Christmas markets are something Austria is definitely not lacking in, but when we heard that our regular summer beach spot, Lignano, was holding a Christmas market over December, we thought… why not? Something different. And definitely warmer than cold ol’ Austria. So, we packed ourselves and the in-laws up, and off we went to see what it was about.
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We had some strange weather this year. Steady and predictable to begin with, then a delightful blistering heatwave, followed by some days in July that I can only describe as… cold. Cold as in the outdoor pool dropped back to below 22 degrees and I didn’t bother swimming for a week. The season finished well though, with late warmth going right into October.
All things considered, the garden did pretty well. And there was even a lovely sunflower as an accidental centrepiece.
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Despite not wanting to do weird hipster things like ordering Babycino for my kid… it had to happen at some point. Froth off coffee is fine, except the child does not need a caffeine hit. So eventually Sammy started requesting Milkschaum (which translates to milk foam).
I am aware of the concept of Babycinos from Australia. I am aware they cost money. So, the first time I went out with Sammy and bought him a babycino, I was interested to see what they charge in Austria.
It didn’t cost $1. It certainly didn’t cost $4 (as it has been reported in Australia). It cost nothing. Even though we didn’t order coffee (though we did order spritzers so it counts for something).
So enjoy your Babycinos, Sammy. Just not when we go back to Oz. lol.
What I might at home refer to as a ‘standard white bread roll’ is called a Semmel in Austria. There are different types/shapes depending on what state you live in. In our state, a Semmel is a round, thin roll, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. It’s what you put ham and cheese or marmalade on for breakfast, it’s what the Leberkäse sits between in a Leberkäse Semmel, and it’s what you get to eat alongside your Wurst. It’s really standard, everyday fare – much like the humble white bread roll.
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“It’s the 21st of December… and now they’re ringing the last bells.”
This is a quote from iconic Aussie singer, Paul Kelly, whose song ‘How to make gravy’ has become an iconic Aussie Christmas song.
Interestingly, when my brother and I first heard the song, we found part of it humorous (‘…remember the last one, what was his name again…’ damn I can hear my bro laughing from here), and that’s how this song ended up in the ‘Funnies’ category on my iPod.
In actual fact, the song is quite sad, told from the point of view of a guy in prison on the 21st of December, thinking about his family and the Christmas celebrations he’ll miss. But where does the gravy come in, you ask? Well, he’s the guy that always made the gravy for the Christmas Day roast, hence the lyrics: Who’s gonna make the gravy… bet it won’t taste the same.
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I have to say, the season started off promising. I felt good. I felt ready. I planted like crazy. And then it rained… and rained… and rained… And I guess a lot of the seeds rotted or washed away. Or got eaten by bugs.
But eventually they sprouted. And then it got hot. And hotter. And hotter. So hot in fact that at one point I even had to admit that it was hot.
So… it was a bit of a struggle. But I struggled on.
Continue readingSame same… but different. I’ll be strolling through the supermarket here and see a familiar packet only to realise… it’s not the same… and yet it is the same. I know companies often have to change the names of products from country to country, so perhaps this is the case with many of the following that I’ve found.
Weet-a-bix: my favourite classic Australian cereal does exist here. But it’s called Weet-a-bix instead of Weet-Bix and it has rounded corners.
Continue readingBeing in a different country obviously the supermarket looks a little different. And the names of products in the supermarket are different too. So, the other day I browsed through the supermarket, with the mindset of a 16 year old boy. And here’s what I found. I hope your inner 16 year old boy enjoys them as much as mine did.
Bum Bum: a delicious ice cream that comes with chewing gum as part of the stick
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Look, I know it’s not weird to have meat in salad. Ceasar salad, for example… yum! Thai beef salad… delicious! But still… there’s something about the Austrian ‘Wurst Salad’ that doesn’t sit the same with me. Maybe because it’s so meat heavy? Or the fact that the meat in it feels like cut up bits of dodgy deli meat. Which it kind of is… but also kind of isn’t… because I’ve found that Austrian sausage is generally a little bit more substantial than dodgy deli meat.
So here’s how you make it. You take your sausage and cut it into thin strips… mix it with onion, pickles, capsicum and of course… cheese! Add a tangy vinegar dressing and there you have it… meat salad.
Do I like it? Hmm… it’s ok. It’s certainly not offensive. So, if you get a chance to try it, definitely give it a go!
If you read my last post, you’ll know that even 18 months post-partum, I was still holding onto that annoying baby weight. So, before I threw in the towel and bought a brand new wardrobe, I figured I’d give my body a chance… a chance to remember the weight it had always been, and slim down if that’s what it wanted.
But I didn’t want to do something too restrictive, because I enjoy Aperol and chips. That’s when I remembered my Dad telling me about an eating plan he tried. Which is why I call this Dad’s Diet. It’s kind of the 5:2 diet, but with flair from my Dad. And the great thing is, it’s simple.
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an aussie in austria 