As the week progresses and Friday's baking grows staler, the cakes may be sliced, toasted, and served with butler and jam. If the baking gives out before the week is up, because of unexpected guests, the Viennese are always perfectly happy to substitute a Kaiser Semmel or a Hörncben from the baker who supplies the family's bread. Biscbofs-brot a nd Nussbrot are really cakes, called Bros only because they are baked in a bread-loaf pan.)
The Jause is not the proper place at which to show off cultural achievements and intellectuality. Frau Müller regales her family with gossipy tidbits about their friends and neighbors. She is well informed because she has her news straight from Anna, who has it from the woman who brings the eggs and milk and from the butcher's boy. Herr Müller, who has taken time out to look at the Abendblatt, interrupts now and then with news of the outside world, the children relate anecdotes about school, and the oldest daughter reads bits of her letters to the company.
Friends and relatives stop in without invitation. A short visit, a op of tea, and a slice of Anna's Siriezel is a much pleasanter way of keeping in touch than a telephone all or a letter. Tante Louise Stops in so often during the week when there is Napfkucben that Frau Müller will think twice before she orders it again. Onkel Otto always brings apples for the children when there are Nuss Kipferln. But he repeatedly asks them to leave the room so that he can tell one of his stories. If he scans on a story while the children are there, Frau Müller warns him “les enfants Stmt ici” which they all understand perfectly well, since they are studying French in school.
If guests have been formally invited, the whole character of the Jause changes. It becomes a sort of tea party for which there must be elaborate preparations. The children are sent away to have a Kinderjause in their own room, and of course one cannot possibly serve the Kugelbupf with the huge wedge cut out of it. The napkins normally saved in their monogrommed silver napkin rings, or in linen napkin cases cross-stitched by the daughters, are put aside, the tablecloth is changed, and there is no happy family Jausentunde that day.
But the Viennese know that they are always welcome to stop in unexpectedly at Jausenzeit at any friend's house; they time their errands so that they will be passing the Wohllebengasse just in time for Jause with the Müllers on Monday, and the Kantgasse for a little Jause with Frau Schmidt on Tuesday. As uninvited but nevertheless well-received guests they participate in the family Jause, The ladies keep on with their Handarbeit and the children play their games or do their lessons. The heel of the Striezel, for which everyone has been waiting, may be served, and everybody makes a wish on the last piece.
After the Jause the youngest children go to bed and everyone else has a little rest. The family hour is over. The Müllers have “Ge-jaused” with their loved ones, and for the fourth time that day they have eaten well.
Striezel (Coffee Braid)
Dissolve 1 envelope of yeast in 1/3 cup lukewarm water, add 2 tablespoons sugar, and beat in ¾ cup flour. Put the sponge in a warm place to rise for ½ hour.
Mix 3 ¾ cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup raisins, and ½ cup slivered almonds in a large warm bowl. Stir in ¼ cup milk and 3 eggs. Bear in ½ cup softened butter and the yeast sponge. Beat the mixture with the hand or with a strong beater until it forms a soft smooth dough that will not stick to hands or bowl. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch the dough down on a (loured board, return it to the bowl, and let it rest for ½ hour. Divide the dough into 3 parts and divide each part into 3 pieces of graduated size, so that you have 3 large uniform pieces, 3 medium, and 3 small. Roll the 3 large pieces into strips 20 inches long and braid them together with floured hands. Roll the 3 medium pieces into 18-inch strips and braid them. Paint the first braid with melted butter and lay the second braid on it. Roll the 3 small pieces into 15-inch strips, braid them, and lay them on the second braid. Place the Striezel on a baking sheet in a warm place and allow it to rise for about 1 hour. Brush the coffee braid with a mixture of 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water and bake it in a moderate oven (350° F.) for about 1 hour. Dust with powdered sugar. Do not cut the Striezel for 12 to 24 hours.
Pinterest
