TRADITIONAL FOODTRADITIONAL FOOD

• Mountainous, wooded, and quaint, modern Austria borders Mountainous, wooded, and quaint, modern Austria borders Switzerland and Liechtenstein in the west, Germany in the Switzerland and Liechtenstein in the west, Germany in the northwest, the Czech Republic in the north, Hungary and former northwest, the Czech Republic in the north, Hungary and former Yugoslavia in the east and southeast, and Italy in the southwestYugoslavia in the east and southeast, and Italy in the southwest..

• Austria has been selected as a priority market for the food Austria has been selected as a priority market for the food industry sector. Although the country has strong local production industry sector. Although the country has strong local production and relatively high imports from the EU with Germany, Italy and and relatively high imports from the EU with Germany, Italy and the Netherlands as the main suppliers, there is still scope for the Netherlands as the main suppliers, there is still scope for higher imports from the UK (currently ranked in 8th position) for higher imports from the UK (currently ranked in 8th position) for food specialties, convenience, ready and ethnic foods as well as food specialties, convenience, ready and ethnic foods as well as fish and fish products provided the quality and prices prove to fish and fish products provided the quality and prices prove to be competitive.be competitive.

Regional CuisinesRegional Cuisines

• Austrian cuisine in general: It is the culinary reflection of an Austrian cuisine in general: It is the culinary reflection of an ethnically mixed people who, during the many centuries of the ethnically mixed people who, during the many centuries of the Austrian Habsburg empire's expansion and contraction, have Austrian Habsburg empire's expansion and contraction, have exchanged culinary know-how with Turkish, Swiss, Alsacian, exchanged culinary know-how with Turkish, Swiss, Alsacian, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, German, Bohemian-Moravian, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, German, Bohemian-Moravian, Hungarian, Polish, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovakian, Serbian, and Hungarian, Polish, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovakian, Serbian, and Jewish cuisine. Typical Austrian dishes vary today according to Jewish cuisine. Typical Austrian dishes vary today according to the Bundeslander culinary history and to each "Bundesland's" the Bundeslander culinary history and to each "Bundesland's" agriculture with its export/import tradition.agriculture with its export/import tradition.

Easter habitsEaster habits

On Ash Wednesday you do not eat any On Ash Wednesday you do not eat any meet, only fish. The most popular fishmeet, only fish. The most popular fishyou eat on Ash Wednesday is herring.you eat on Ash Wednesday is herring.Lent is a time of fasting, when you do not Lent is a time of fasting, when you do not eat as much as usual. Normallyeat as much as usual. Normallyyou decide not to consume e.g. chocolate or you decide not to consume e.g. chocolate or alcohol.alcohol.Good Friday is also a day of fasting, it is the Good Friday is also a day of fasting, it is the strictest day of fasting,strictest day of fasting,you are also not allowed to eat meet.you are also not allowed to eat meet.On Maundy Thursday it is usual to colour On Maundy Thursday it is usual to colour hard-boiled eggs and to eathard-boiled eggs and to eatspinach.spinach.

On Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. the bells ”fly” to Rome and On Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. the bells ”fly” to Rome and so no bells ringso no bells ringuntil Saturday evening, when the resurrection of Christ is until Saturday evening, when the resurrection of Christ is celebrated.celebrated.

On Palm Sunday he triumphant entering of Jesus in On Palm Sunday he triumphant entering of Jesus in Jerusalem is celebrated.Jerusalem is celebrated.Everybody has a “Palm branch“ in his hands, made of Everybody has a “Palm branch“ in his hands, made of twigs of 7 plants (e.g.twigs of 7 plants (e.g.ivy, fir, pussy willow) bound together on a wooden stick by ivy, fir, pussy willow) bound together on a wooden stick by a piece of willow.a piece of willow.There is a procession around the village. Lent lasts for 40 There is a procession around the village. Lent lasts for 40 days Ashdays AshWednesday to Good Friday, the Sundays are excluded. If Wednesday to Good Friday, the Sundays are excluded. If you got to Church on Ashyou got to Church on AshWednesday you get a cross of ash on your forehead. Wednesday you get a cross of ash on your forehead. During lent you should go toDuring lent you should go toconfession, something a Catholic should do at least one a confession, something a Catholic should do at least one a year.year.

In Styria people burn twigs cut off trees and In Styria people burn twigs cut off trees and bushes on Easter Sunday, Whitebushes on Easter Sunday, WhiteSunday and the following 2 Sundays. These are Sunday and the following 2 Sundays. These are called Easter Fires. Andcalled Easter Fires. Andeveryone wants to have the biggest heap. (If you everyone wants to have the biggest heap. (If you burn garden rubbish on anotherburn garden rubbish on anotherday. He police with come and punish you.) White day. He police with come and punish you.) White Sunday is called White .Sunday. because in Sunday is called White .Sunday. because in former days people were baptized on the former days people were baptized on the morning of Easter Sundaymorning of Easter Sundayand were allowed to wear their white dresses and were allowed to wear their white dresses until the following Sunday.until the following Sunday.

Easter Sunday morning is a special day for Easter Sunday morning is a special day for children. The Easter bunny hideschildren. The Easter bunny hideseggs an other little presents like chocolate in the eggs an other little presents like chocolate in the grass and the childrengrass and the childrenmay look for them.may look for them.

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