Such a Sucker for Sacher

Before leaving for Vienna orders had been eagerly handed out by friends to bring back a plethora of Sacher Tortes or else I would end up with egg on my face. 

Should I phone the hotel to warn them that a huge order was about to catch them unawares? I shouldn't have worried as brand 'Sacher' is in rude health with tortes literally flying out the door clutched by squillions of tourists like myself. 

The Hotel Sacher Wien - opened in 1876 by Edward Sacher, son of the creator of the original Sacher-Torte. You don't want to be heard criticising the beloved Sacher as it stands for all things Viennese including lifestyle, culture, tradition and luxury, no less. Not many 16 year old chefs can claim to have created a cake that represented their countries culture! But, Franz Sacher, whisked up this dessert at the court of Prince Metternich and since then it has become famous in the 'torte' culinary corridors of cake power. His weekly pocket money must have been immense. The recipe remains a state secret and only the original Sacher has the 'Hotel Sacher' seal. 

Essentially, a Sacher Torte is a chocolate cake, wrapped in a thick chocolate icing, which is glued to the sponge using apricot jam. Sounds delicious! Served traditionally with whipped cream produced in a variety of sizes from 12cm to 22cm. Sold at prices that will have you choking on your Sacher crumbs. Each cake is handmade by a fair Viennese maiden, man or bearded woman if we have to be gender specific. 

Beautifully presented in bright paper and sturdy wooden boxes that will withstand small nuclear blasts. Welcome to brand Sacher.

In my mind their customer service is better than their torte. Especially when I came to eat mine which was dry and crumbly not unlike my skin. I fired off a short and succinct email requesting Franz Sacher's or one of his close decedent's head on a dessert plate....

The Sacher team responded immediately by sending a replacement within a matter of days. The replacement was very enjoyable and went down a treat with some but not all. The apricot jam used to attach the chocolate icing is not to everybody's taste and is overpowering. Oh well, more for me.


If €50 is not enough to spend on a chocolate cake you can also blow your hard earned wonga on a bottle of Original Sacher Liqueur or tins of Original Sacher Hot Chocolate. 

In my opinion the French Opera Cake is far superior in both taste and texture.

You can find Hotel Sacher Wien on Philharmonikerstrasse 4, A-1010, Wien. Just follow the link for more information. Sacher.  

Kleines Cafe - Vienna

3, Franziskanerplatz

Spend an hour or two at Kleines Cafe

Planning a weekend away in Vienna? Short on time? 

Then these are some of the 'must see' places.... 

Vienna is packed with an amazing array of historical buildings, museums, theatres, restaurants and cafes but some are just better than others. 

In the next few posts I will try and squeeze in some places of interest for the traveller short on time.

We literally stumbled upon the Kleines Cafe (Little Cafe), owned by actor Hanno Poschl, situated in the delightful Franziskanerplatz, on our first evening stroll through Innere Stadt. 

A cafe that lives up to its name and don't be surprised to find it full to the brim! On a day when the rain was pouring we slipped back to this warm, cozy and welcoming cafe where they still allow smoking! But, don't even think about puffing on your pipes or cuban cigars as these are strictly verboten! Two cappuccinos, water, scrambled eggs for two and thickly buttered slices of bread will set you back approx. €20. 

The menu is simple and straightforward. Staff are friendly and welcoming, they even lent me a torch when my lens cap rolled into a dark nook.

This is no Starbucks.....which is a good thing. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a Starbucks but it did make me laugh when I overheard an American family squeal in unison when they saw their beloved Starbucks! 

Hanno Poschl, also owns a restaurant, Gasthaus Poschl, which is literally around the corner from Kleines Cafe. Again this is very popular location and I would advise you to book in advance. Ideal for those seeking a traditional Viennese grub including such dishes as Goulash and Wiener Schnitzel. Address: 17 Weihburggasse, not far from Stephansdom. 

Franziskanerkirche

If you're using the 'always running to time' U-Bahn jump off at Stephansplatz or Stubentor.

Zotter - Tequila mit Salz und Zitrone

Zotters

We went in search of the bearded lady, Conchita Wurst, and discovered that not all Austrian women/transvestites have similar decorative and distinguished jaw lines. 

Infact, Austria, as a nation seemed to be keeping their recent 'artistic' victory at this year's Eurovision very low key, underwraps and possibly slightly embarrassed. 

'Rise Like a Phoenix' was certainly not the tune of choice for die Menschen of Wien. Oh well, they have plenty to look forward to now they will be hosting next year's Eurovision Song Contest. Danke Conchita! 

Traditional Viennese folk are probably hoping it will all go away but I'm sure the marketing team at Zotter are already working on a suitable chocolate bar to celebrate the fact. Did you know that Zotter even has a Cemetery of Ideas where old varieties go to do whatever past favourites do and some are even exhumed and resurrected for a short while. 

Zotter wrappers never fail to disappoint with their imaginative designs that always manage to raise an eyebrow or smile.....If you're thinking about collecting, Zotter wrappers, might be the next big thing.

If you're a Zotter fan you'll not be surprised by the variety of chocolates that Zotter produce including this hand-scooped or 'handgeschopft' bar which contains nobel bitter chocolate (70% cocoa) filled with tequila ganache and lemon ganache. A surprising mix of organic and fairtrade products can be found on the ingredients list. 

Zotter Ganache Layer

The bitter chocolate, salt, tequila and lemon ganache work perfectly together. An absolute delight! There is just the right amount of 'salt and alcohol' to have the desired 'tequila' effect without making it overly caustic or alcoholic. 8/10. Priced at €3.35 70g.

Zotter fans will be able to find a huge selection of their favourite chocolate confection in Vienna's Naschmarkt located between the Linke and Rechte Wienzeile. Head to Bio Welt for a huge Zotter selection.  

Once you've secured your chocolate bars take a wander around this fascinating fruit and vegetable market with its interesting mix of expensive Viennese and slightly cheaper Turkish and Asian stalls. 

You'll also find stalls selling hand-crafted soaps, oils and clothing including a multitude of street-food vendors and restaurants to enjoy.