History of Sacher Torte with ‘Einspänner’ and a Glass of Water

We are fortunate to have the history of another famous dish Sacher Torte that my friend Inka Piegsa-Quischotte obtained recently in Salzburg. What a nice story.

I enjoyed Sacher Torte at the Hotel Sacher in 2004. It is easy to see way it has stood the test of time.

Here are Inka’s words:

On my recent visit to Salzburg in Austria I naturally could not resist the temptation to indulge in a slice of Sacher Torte in the famous Cafe of the Hotel Sacher. It was delicious and so was the ‘Einspänner’ which is a coffee with milk, duly accompanied by a glass of water. And here is the story behind both: in 1832 a young lad by the name of Franz Sacher was an apprentice in the kitchen of the household of Fürst Metternich. The prince was not only a renowned stateman but also a gourmet. One day when a particulalrly rich dessert was needed for a banquet, it just so happened that the chef fell ill and young Franz got the chance to present his concoction, the Sacher Torte, which became an instant hit and remains so to this day.

.
And the glass of water with the coffee? When coffee was first consumed in Europe only nobilty could afford it. These people were far too elegant to drop their dirty spoons on the saucer of their dainty Meissen coffee cups where they would leave an ungly stain but dropped it into a glass of water instead. A Sacher employee told me this story. I can’t vouch for the historical truth of it, but it’s a nice tale nonetheless.