We discover the flavours and traditions of Banat, but also those around it in a new event....
We aim to explore the delights of the region and the diversity of Banat cuisine...
From debates and case studies to creative discussions, we aim to address the topic of red meat around the Banat.
We'll whet your appetite with...
Tafelspitz – Viennese recipe – beef stew with vegetables and assorted sauces. What kind of meat is used for the Tafelspitz recipe and what are the typical Viennese side dishes? What sauces are usually served with Viennese-style beef rissole?
Timișoara is still sometimes called Little Vienna. As someone who lives here but also travels quite often to the Austrian capital, which is less than five hours away on the motorway, I can say that it is quite appropriate. I say this because the Empire left here more than the majestic baroque, secession, neo-gothic or neo-classical palaces, and I mean a lifestyle, culture and last but not least, gastronomy. In all of Banat, by the way, the dishes that we call traditional, the recipes learned from our great-grandparents, are mostly of Austro-Hungarian origin. So is this Viennese Tafelspitz, said to have been a favorite of Emperor Franz Josef. It is also called in our country rindflaiș. In translation, it is simply beef, and the origin of the word is as descriptive as here in Banat, the Viennese name – Tafelspitz – refers to a specific muscle in the beef carcass. Anatomically, the Tafelspitz muscle is part of the gluteobiceps. It is located where the tailbone attaches to the pelvic bones. The shape of this piece of meat is pointed and the German word spitz means... sharp. Tafelspitz food is prepared from this muscle but also from the beef stew, as I did.
On what occasion is this dish eaten?
This rindflais or Tafelspitz is one of the established dishes of Sunday lunch, served in the Banat style. After the clear soup with fine noodles or semolina dumplings, comes the boiled beef, served hot, along with certain side dishes. There had to be potatoes and carrots boiled in the soup, just enough to be tender but not overcooked. Then, an apple sauce/purée with horseradish – Apfelkren. Hot sauces can't be missing either. The most common choices are dill sauce (Dillsoße – click for recipe), cherry sauce or a sauce prepared on the basis of bechamel with finely chopped mustard and chives (Schnittlauch).
For dessert we put a bit of Budapest on your lips or as some know it...television...
We expect an evening full of tastes, aromas and culinary stories. We encourage you to join the discussions and explore the richness of Banat cuisine with us.