Friday 15 January 2010

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere


Cappuccino
with a glass of water

Best Quiche Ever
40 miles west of Vienna
740 miles southeast of Paris

Was this fabulous artichoke quiche
the real reason Napoleon stopped here in 1805?

"The Emperor had halted at St. Pölten,
a village situated almost opposite Dürnstein,
alarmed by the loud cannonade which
echoed through the rocks.
He did not leave St. Pölten
until he had received reassuring news
of Marshal Mortier and of the corps
under his command
" that the cook
who created that delicious quiche at Café Schubert
would serve as his personal chef
for the remainder of his campaign. ***

Dear guests*
*weatherproof **

Please help yourselves
in the outdoor dining area
We will turn up the heat for you!
Thank you
** 'There is no such thing as bad weather,
only the wrong clothing
'
Ask for blankets!


Café Schubert
Herrenplatz 1
3100 Sankt Pölten
40 miles west of Vienna

And these was the scene
next to Schubert's Kaffeehaus:
An artist's supply store
offering a variety of goods outdoors
and a huge basket filled with the
first primulas of the season

Photographed
13 January 2010
Images and Text
© by Merisi 2010

*** Text between quotes:
"Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte,
the Court of the First Empire"
by Claude François Méneval, Collier

14 comments:

  1. Oh, the second coordinste allows me to triangulate! You must be somewhere near Krems an der Donau!

    That quiche look Délicieux! Magnifique!. Do you do mail order?

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  2. I LOVE the food in Austria. Delectable photos of both food and places!

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  3. Artichoke quiche! Be still, my heart!

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  4. Verlangen Sie nach Decken - I was going to ask you about it - but saw the translation: cute! Do people actually sit outside?

    I wouldn't have thought a store would be behind those beautiful renaissance style walls -you are so lucky with so much beauty around you!!

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  5. Merisi, I am intrigued by the word on the cappuccino cup: what does it say? La Triestina? I love Schubert! I must put this place on the map when I visit Austria.

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  6. Estelle,
    you are right,
    St. Pölten is about 20 miles southeast of Melk!


    Pat,
    besides that the whole quiche was first rate, the crust was so exquisite, I could make a meal of only the crust alone. ;-)


    Vicki Lane,
    it was so ridolent of artichokes, so succulent and tasty, yet so light and airy and melted literally on the tongue.

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  7. Jeannette,
    in my fourth winter here, and believe me, I have seen Austrians sit and stand outside, eating and drinking the hours away, in all kinds of cold weather. They seem oblivious to it! It is quite customary to provide blankets, I see them offered again and again.

    The storefront may well be original: Before the coffee shop, an old-fashioned bookstore had its quarters in there, behind the same storefront. Infact, I was quite sad when I realized that it was gone, because I have often bought books there when I passed through. It comforts me that at least not some of the obiquitous international chains has taken over this great location (a mostly lovely small square, bucolic setting for when warmer days come back, with tables outside).

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  8. Simona,
    the beans for the caffè comes from the Antica Tostatura Triestina in Trieste, Italy, a small coffee roaster. At "La Salvia" in Vienna, Yppenplatz (I have posted about them), they carry the same beans. Great coffee!

    The name of the coffee house was also the bookstore there. I remember an older gentleman helping me there with selecting children's books, and I am almost sure that his name was Schubert.

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  9. City Girl,
    I love that a Notenblatt - a sheet of music paper - was used to write this endearing note. How apt for a coffee house that carries the "Schubert" name! :-)

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  10. It's all so beautiful!! ... i especially love the arts supply store next door.
    Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.. have the best day
    :)

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  11. You have so many wonderful cafés !!I'm dreaming to one day seat at a viennese café table

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  12. I don't imagine that you could get a bad quiche or a bad cup of coffee within a 800 mile radius of Paris. What a sensual pleasing post.

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  13. I bet you're responsible for more people dashing to their kitchens to find something to eat and drink, after looking at your tempting photos, than anybody else in Blogland!! :)

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