The memory is still clear in his head. Erwin Schroettner was only 11 years old when he cooked his first meal at his home in Austria. Growing up, eating fresh vegetables and fruits was definitely what helped the chef develop his special relationship with food. In his restaurant, Cafe Katja, you can see a picture of the farm he grew up hanging on the wall.
At Cafe Katja, Schroettner serves traditional Austrian dishes, like schnitzel, bratwurst, and spätzle, but the most important thing, he says, is the beer—served with the proper amount of foam, which is rare in the United States.
Schweinshaxe with Apple Cider
We all agree that Austrian food matches perfectly with a glass of beer. However, since the idea for this story was to suggest unexpected pairings, Chef Schroettner also selected another traditional drink — a special apple cider from Austria.
According to his friend, cider producer Hans Reisetbauer, “this cider is made from meticulously farmed apples and is vinified like Champagne, aging it for 18 month on the lees (yeast). A dosage of apple juice is added to induce secondary fermentation. The result is a dry apple wine with very fine bubbles that reveals the complexity and nobility of the apple.” Schroettner pairs this citric beverage with a dish called Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle), served with the same sides as his mother did: Sauerkraut and Servietten knoedel (a kind of bread dumpling).
Schweinshaxe, with Servietten Knoedel / Photo by Ryan Liu
Linzer Torte with Rasperry Schnapps
To finish the meal, Schroettner chose a very traditional Austrian dessert: Linzer Torte (a crumbly pastry made with a hazelnut crust and usually filled with homemade raspberry jam). He paired it with a glass of raspberry schnapps. In his words, “with all the spices in the linzer torte, the schnapps gives the dessert a fulfilling round finish.”
As of this article’s writing, both Hanukkah and Christmas are a little over a week away. Since most of the people in my life still haven’t done their holiday shopping for the year, below are 10 last-minute gift ideas:
Soju is a distilled Korean alcohol that is — by volume — the most consumed spirit in the world. TOKKI is the first soju to be made in the U.S., as produced in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Unlike many of its competitors, TOKKI does not add artificial ingredients or flavors. Beyond Astor Wines & Spirits, TOKKI can be found in dozens of New York City restaurants including Cafe Boulud, Hangawi, Barn Joo, and Thursday Kitchen.
Co-founded by Brandy Hoffman and Patricia Santos, Volition is a beauty company known for its innovative anti-aging products. This set is a 3-in-1 system meant for application twice daily, as massaged into the face and neck areas. It contains 60 mL of a Dual Cream Base and 15 mL of both its Day Active and Night Active products. Volition also offers free shipping and free returns on purchases.
Based in Austria, Swarovski is known all around the world for its crystals. Swarovski’s Crystaldust Bangle Doubleis a new signature design, as crafted using the brand’s Crystal Rock technique. It is lavishly-encrusted with silver-toned crystals, which makes it sparkle, and available in eight different colors. Swarovski fans with an interest in chic tech-wear ought to look into the Cardoon Activity Tracker, as part of the Activity Tracking Jewelry Collection.
Not all Christmas sweaters must be ugly, and this officially-licensed Wu-Tang Clan sweater proves that. UglyChristmasSweaters.com lets shoppers add LED lights to any sweater — Wu-Tang threads included — for $9.95. Those seeking something a little more “yuge” have some Donald Trump sweater options from the site.
TOMS first achieved notoriety for its “one for one” policies, in which the company would give away a pair of shoes to a person in need for each pair purchased. Within the past few years, TOMS has become known for much more than its slipper-esque canvas shoes, including sunglasses, bags, backpacks, boots and dress shoes. Its Del Rey sneakers are not just in line with the company’s “one for one” policy, but also manage to be both comfortable and fashionable. The Del Rey can be purchased in Black Teal Tribal, Grey Plaid and Black Dotted Wool. TOMS purists interested in the Grey Plaid version of the Del Rey may want to check out the Red Black Plaid edition of the classic slip-ons.
Shu Uemura is a top Tokyo-based beauty company. Takashi Murakami is one of Japan’s top contemporary artists. Put them together and you have the Shu Uemura x Murakami Limited Edition Holiday Collection. Only available while supplies last, this collection maintains both the quality that Shu Uemura is known for and the colorful artwork of Murakami. Beauty both inside and outside of the packaging.
Neubau Eyewear is a popular Vienna-based brand known for its chic yet ergonomic pairs of glasses. Its Heinz line is unisex and light, made of lightweight polymer. While the Black Coal Matte caught my eye, Heinz is also available in five other colors. On the Neubau website, shoppers can easily sort models by color, material and gender; 13 colors, two materials and two genders lead to plenty of options.
Tipsy Elves is one of the top sites to purchase ugly Christmas sweaters from, but the San Diego-based e-tailer offers something for everyone. Halloween-ready jumpsuits, Thanksgiving-themed t-shirts, St. Patrick’s Day gear, Hawaiian shirts, patriotic clothing, officially-licensed college sweaters, fanny packs, neck warmers…fun attire and then some. I personally had a hard time deciding between the the American flag sweater and a Hanukkah sweater. Free shipping for orders over $75.
MOO is helping to make business cards cool again, although it also sells postcards, holiday cards, letterhead and stickers. The brand recently partnered with Baron Von Fancy to create limited-edition business cards. But for those who don’t need business cards, MOO has great a hardcover notebook to offer. Sized at 5.12″ x 8.15″, the notebook comes in dark grey with 160 lined pages and 16 unlined pages. Sturdy, professional and fashionable all at once.
Based in the Port Morris section of the South Bronx, The Bronx Brewery has becoming one of New York’s leading craft breweries in only five years. The Bronx Brewery’s No Name IPA is a special collaboration brew only available at Whole Foods Market locations in the Northeast region. The beer is currently nameless and is looking for a name — submissions can be submitted at www.namethisbeerwfm.com. In turn, you have not only given a loved one the gift of great beer, but also the chance to be the person that gives that great beer a proper name.
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