Die Mitte

“Oh, the curds of Liptov, I remember how my grandmother made it, but probably in a version adjusted to the reality of the People’s Republic, since I do not remember if in the store offering included capers or anchovies. And our Liptauer’s base did not come from Liptov either. The dairy farm still working in Liptov provided the whole Monarchy with the best sheep’s cottage cheese – bryndza – of the empire. Serious supplies of it were found in Colonel Redl’s home in Prague, when, before the outbreak of the First World War, it became known that he was spying in favor of Russia, as it was meticulously described by Egon Erwin Kisch, the racing reporter. Redl was not only a traitor, but also a great gourmet, who accumulated the most delicious specialties of the Habsburg Monarchy in his home. In addition to the Liptov curd, he also had an impressive amount of Prague ham, whose memory is still alive all over the territory of the former Monarchy. In Trieste, Friuli and Trentino, the quality cooked ham is called “prosciutto di Praga”, although for a long time, at least since the abdication of Charles IV, they have not imported ham from Prague.

He had many weaknesses, that swine Redl, which finally made him a traitor, but for this one, his affection for the ham of Prague, I have at least a partial understanding.”



For the readers of Río Wang it is no secret, how nostalgic we feel about those old many-colored empires, over which the sun never set, or even if it did, until sunset you could cross a large number of language borders without any passport and customs clearance. And happened what happened, the reconstruction of these former large units is still possible, and namely in the way as we try it here at Río Wang: by traveling about and tasting them. This is exactly how it is done, with a great joy of life, excellent stomach and a passion for microhistory by Robert Makłowicz, author in Krakow, landowner along the Lake Balaton, and the last citizen of the Habsburg Monarchy. Come and listen to the presentation of the book and the discussion following it. And then read the exclusive interview given by the author to our blog tomorrow morning, and the detailed presentation of the book here at Río Wang.