When our children were younger a series of Austrian girls helped us out at home during our hectic summers. They all came from a teacher-training college in Graz and, as one left, she promised to find a replacement for the following year. We had five in all and they became part of the family, and we are still in touch.
They were all outdoorsy and frequently dragged us up mountains to go hiking. They were good for us. Some years back we decided to visit one of them in January, when we take our restaurant holidays. We stayed in Vienna, where there were still some lingering remnants of Christmas, and the shopfronts sparkled like jewel boxes. We took a train journey over the snow-capped mountains to Graz. It was magical, I’ll never forget the beauty.
The girls were all proudly Styrian. When I expressed my admiration for Vienna with its history, opulent Hapsburg palaces, cafes, art and of course music, they sniffed and dismissed the Viennese as arrogant.
We ate schitzel and sachertorte and explored twinkly lit villages under blankets of snow. We visited Sylvia's grandparents on their farm, drank schnapps and ate cheese-laden Kasekrainer sausage. We dipped bread in grassy pumpkin oil from their own mill, and visited the Zotter chocolate factory; it put Willy Wonka in the shade.
In Vienna we huddled over a classic Tafelspitz, boiled beef in broth with vegetables, strong horseradish, apple sauce and a flurry of chives. It cosseted us from the cold and I loved it.
For Valentine’s Day, I’m paying homage to that romantic city, with steak for two, Tafelspitz style. The beetroot rosti complements the steak perfectly. Make this first, the sauces second, and lastly cook the steak.
In the summer of 2012, a newly arrived Sylvia announced that she would like to show us how to make hot love. Crikey, I thought to myself, slightly alarmed. It turns out it is a dessert of ice-cream and hot berries that is popular all over Austria and is now a favourite of my own family. I’ve added a little optional strudel flourish as a salute to a memorable time in a spectacular country.
Recipe: Tafelspitz steak
Recipe: Smoked bacon and beetroot rosti
Recipe: Hot love
