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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!

This bread is fantastic all by itself or with some butter and orange marmalade. It’s irresistible when it’s still warm, and even better with a cup of tea or coffee. The recipe is from the February issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Make sure to plan ahead as the dough requires quite some time to rise, but the actual preparation is very easy and speedy with the help of a food processor.

Cinnamon-Raisin Bread (2 loaves)

2 x 1/4 oz. package active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups warm water
3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sugar + 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, mixed

1. Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup water, add 2 teaspoons honey and whisk until yeast dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer to a food processor. Add butter and remaining 1 3/4 cups water and 3 tablespoons honey.
3. Add 3 cups of flour and salt.
4. Process until smooth.
5. Add remaining 4 cups of flour, one cup at a time. Add raisins.
6. Process until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and forms a slightly sticky ball.
7. Butter a large bowl.
8. Knead dough on a floured surface a few times, shape into a ball and transfer to bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.
9. Let dough stand in warm place until it doubles in volume. This should take about 1 hour.
10. Remove dough from bowl, punch down, and divide in half.
11. Roll each dough half into an 8 1/2″ long rectangle.
12. Brush rectangles with water and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, leaving a 1/2″ border around edges.
13. Starting with short side, roll dough into a log. Seal edges with fingers and tuck ends under.
14. Transfer logs to loaf pans with seam side down.
15. Brush tops with melted butter, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for another 45 to 60 minutes.
16. Bake in preheated oven at 400F (200C) for about 45 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil if top darkens too quickly.

Enjoy!