When in Austria - eat Goulash soup to escape your Russian ski-instructor.

When your ski-instructor introduces himself with the phrase: "I am Victor, your ski-instructor.", with the strong emphasis on syllables only Russians can apply, then the best advice would be to run as far and fast as possible. Head for the safety of a ski-hut and order "Goulash Soup". Forget the famous phrase in the movie Marie Antoinette: "Have you ever been with a Russian man? They are so bossy!" or any other fantasies you might be cultivating about foreign men. Read about why eating soup is better than having ski lessons.



Victor tried his very best to teach this stubborn lass from South Africa to ski. He even tried his rough Russian manners, but his instructions were lost on me. Bear in mind that I am a South African and when we landed in Munich it was the first time that I really experienced snow, real snow - thick and cold and white. Unlike true Austrians, we did not grow up on ski's, but rather we embrace the 365 days of sunshine of this beautiful African country we call home. Cubano miraculously managed to stay on his feet longer and soon escaped the Russian's frozen grip. I felt embarrassed enough by toddlers whizzing past me on ski's and did not need Victor's patronizing comments: "This is no place for you!" and "No, that is not the right way to do it!". After day two of excruciating and humiliating ski-instructions from Victor we proclaimed that the next day we will not be attending lessons anymore, but that we will be taking our chances with our Austrian friend on the mountain to apply our freshly acquired skills and obviously to escape from the Russian who could not get enough of his own stories of accompanying Russian big-shots. I started to feel like I am on holiday with a Russian man whom I didn't even liked, and my inability to stay on my feet had nothing to do with my murderous feelings for this man. To our decision Victor exclaimed with dismay: "Don't let your friend take you up the mountain!". Needless to say that I had one sleepless night and visions of my orphaned children drifted past in every nightmarish scene.

The Austrian getting frustrated with my inability to stay on my ski's.

Anyway, day three was a test for the patience of my Austrian friend who willingly took us under his wing. I think that he soon regretted his decision. By day four we felt like locals in the mountain and both of us could managed to ski relatively well - we graduated to red piste from blue piste, but could not manage a black piste yet - which is quite understandable for a person only familiar with ski's for four days. But there truly is nothing like the real thing!

At a bar in the snow. We have successfully escaped from the Russian!

I can clearly remember the ski huts in the middle of nowhere, the lively parties and of course the hearty goulash soup - thick and rich - that really prepares you for the cold outside. And also hot chocolate laced with rum, hmmm... Truly something memorable. This was one of the favorites: http://www.sonnbuehel.at/ (also check out their menu).

The amazing view from one of the ski-huts.

Goulash soup is not an Austrian dish, but rather Hungarian. I suppose that the cross-pollination came about during the time of the Austrian-Hungarian Republic. Goulash soup - or gulyas leves - suits the cold Austrian weather. This soup, or watery stew, was made by cattle herdsmen to sustain them during cold and trying times. They basically used whatever meat was available: beef, veal, pork or lamb and they usually used the shank, shin or shoulder. These cuts are preferable because of the high collagen content that would thicken the stew during the cooking process. They also used whatever veg they had available, but with lots of emphasis on potatoes and carrots. They could also add celery, parsnips, tomato and the dish was flavored with onions, paprika and caraway seeds. They served it with short pasta like macaroni, polenta or a type of gnocchi. As is usually the case with peasant's food anything goes and many different versions exist, so obviously no place for purists. It's a go-with-the-flow type of dish. We usually had the goulash soup with crusty bread and that will be my preference.

Goulash Soup

Author: Dulcie & Cubano
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil
125g chopped bacon
750g stewing lamb (beef or pork can also be used or a combination of meat)
1 large chopped onion
1 tsp fresh garlic
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp dried paprika
50g concentrated tomato paste
100g passata (I used combination of tomato and smoked red pepper)
3 carrots thickly sliced
4 potatoes diced
1 liter vegetable stock
125ml red wine

Method:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and cook gently, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes until the onion is softened, but not browned.
Add the bacon and cook gently, stirring constantly, until bacon is cooked through.
Add the lamb and cook gently, stirring constantly, until lamb is browned.
Add the passata, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, paprika, vegetables, wine and stock.
Turn down the heat and let simmer for about 3 hours.

Serve with bread.