"WienerSchnitzel" news and stories

Happy Wienerschnitzel Day!

Popularized -- and named for -- the Viennese, Wienerschnitzel may translate to "Viennese cutlet," but, like many dishes, has mixed origins. According to some, the dish originated in Constantinople, where meats were covered in gold flakes as a testament to the city's wealth and opulence. As the recipe spread throughout Europe, common folk replaced gold flakes with affordable breadcrumbs. Today, the veal cutlets are thin-cut, sautéed with a simple crust of flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs, and served with lemon slices, and sometimes anchovies, capers or hard-boiled egg.

When veal proves too expensive, some Europeans would substitute pork for it, although German law prohibits the pork-based alternative from touting itself as "Wienerschnitzel" on menus. The dish evolved further once it arrived in Texas with migrant German settlers of the 1840s. As beef was cheaper -- and infinitely more available -- in the cattle state, it often replaced veal in the dish's preparations, paving the way for what we currently call Chicken Fried Steak.

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Photo: Jennifer Iserloh.

I'm not sure how this myth got started -- I used to believe it too, before I met my husband, who grew up in Germany. Every time I tell someone I'm making schnitzel for dinner, they talk about hot dog buns and sauerkraut. Then they try to convince me that I really meant sausage and they will go as far as to ambush random passersby to help corroborate their story.

In truth, the word schnitzel comes from the German term "schneiden" which means to cut, so schnitzel means cutlet. Thus, Wiener Schnitzel is not a cut-up hot dog, but rather a "cutlet from Vienna or Wien." See how I make it after the jump.

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More news after the jump.