No pendulum ever swung from extreme to extreme as quickly as the Viennese temperament. Capable of skyhigh jubilation and bottomless despair, the Viennese passed instantly from anger to burning love and from the heights of optimism to deepest gloom. Only they could cry while they laughed and laugh while they shook their fists at each other. Their sizzling, screaming quarrels always resolved themselves peacefully in the Kaffeehaus, and arch enemies ended by drinking Brüderschaft with each other—pledging undying brotherhood.
After enjoying the gayest, longest, and most frivolous carnival in Europe, the Viennese worked themselves up to the final hilarities of Fastnacht, or Shrove Tuesday, and promptly went to the other extreme by retiring into the quietest, most humble, and penitent Lent. Everything stopped instantly. They gave up balls, dinners, masquerades, and at least half of the food they had been eating. Romances and “fleerts” came to an abrupt end, even engagements and weddings had to wait until after Easter. During Lent, no one in Vienna would have dared to fall in love or to look favorably upon the lighter side of life, least of all upon a six-course dinner. The midday meal went down to three light courses; Gabelfrühstück and Jause, the midmorning and late-afternoon meals, disappeared completely, and dinner became a mere bite. This way of life persisted unchanged until the Second World War.
Herr and Frail Baronin took this opportunity to make their winter Reise, or trip. While the Viennese turned their thoughts to Himmel and Hölle, heaven and hell, and packed away their dominoes and masks, while the Casanovas, Don Juans, and Romeos discarded their assumed personalities and returned to humdrum, unromantic reality. Herr and Fran Baron in sat in their railway carriage, in proper introspection, and fasted over a meagerly stocked Reise Nécossaire, or tea basket.
At any other time of the year a journey undertaken by a Viennese for any purpose whatever would have turned into a gastronomic tour, but not the winter Reise. They were too full of good intentions and vows of Lenten abstinence to indulge in such worldly pleasures. Herr and Frau Baronin went straight from Vienna to Meran, a town in that part of northern Italy which had once been Austria and still tried to act as though it were. Their Lent was now kept in Nord Italien instead of Süd Tirol, but Meran remained the same even though an o had been added to its name.
Meran was winter home away from home for so many elderly Viennese that the town looked and felt like a little piece of Vienna. There were innumerable hotels and pensions, which enabled the feuders and rivals of the recent Viennese season to avoid one another. If their paths happened to cross on the promenade or at the concert, they could always look the other way. Half Meran was always busily looking the other way, in one direction, while the other half was doing the same thing in another direction.
The hotel chambermaids served as couriers and messengers for the guests as well as sources of news. The staffs of all the hotels had to keep their ears to the ground and their eyes open if they wanted to hold their Viennese clientele. Herr and Frau Baronin were immediately engulfed in all the gossip and scandal that only a small town can generate. Before they had even left the railroad station, they knew that Frau von Renk was being visited in her room by a Doktor whose interest in her was rather more mercantile than medical, they knew that the food was inedible this year, and that it had been positively confirmed that old Frau Cosma was cooking in her room. By the time Herr and Frau Baronin had reached their hotel and unpacked their luggage, they knew all there was to know in Meran.
The news about Frau Cosma was doubly shocking because they all were guilty of the same thing. Although the Viennese gossiped about one another's activities, they all indulged in the same exciting, illicit, and, to them, indispensable winter sport—cooking. The most formal, refined, and otherwise wholly admirable Viennese stooped to the most artful tricks in order to cook in their rooms. Even during Lent, when fasting was uppermost in their minds, they cooked from force of habit, though limiting themselves to light egg and cheese dishes, a fact which made their activities all the more obvious. Their luggage,when they crossed the Italian border, included china, glass, linen, silver, photographs, scatter rugs, and endless other paraphernalia with which to entertain one another and create a cluttered homelike atmosphere in their rooms. But most important of all, no Viennese could move an inch without a complicated apparatus known as a Spiritus Lampe and bottles of dangerous inflammable alcohol that leaked through their trunks and was often mistakenly used as a tub or lotion.
Ostensibly, they brought along the spirit lamp to heat the water for the hot water bag, but actually it enabled the elderly travelers to indulge their passion: They could cook and they could entertain. They could all have easily afforded the expense of room service or visits to tearooms and coffeeshops, but nothing of the sort was thinkable. They had to carry the highly dangerous alcohol (which often took fire before reaching the Lampe) so that they could brew tea or coffee, chocolate, hot Punsch, or a tisane.
Some wise manufacturer, driven by the accidents that befell all traveling Viennese, invented a little white cake called Meta. It was a solid fuel that looked somewhat like a lump of sugar, and the lumps came neatly packed in boxes. Meta cakes were placed in little pans under every imaginable type of utensil and were ignited to create an entirely new art—the an of cooking over Meta. But the travelers still preferred the old art of cooking over Spiritus to any newfangled invention.
They cooked camomile and Pfeffermüntz tea to their hearts' delight, and invited one another to the quiet little parties that were the comfort of the Lenten season. Although most of them were over sixty-five and no longer bound by the laws of fast, they all kept their Lent religiously and substituted salt for sugar whenever a recipe permitted. The managers, walking through the corridors of their hotels, had not only to close their eyes to what was going on there, but also to close their noses to the aromas of surreptitious brewing that issued from under every door. They knew even a princess of the royal house would rather hide a little packet of rolls and an orange under her fur scarf and sneak them into the hotel for next morning's breakfast than to ring for the waiter. She had only to press one of the many buttons marked Kellner distributed around her room and even in her bathroom for her convenience in ordering, but she preferred deceit, even during Lent. The guests paid for “full pension,” but they ignored breakfast, loudly criticized their lunch, and only toyed with their dinner, since they had consumed their Lenten quota with three light meals of their own provision and devising.
Herr and Frau Baronin visited their mothers, aunts, and other relations at rival hotels and resisted tidbits from their relatives' various window sills and homemade larders. They strolled in the sun with their near and dear ones and dutifully looked the other way whenever they were nudged or otherwise warned of an approaching foe. A promenade with the old ladies was a wild succession of responses to suit whispered instructions. “Smile! Here comes Frau Doktor Prünster.” Herr Baronin raised his hat, smiled, and hoped he had done it at the correct lady. “Hsst! Here comes the Füllnerin—ignore her.” Sometimes they were suddenly whisked into a shop from which their highly respected and elderly relation could peek out between the cheeses and sausages to make sure “that person” had passed by.
Most of the time, they made free to ride down the vine-clad valley, past the castle where Margarete Maultasche, the ugly duckling, had lived and married Ludwig of Brandenburg. They rode to little inns and guest houses where they could eat frugally of the specialties of Italy which still retained just a touch of the Austrian influence. The horses knew where to turn in at noon for spinach with cheese tarts and a light native wine. They knew where little cheese puddings were a specialty, and where the cheese soufflé was baked in large tomatoes. Herr and Frau Baronin found it much pleasanter to resist temptation in a land where cheeses and fruit were at their best.
On the fourth Sunday in Lent, they celebrated Mittel Fasten, midfast, by fasting; they made pilgrimages to neighboring towns and followed beautiful old stations of the cross up a steep mountain. Their sojourn was both pleasant and pious.
In spite of all the harmless little Viennese animosities and amicabilities, they kept a good Lent until the moment for packing arrived. Had they returned to Vienna after Easter, their luggage would have been full of contraband. As it was, they fought manfully against the urge to bring back quantities of Strega, cigarettes, salami, gloves, and dried fruits. Most of them compromised with their consciences only enough to allow themselves to take home a little Bel Paese, mortadella, and Gorgonzola in their Reise Nécessaire, fragrant items which they concealed only for the sport of it and of which the customs officials were perfectly aware.
Käse Auflauf in Paradeis (Cheese Soufflé in Tomatoes)
In the top of a double boiler, stir together 1/4 cup sifted flour and 1/2 cup heavy cream, stir in 3 egg yolks and 1/4 cup melted butter, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook the mixture over boiling water, stirring constantly, until it is smooth. Take the pan from the heat and mix in 1 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon onion juice, and 3 egg yolks. Fold in 6 stiffly beaten egg whites and with the mixture fill 8 large tomatoes that have been hollowed out, drained, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle the tops with grated Parmesan, and add 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Bake the tomatoes in a moderately hot oven (375° F.) for 20 to 25 minutes, increasing the heat 5 degrees every 5 minutes. Serves 8.
Käte Kuchen mit Erbsen (Cheese and Green Pea Tarts)
Sift 2 1/2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon salt into a mixing bowl, cut in 1 cup shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives, and add a paste made of 1/2 cup flour stirred smooth with 6 tablespoons ice water. Quickly work the ingredients into a dough that is firm enough to be rolled. Divide the dough in half, roll it out in 2 pieces, and line two 9-inch pie plates or flan rings. Let the pastry stand for 1 hour, prick it with a fork, and bake it in a hot oven (425° F.) for 10 minutes.
In the top of a double boiler, over boiling water, cook together 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup butter, 5 egg yolks, and 1 tablespoon flour, stirring, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Take the pan from the heat and stir in a scant 1/2 pound Emmenthal cheese, grated and salt and pepper to taste. Fold in 6 stiffly beaten egg whites. Add 1 cup parboiled green peas and fill the 2 pastry shells with the mixture. Bake the tarts in a moderate oven (350° F.) for 20 minutes and serve at once. Serves 8
Käse Pfannkuchen (Cheese Pancakes with Shrimps)
Into a mixing bowl sift 3/4 cup flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1/2 cup cream warmed to room temperature, 2 egg yolks, and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Beat the mixture to a smooth batter and let it stand for 1/2 hour. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon onion juice and let the batter stand for 1/2 hour more. Add 1/2 cup cold cooked chopped shrimps and salt and pepper to taste and fold in 2 stiffly beaten egg whites.
Make small pancakes on a hot buttered griddle. Roll them up at once, sprinkle them with grated Parmesan, and keep them hot. Sprinkle the pancakes with more cheese and brown them under the broiler. Garnish them with fried onions and serve with cheese sauce(page 48)
Käse Tötchen auf Spinat (Cheese Tarts with Spinach)
Sift 1 cup flour onto a pastry board, make a well in the center, and add 1/3 cup butter, 3 tablespoons cold water, and 1/2 teaspoon each of sugar and salt. Stir the mixture well and gradually work the flour into the ingredients in the center, to make a smooth dough. Chill the dough for 2 hours, roll it out, and cut 6 rounds with a 4-inch fluted cooky cutter. Arrange the rounds in well-buttered muffin tins and set them aside for 1 hour. In the top of a double boiler, combine 1 cup grated Parmesan, 4 eggs, 2 tablespoons flour, and salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Stir the mixture until it is smooth, add 3/4 cup cold milk, and cook it over boiling water, stirring constantly with a whisk, until it is smooth and thick. Fill the pastry shells three-fourths full with the mixture and bake the tarts in a moderately hot oven (375° F.) for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the tarts lightly with paprika, and continue to bake them until they are puffed and brown, about 10 minutes more. Arrange the hot tarts around a shallow platter of puréed spinach and garnish the center with a star of quartered hard-cooked eggs.
Kloster Auflauf (Convent Pudding)
Break 1/2 cup macaroni into small pieces and cook it in salted water until it is just tender. Drain the macaroni and rinse it in cold water. Scald 1 cup each of milk and cream and pour the liquid over 1 cup dried bread crumbs. Reserve one-third of the crumb mixture and combine the rest with the macaroni, 1 green pepper and 1 pimiento, both finely chopped, 3 well-beaten eggs, 2/3 cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 tablespoon minced parsley, 1 teaspoon onion juice, and salt to taste. Pour the mixture into a deep oven-proof baking dish and top it with the reserved crumbs. Bake the pudding in a moderate oven (350° F.) for about 1 hour, or until it is done. Serve it with tomato sauce,
Tomato Sauce
Sauté 1 small onion, chopped, in 4 tablespoons butter until it is transparent, add 1 carrot and 2 stalks of celery, all chopped, and 4 sprigs of parsley. Add 2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and diced, and stir the mixture until all is coated with butter. Sprinkle the vegetables with 1/3 cup flour and continue to cook them, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup white wine, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, a pinch of thyme, and salt to taste. Reduce the heat and cook the sauce, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. Strain the sauce and add the grated rind of 1 lemon. Correct the seasoning.
Kaäe Pudding (Cheese Pudding)
In a saucepan, over low heat, stir 1/2 cup sifted flour into 1/4 Cup melted butter and gradually add 1 cup boiling milk. Cook the mixture, Stirring constantly, until it seems dry and leaves the sides of the pan. Cool the mixture and add 4 egg yolks, 3/4 cup Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. Fold in 4 stiffly beaten egg whites, pour the batter into a well-buttered pudding mold, cover the mold tightly, and steam the pudding in a kettle of boiling water, covered, for 40 minutes. The water should reach no more than halfway up the sides of the mold. Add boiling water, if necessary, to keep the same level during the cooking. Unmold the pudding and serve it with cheese sauce.
Cheese Sauce
In the top of a double boiler, over gently boiling water, cook 2 cups milk with 2 whole eggs, 2 tablespoons flour, and a pinch of nutmeg, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add 1 cup grated sharp white Cheddar cheese and continue to stir until the cheese melts. Keep the sauce warm and, just before serving, fold in 1 cup salted heavy cream, stiffly whipped.
Endivisen Salat mil Käse (Endive Salad with Cheese)
Arrange 12 heads of cleaned endive, quartered, on salad plates, allowing 2 heads per serving. Cut 1 pound Emmenthal cheese into pencil-thin strips and cut the strips the same length as the endive. Divide the cheese sticks equally among the plates.
To 3/4 cup mayonnaise, add 1/2 cup stiffly whipped cream, measured after whipping, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon mild mustard, the grated rind of 1 lemon, and salt to taste. Mask the endive and cheese generously with this mayonnaise.
Garnish each plate at the last moment with a few slices of apple, peeled and cut paper-thin.
Erdapfel mit Käse und Brunnenkresse (Potatoes with Cheese and Water Cress)
Boil new potatoes–12 to 18, depending on their size–in salted water until they are done, pull off the skins, and mask the potatoes with cream cheese sauce. Sprinkle the sauce with 1 bunch of water cress, stemmed and chopped.
Cream Cheese Sauce
Crush 3/4 pound cream cheese, warmed to room temperature, then beat in, drop by drop, enough tarragon vinegar to give it the consistency of mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste and a dash of onion juice.
Käsespiesschen (Cheese Brochettes)
In the top of a double boiler, bring to a boil 1 quart milk and immediately add 1 1/2 cups white corn meal. Cook the mixture over direct heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes and continue to cook it, over boiling water, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 teaspoon each of onion juice and salt, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Pour the mixture into an oiled shallow pan, smooth it to a depth of 1/2 inch, and let it cool until it is firm. Invert the layer of corn meal onto a cold flat surface and cut it into 1-inch squares.
Cut 1/2 pound Cheddar cheese into slices 3/8 inch thick and cut the slices into 1-inch squares. Thread them alternately with the corn meal squares on 8 small brochettes or skewers. Arrange the squares so that the corners go in opposite directions. Dip the brochettes in 2 well-beaten eggs and roll them in 2 cups flour sifted with 1 teaspoon salt. Fry them in deep hot fat (370° F.) until they are golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain them and serve at once with tomato sauce. Serves 8.
Meraner Käse Créme (Cheese Cream)
In a saucepan, stir 1/2 cup flour into 4 tablespoons melted butter, and cook, stirring, until the roux is golden. Remove the pan from the heat, add 1 1/2 cups boiling milk, and cook the sauce over low heat until it is thick and smooth. Take the pan from the heat, add 2 envelopes gelatin softened in 1/2 cup milk, and stir until it is dissolved. Add 1 cup ground Emmenthal or Cheddar Cheese and 2 tablespoons chopped chives. Add salt and pepper to taste and let the mixture cool.
Fold in 1 cup salted heavy cream, whipped, and pour the mixture into a large oiled mold or 6 individual molds. Chill the cream for 2 to 3 hours. Unmold it and decorate it with slices of cheese cut with a star-shaped cooky cutter and with small sweet pickles and parsley. Serve the cheese cream cold, with a thin mayonnaise seasoned with 2 tablespoons mild prepared mustard.