- coffee and cake -
The Austrians love coffee and cake. It is engrained in their customs and lifestyle. Now I can only speak for the farming community, but I’ve heard it is similar in places like Vienna as well. Between three and four in the afternoon everyone enjoys coffee and cake together. This isn’t dissimilar to the English ‘afternoon tea’. It is just the variety of cakes that makes it extra special.
Apple strudel is quintessentially Austrian. There are secret recipes past down through the generations from mother to daughter. Manu and her mother had a ‘cake off’ last year but it got too competitive. I didn’t dare announce a winner when asked to judge!
At the farm the cakes are seasonal. Strawberries, apples, red currants, blue berries, cherries, plums, apricots and raspberries are all grown. So depending on what requires picking will determine what goes in or on top of the cake. Oh and don’t forget a big blob of cream or ice cream to help the cake so down.
There is some science behind all this cake eating. So there is no need to feel guilty (not that mountain bikers do). The secret lies in the coffee. Something to do with coffee aiding in the breakdown of glycogen in the muscles. Therefore allowing you, the mountain biker, a faster recovery. Which means more cycling and time on the trails. The cakes were the carbohydrates that provided you with the energy in the first place.
If you don’t believe me then I’m sure you can trust the Australians. Coffee and caffeine for faster recovery. Anyway who needs a reason to stuff their face with cake and knock back a mug of coffee as well. Just enjoy.
