I have always loved German food; therefore, being able to study abroad in Austria provided a great opportunity to try different variations on the classics I grew up with.
Salzburg College students are provided lunch every school day at 12 at the local Seminary about a three-minute walk from the college. The food here is simple, but good, usually consisting of some form of meat, vegetable, and soup. For example, we might have a classic broth soup with bacon balls, pork schnitzel, steamed carrots, and a chocolate bar.
Dorm students are provided breakfast and dinner on most weekdays, while homestay students are given all their food by the host family. The dorm breakfast is the same each day: bread, cheese, lunch meats, and if you’re lucky, a hardboiled egg. Dinner, set from 5:00 to 6:30, is always different and can be a mix of traditional Austrian, such as Krautfleckerl (egg noodles with cabbage), or more of a culture-blend, such as a curry, a dish that is very popular in Austria though very different than any Indian or Thai curries I’ve ever had. Because we are not provided all our meals, the kitchen is closed, for example, during the Austrian semester break and all weekends, we are given around 200 Euro per quarter.
Etiquette is also slightly different and hugely important. Everything is eaten with a knife and fork whether it is a steak or a pizza. Plates are also not used for different purposes; for example, you cannot put dessert on the same plate you ate dinner from (your host family with give you dirty looks as a friend of mine learned.)
In addition to meals, the Cafe culture is very big in Austria; there are over 350 varieties of pastry like dishes to have with a coffee. The school spent the first quarter taking us to one cafe each week to experience this culture. Cafes are seen as a meeting place to chat and catch up while enjoying a coffee or some pastries. This is possibly the biggest difference from the US, where Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks reign supreme.
