is a must with these cookies!

Double Chocolate Cookies With Coffee

1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground coffee
8 oz. dark chocolate (70%), 4 oz. melted, 4 oz. coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3. Beat sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until soft and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time. Incorporate well.
5. Add coffee and melted chocolate and mix well.
6. Gradually add the flour mix and incorporate.
7. Stir chocolate chunks through.
8. Drop generous tablespoons of dough on baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between.
9. Bake for about 14 minutes.
10. Let cool (if you can wait that long!)

Enjoy!