Who gilded the Schnitzel?
In 16th century Vienna the practice of gilding edible dishes with gold leaf had come
into vogue. This wasteful luxury practiced by wealthy Venetians was rapidly gaining
ground and ultimately was outlawed. Following the ban the trend of breading, with its
yellow-gold hue, became the substitute for gold and the Milanese-style cutlet was
one of the newly created dishes.
In 1848 Field Marshall Radetzky of Vienna was sent to Milan to quell the uprising
against Habsburg. According to legend he was so taken with the way cutlets were
prepared in Milan that he sent word to Kaiser Franz Joseph who then had them
prepared in Vienna, however with a finer cut of veal – from the thigh instead of the
loin.
A breaded, fried chicken dish called the „Wiener Backhendl“, however, was already
popular in Vienna in those days. Therefore it is likely that during Radetzky’s time, a
breaded Schnitzel was already available in Vienna, as well as in Milan or Paris. Be
that as it may, the Schnitzel developed into what is is today in Vienna – something
very special, to which we are happily indebted.
Whether Milanese or Viennese, we’ll show you a true Schnitzel.