Austria: Prosperous Entertaining - Part 2
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Food and drink
Commonly the meal will be preceded by drinks and appetisers. After dinner, you should expect to continue in conversation over coffee and brandy or liqueurs but aim to depart within an hour of the end of the meal. Dinner parties will usually be over by 11:00 or 11:30 p.m. and certainly before midnight.
Traditionally, the host of the meal or event will initiate proceedings with a toast. Until then, no one should raise a glass. The host will lift his or her glass while making eye contact with the most senior guest and say Prost! The guest of honour should reply with a toast of thanks at the end of the meal or event. Similarly you should not start to eat until the signal is given; this is usually an exchange of Guten Appetit or Mahlzeit! initiated by the host or hostess.
Do not put your hands in your lap; they should be visible at all times and kept above the table. Refrain from letting your elbows rest on the table.
If possible, you should cut your food with the side of your fork; using a knife implies that you do not think the food is tender enough and this is considered poor manners.
The correct way to signal a server that you have finished eating is by placing your knife and fork diagonally across your plate, with the serrated edge of the knife facing you and the fork tines pointing up.
If the meal is less formal, the food may be served on platters or in bowls placed on the table for everyone to serve himself or herself. In this case the host or hostess will invite guests to help themselves. You should not, however, actually start eating until the hostess does so.
For the most part, Austrian cuisine is similar to that found in southern Germany, but it also has its own specialities such as the famous Wiener Schnitzel [an escalope of veal fried in breadcrumbs] and betrays its central European roots in dishes such as Gulasch [a beef stew with cream and paprika]. In general, it tends to have a heavy consistency mainly revolving around large portions of meat - pork, sausage and game are all popular main courses - accompanied by noodles, dumplings, or potatoes with a green side-salad. Vegetarians may have a hard time finding suitable or varied dishes, especially in more rural areas, although fish [especially trout, pike and carp] is plentiful for those able to compromise.
A hearty appetite is the norm in Austrian society and it is quite acceptable to display it in public. You should try to eat everything that is served to you but do not take large portions of food if you are not certain you can eat it all as you will be perceived as wasteful. Real trencherman may be lucky enough to come across rustic restaurants where it is possible to have a second [and third] helping so long as the plate is cleared each time [nachfassen].
Submit a Comment on this Article
