City walks

Golden-brown happiness: the schnitzel divides the people

"Krone" reporter Robert Fröwein strolls through the city and talks to people in Vienna about their experiences, their thoughts, their worries, their fears. Everyday stories straight from the heart of Vienna.

Don't think that everything in our editorial offices is always done in harmony. In a living democracy, the verbal blade is often swung and sometimes people don't leave without minor injuries. The lunch table in the company canteen, for example, can mutate into a veritable battlefield of words. Wednesdays are particularly hot, as culinary connoisseurs usually end up with a pork and Viennese dish. Lovingly prepared by chefs Peter and Andi and just as heartily devoured by hungry consumers. But not all pork wieners are the same and entire encyclopaedias could be written about how to eat them.

Do you need a potato salad with red onions or a mayonnaise and potato salad to go with it? Is it even okay to serve it with ketchup or is that an absolute no-go? Does it really always have to be chips, or is a portion of rice also acceptable? I have to show particularly strong nerves when my colleague from the digital department in Mühlviertel comes to the table. He usually enjoys his schnitzel with ketchup and cranberry jam. Not strictly separated from each other, however, but arbitrarily mixed together. My disgusted look is piercing and my colleague's reply is always the same: "What's your problem? Everything comes together in your stomach anyway?" An unworthy killer argument, the logic of which could be used to cross a porridge with a bacon sandwich early in the morning. So be it.

The discussion about the true schnitzel that should be eaten correctly is at least as heated in Vienna as debates about integration or the dominance of the ball game between Hütteldorf and Favoriten. The fact that Integration Minister Susanne Raab was decidedly "not about the schnitzel" in the recent Leitkultur debate is irrelevant here. When it comes to breaded pork, the will of the people is unquestionably stronger than that of their elected representatives. Although the original Wiener Schnitzel is of course made from veal and the basic recipe was allegedly imported to us from Italy by Field Marshal Radetzky. There is also a debate as to whether it should be fried in oil, clarified butter or lard and cooked in a pan or deep fryer. As you can see, the Wiener schnitzel is a science in itself in many respects.

There are probably dozens of different answers to the question of how to eat it properly. Even among my family, friends and acquaintances, opinions differ. Opinions range from "please add a large bottle of ketchup" to "if you eat pea rice with it, you'll be disinherited". Things get really exciting when individual federal state preferences come into play. Rumor has it that one or two Styrians like to splash the seed oil wildly over the crispy breadcrumbs - guaranteed to make the Viennese gasp! In 2024, the vegan version is also definitely en vogue: if a modern restaurant in the local milieu really thinks highly of itself, it will offer a seitan schnitzel version. The breaded milk schnitzel can also be enjoyed with a clear conscience for animal welfare. However you like your schnitzel - just don't dip it in a sauce. And the cranberry and ketchup crossover doesn't have to be ...