Two Parts Italy

The Ortofrutta (green grocery) in Lucca is full of apricots right now. Colorful and sweet, they’ve been perfect in my morning yoghurt or eaten out of hand. Not only are they delicious, but seeing them has reminded me of an experience I had last fall when visiting Göttweig Abbey near the town of Krems in Austria - monks and apricots!

The Abbey, built in the 11th century and rebuilt in 1580 and again in 1718, each time following a fire, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Still a working monastery, the grounds and public areas are well worth a visit.

The large monastery complex includes several areas open to the public, including the park like grounds and a museum with a stunning Baroque staircase and beautiful interiors.

The church, parts of which date back the earliest construction of the abbey, has a dusty pink exterior, twin bell towers, and an ornate interior filled with beautiful frescoes.

Below the church is a crypt which contains one of the abbey’s most important artifacts - a shrine containing the relics of the abbey’s founder, Bishop Altmann.

The abbey is surrounded by forest, vines, and orchards. It is especially gorgeous in fall.

Göttweig Abbey sits on a hill above vineyards, orchards, and forest. Run by a small group of Benedictine monks, today it is known for its vines, which provide the grapes used to produce the abbey’s wines, and for its apricots which are used to make apricot liqueurs, jams, and nectars – all available for purchase in the gift shop.

I visited Göttweig Abbey on an excursion offered as part of a Viking Danube River cruise which included the opportunity to learn to make (and of course, to taste) the famous Marillenknödel or Apricot Dumpling that is one of the abbey’s specialties.

After a tour of the grounds, museum, and church we were offered a taste of apricot nectar and apricot wine – and then if was off to the restaurant for a dumpling lesson from the pastry chef.

The apricots used in the dumplings are grown in the abbey’s orchard. Harvested when ripe, the pit is removed and replaced with a sugar cube. Next, they are frozen to be used for future dumpling making year round. In season they can also be used fresh.

The pastry chef had all of the ingredients ready and demonstrated the process of making the dough, wrapping the apricots, boiling them, and preparing the sweetened bread crumb topping. After the demo we each had a cup of coffee and a dumpling. Delicious, and not too sweet, they were wonderful.

A copy of the recipe was given to each of us and I think the monks won’t mind me sharing!

To make the dumplings, a dough is made from 1 cup farmer’s cheese (a substitute would be ½ ricotta and ½ Greek yoghurt – both full fat), 1 cup flour, 2 Tablespoons semolina flour, 1 egg, 3 ½ tablespoons butter, and a pinch of salt. Mixed and chilled in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

The dumplings were served in a puddle of apricot jam - delicious !

Pieces of the dough are used to wrap around each apricot, forming a round dumpling. The dumplings are then dropped gently in boiling lightly salted water. When they float, they are ready (15-20 minutes).

While the dumplings cook, a topping is made from 1 cup bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar, and 3 tablespoons butter. Mix and toast in a pan until golden and then add 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll the boiled dumplings in the crumbs and serve while warm. Toppings can vary – ours were served in pool of thin apricot jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They can also be drizzled with honey, topped with vanilla sauce, whipped cream, or even ice cream.

Learning to make them was fun – tasting them was even better. I’ve yet to try making them at home, but will all the ripe apricots in the Italian markets right now I just might give it a try!

The Wachau Valley runs for 18 miles along the Danube River as it winds its way through Austria. The entire stretch is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it Is easy to see why – it has an abundance of riches in its history, amazing landscapes, colorful small villages, and castles.

There is no better way to see the Wachau Valley than from the river, gliding slowly along and enjoying the sights as you pass by (perhaps with a glass of wine in hand and the company of good friends). And there is no better time of year to see it than during fall, when the changing leaves turn the landscape to gold.

I spent an afternoon sailing through the valley during the peak of fall color in late October. The afternoon was part of a week-long Viking Danube River cruise, sailing west along the Danube from Budapest, Hungary towards Passau, Germany, with much of the week spent in Austria. The entire cruise was wonderful; I will be writing more about the various places on the itinerary in the weeks ahead. But in terms of scenery, the Wachau Valley was the highlight of the trip.

The Hinterhaus Castle ruins above the town of Spitz surrounded by glorious fall color

The Wachau Valley lies between the town of Melk to the west and Krems to the east (though my cruise went in the opposite direction, upriver, going from Krems west toward Melk). The stretch is flanked by two famous Medieval abbeys – Göttweig Abbey, founded in 1083, in the east (below, left) and Melk Abbey founded in 1089 (below, right) to the west. Both sit high up on bluffs and act as “bookends” to the stretch of the Danube through the Wachau Valley.

Between the two abbeys lie wooded areas, agricultural lands, and terraced vineyards where primarily Grüner Veltliner grapes are grown. Dotted throughout the landscape are a series of storybook villages, small cottages, castles, and monasteries..

There are also churches in a variety of forms – some with tall bell towers, some with steep red roofs, others with colorful exteriors, such as the abbey at Dürnstein with its blue and white bell tower.

Higher up on bluffs sit castle ruins, including this one above the town of Dürnstein. Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned in the castle the 12th century.

The ruins of Dürnstein Castle, on the bluff above town, where King Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned

Not everything is Medieval in the region – one very modern piece of art found along this stretch of the Danube is a giant sculpted nose.

The Wachau Nose is a landmark which suggests the importance of the sense of smell in wine tasting.

According to the literature provided by Viking, the model for the nose was the son of the mayor of the town of Rossatz-Arnsdorf, the city where the nose can be found.

The wonders of this valley can be appreciated at any time of year. But fall brings a unique view, as the trees and vines change from green to gold and fiery orange, adding a special bit of magic to the landscape.

Monks and Apricots

Fall Color Along The Danube