“So Ein Schmarrn!” is convenient for Austrian German because “How messy!” Schmarrn is also the name of dessert, not just fried pancakes. (Friends, pancakes are also a cake!) Kaiserschmarrn gets the “Kaiser” prefix because it is the favorite of Emperor Franz Josef – he is Bonte Cake.
Sprinkle the well-made Kaiserschmarrn with powdered sugar and heat it with current or apricot jam. The size of the service is ridiculous, so this is usually a dessert for choosing a dinner. The trick to making the right kaiserschmarrn is a lot of fluffy egg whites and lots of butter that turns the pancakes brown when you climb it in the same pot you baked.
Kaiserschmarrn will be made when ordering; this is not something you choose from the dessert box in the cafe. But it’s not hard to find, and in some of Vienna’s tourist communities you’ll see awnings and window signs touting Kaiserschmarrn as a product. Don’t be fooled by that, any decent town of Gastas will have kaiserschmarrn on the menu. But, plan ahead – either argue with your companions, share orders with you, or go all out and have a meal. Otherwise, it would be too much food.
Salzburg Nockerln Travel through Salzburg
Kaiserschmarrn’s cousin, Salzburger Nockerln, is a soufflé, and is sprinkled with powdered sugar and used with jam. It is a more classic oven-baked dessert as a clove substitute, said to have been created by Salome Alt, the mistress of Prince Wolf Dietrich Raitenau. Being an Archbishop doesn’t stop you from eating dessert or being with a mistress with 15 children.
The Mirabell Palace in Salzburg was built for Salome Alt, and the formal gardens here are very beautiful, especially when the flowers bloom in spring. There are several great cafes near the palace, including Konditorei Furst, where you can get an amazing one Mozartkugelhowever, if you want a classic room, cross the river and go to Tomaselli, a café at Alter Markt (old market). Tomaselli has been a cafe and bakery since 1705, and while yes, it is expensive, and in the heart of tourist at Salzburg it is still inhabited by locals who come to read newspapers and eat breakfast. In the summer you can sit under the gorgeous balcony, but it’s also great in the winter, and it’s great when you can pair it with a warm dessert, a big cup of coffee and what you’re reading.
Expert tips? Don’t wear black, powdered sugar is everywhere. So Ein Schmarren!
Top image: Kaiserschmarren CAPA via Wikimedia (Creative Sharing)