Linzer Torte
This delicious jam tart is alleged to be the oldest cake recipe in the world. Ingredients: 250 g butter 250 g flour 125 g icing sugar 150 g ground hazelnuts … Continue reading
Johannes Kepler
Between 1615 and 1621 Johannes Kepler published the seven volumes of Epitome astronomiae Copernicanae while living in Linz. In the Epitome he outlined his most famous discovery, the three laws of … Continue reading
Horse railway
In the 1830’s the Austro-Hungarian Empire boasted the world’s longest horse railway connecting Linz in Upper Austria to České Budějovice in Bohemia. Originally envisioned in 1807 by Professor Franz Joseph … Continue reading
South Bohemian Potato Soup
Ingredients: 340g potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 litre meat or vegetable stock Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste 1 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed 1 bayleaf 1 small onion, … Continue reading
The Good Soldier Švejk
Having drunk away a gift of 10 crowns instead of buying a railway ticket Private Josef Švejk, unscrupulous dog dealer, idiot savant, and thorn in the side of his superiors, … Continue reading
Husité, part 2
The Hussites quickly united on a programme that in effect were the conditions for their acceptance of Sigismund. They called for the lay chalice to be authorized, for simony (the … Continue reading
Husité, part 1
On July 6, 1415, Jan Hus was led to the stake having been found guilty of charges of heresy by the Council of Constance against the doctrines of the Catholic … Continue reading
Leaping Lena
In 1954 a racing pigeon named Lena lost her sense of direction during a flight from Munich to her home in Klautzenbach and landed in Plzeň. She was found by … Continue reading
Pivo
To lager drinkers Plzeň is, or should be, a spiritual home as the birthplace of the pilsner style of pale lager which dominates the modern beer market. Brewing in Plzeň … Continue reading
Zwiebelkuchen
Zwiebelkuchen, literally ‘onion cake’ in German, is a delicious dish of onions, bacon, cream, and caraway seeds on a base of leavened dough. Fantastic hot from the oven on a … Continue reading
Witch Trial
“Question I. Whether witches, hags, and sorcerers really exist? I answer, they do. Even if I know that many doubt it, even Catholics and scholars, whose names are not relevant … Continue reading
Schweinshaxe
A classic German pork knuckle recipe from Bavaria. Ingredients: 1 leek, diced 1 stalk of celery, diced 1 carrot, diced 2 pork knuckles (aka ham hocks or ham shanks) 1tsp … Continue reading
Europeenses part 3
Following the Second World War Europe found itself devastated. Thirty to forty million people had perished during the conflagration, cities lay in ruins, agricultural and industrial output was dramatically reduced, … Continue reading
