Christmas greetings

Only four more sleeps to Christmas! At Get Up & Go, 'wind down' is the operative attitude. The summer edition of the magazine will be hitting the deck on 6 January, the latest e-newsletter has been sent to cyberspace and I'm currently organising stories for the next (autumn 2010) issue.

In the meantime, just look at these lovely pictures that a Get Up & Go writer took recently in Austria when she was zapped into fantasyland to visit the beautiful Christmas Markets and gather information on the stunning Austrian cities she visited to write stories for us to appear next year in the magazine.

She suffered for us, she had to eat traditional food, new wave Austrian cuisine, taste exquisite cakes and pastries and there was a rumour she had a little hot spicy wine to keep out the cold!

I know most of us in Australia will be under a blue sky with the sun beating down but there is something ultimately romantic and nostalgic about a white, sparkly Christmas - even  if we just enjoy the pictures.

Merry Christmas to all our friends and all the best for a wonderful 2010 coming up soon.

P.S. I'll be blogging through the holidays so feel free to comment and let us know how your Christmas went - sunny or snowy! 

Innsbruck: a head for heights

City, country, urban, alpine – whatever you like to experience, Innsbruck is just the ticket!

The cities of Austria are all distinctive and wear their individuality with pride and flair. But for my money, Innsbruck has the edge. It’s the capital of the Tirol to the west of Austria and sits neatly into the Inn valley at its junction with the Wipp valley, providing access to the historical Brenner Pass in the south.

The city is splendid and is backdropped by the jagged and rugged Nordkette Mountain range. Tirol’s capital is a sight to behold. The mountains hover over the city and – if you need to get a little higher in altitude or head for the snow for a ski – it takes just minutes to rise to more than 2000m above sea level. Summer and winter are both desirable seasons to enjoy this lovely city. Best to enjoy the charm of the Old Town and the modern surrounds, museums and sporting facilities then head for the hills.

Innsbruck reflects Austria in microcosm – baroque, medieval, palaces, 19th-century museums, a majestic cathedral and a vast surrounding region of pristine nature to explore. The Olympic Ski Jump is last century’s badge of international honour. Innsbruck highlights for the first timer follow:

• Look up, look up at the glorious alpine scenery. Look down and begin your walk through the Old Town (Altstadt). The Golden Roof is a shining example of the architectural surprises from 1420. It was a residence of the Tirolean sovereigns in 1500. Emperor Maximilian added the loggia and oriel window covered with 2657 gilt copper tiles – and how brightly they still shine in the sun.
• The main drag in the Old Town is Maria Theresien Strasse and along her way you’ll see centuries of various architecture, all well-worn and worn well. You’ll pass through the Triumphal Arch and stop to shop at a fine variety of establishments. The Triumphal Arch was constructed for the Emperor’s betrothal.
• Spend time in these museums: The Golden Roof museum – the treasury of Emperor Maximilian with original portraits, gold pieces and crafted medallions.
• St James’ Cathedral – originally Gothic and then turned to Baroque style by the contrary J.J. Herkommer (1717–24). Frescoes and stuccos rule the day!
• In the Old Town you’ll be enveloped in the lavish Imperial past. The gothic Hofburg Imperial Palace (or Ambras Castle), built in 1406, is filled with opulent furniture, a fine display of Renaissance art, glittering prizes and family memorabilia. Life-size portraits of the royal family are hung in the Giant Hall.
• Experience the amazing Tirol Panorama Museum and Imperial Infantry Museum. There’s a panoramic painting measuring 1000sg.m. portraying the battle of Bergisel (1809). It’s also a fascinating depiction of the topography of Innsbruck at the turn of the century.
• Check out the Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium designed by architect Zaha Hadid. First built in 1925, it was renovated for the 1976 Olympic Winter Games.
• Just 20 minutes out of the city centre to high alpine terrain – use the Hungerburg Funicular and Nordkettenbahnen Cable Cars which have set international standards in design.
• A 20-minute drive from Innsbruck is the fantastic wonder of Swarovski Crystal Worlds – for all things bright and beautiful. Research this and schedule a visit here – too amazing to miss out on.
• From 15 November until 6 January there is a multitude of Christmas markets and holiday festivities to include in your winter holiday.

The city has much to offer and many attractions to visit and linger in. The natural surrounds are beautiful and the hills are dotted with chalets and little rustic restaurants serving authentic local food.

The city shines with classy, edgy restaurants offering a plethora of fine food and wine.

===
Originally published in Get up & Go Magazine Winter 2016

New museum in Vienna

A museum for the waltz king 

     

A new museum dedicated to Johann Strauss, creator of the Blue Danube Waltz, and his family has just opened in Vienna. But there are also plenty of other places for fans of the waltz king to visit, from his apartment to his final resting place.

Only Vienna could do a museum like this justice. The Johann Strauss Dynasty Museum in the ninth district is the first museum in the world to focus on the history and artistic output of the entire Strauss clan: from Johann Strauss the Elder and the waltz king Johann Strauss the Younger to his two brothers Josef and Eduard. Visitors can also look forward to an impressive range of pictures and documents that bring Biedermeier-era Vienna to life. Audio stations dotted throughout the museum give fans a chance to listen to popular and less well known pieces from the family canon as often as they like, without interruption.

Johann Strauss (1825-1899), known to family and friends as Schani, his father Johann and his brothers Josef and Eduard took the world by storm with their music. With 1,500 works between them, from Die Fledermaus and The Radetzky March to the Blue Danube Waltz,  they embody Viennese music like no others. Their waltz and operetta melodies can be heard in the capital’s concert halls throughout the year as well as at the traditional New Year’s Concert which is broadcast all over the world from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein.




It goes without saying that there is a Johann Strauss monument in Vienna. This golden statue of the waltz king playing his violin can be found in the Stadtpark, a short distance from the Kursalon. The Vienna Philharmonic played at its unveiling in 1921 and today it is one of the most photographed sights in the city. Johann Strauss II composed Vienna’s unofficial anthem The Blue Danube in an apartment at Praterstrasse 54 in the second district in 1867 where he lived with his first wife Jetty from 1863-1870. In addition to original furnishings and period instruments, exhibits include everyday objects from the great musician’s estate as well as portraits, photos, and documents on his life and work. The waltz king was laid to rest at Vienna’s legendary Central Cemetery, near the graves of Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and Johann Strauss the Elder.

• Museum of the Johann Strauss Dynasty, Müllnergasse 3, 1090 Vienna, www.strauss-museum.at 
• Johann Strauss Memorial, Stadtpark, 1010 Vienna 
• Johann Strauss Apartment, Praterstrasse 54, 1020 Vienna, www.wienmuseum.at
• Central Cemetery, Simmeringer Hauptstrasse 234, 1110 Vienna, www.friedhoefewien.at

Visit: www.austria.info

AUSTRIA: I'm a sacher for a good cake

Haven't heard of Sacher Torte? Have you been living on Mars or are completely oblivious to a good slice of cake? The history of the torte (cake) is a sweet one. It was created in Vienna (not Salzburg), by a young apprentice chef Franz Sacher in 1832. The delicious cake is traditionally served with a portion of unsweetened whipped cream and is complimented with a cup of tea or coffee. The cake has a mysterious air - covered in a shining, silky chocolate coat with a small round motif decorating the side, once bitten into, life takes on a grander meaning. The cake is chocolaty and has a robust texture divided by a sting of apricots glaze. (SEE recipe below)

There are specialty shops all over Austria selling this indulgence, but you'll find the sweetest prize at the Sacher Hotels. And adding to the pleasure of the Sacher Torte experience is the fact that is it always sitting on the breakfast table/buffet daring you to take a slice to begin the day . . .of course we did. At the elegant, traditional Sacher Hotel in Salzburg (below) , the Sacher Torte disappeared quickly and there appeared to be a rotating delivery of said sweetie at the breakfast table. Visit: www.sacher.com/hotel-sacher-salzburg

Sacher Torte
 
Total Time: 1 hr 42 min
Prep: 20 min
Inactive: 2 min
Cook: 1 hr 20 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Level: Intermediate


Ingredients 

Cake:

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces 
• 3 ounces butter 
• 4 egg yolks 
• 1 ounce sugar, plus 3 ounces 
• 5 egg whites 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/3 cup flour, sifted 

Apricot Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups apricot preserves 
• 1 tablespoon apricot brandy 

Glaze:

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces 
• 1 ounce butter 
• 2 ounces heavy cream 
• Whipped cream 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 by 2-inch cake pan.

In a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter and melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool. In a mixer, using a wire whisk, whip the egg yolks with 1 ounce sugar until light and ribbony. Beat in the chocolate mixture.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 3 ounces of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Fold in the flour and then fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites, gently but thoroughly. Pour into prepared cake pan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until done. To check for doneness, insert a paring knife in centre of cake. It should come out dry. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

To make the apricot filling: puree the apricot preserves. Stir in brandy.

Slice the cake into 3 equal layers. Spread half of the apricot filling on the bottom layer. Top with a second layer of cake. Spread the remaining apricot filling and top with the last layer of cake. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

To make the glaze: in a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Melt over a double-boiler. Bring the cream to a boil. Stir into the melted chocolate. Cool until it reaches glazing consistency. Spread over and around the cake. Chill for another 30 minutes before serving. Serve a slice with whipped cream.

Recipe courtesy of Wolfgang Puck