Family recipe

Christina’s great aunt Anna Egger was a talented cook. With beautiful handwriting, she documented her favorite recipes in a little book the Egger family greatly treasures. You will always find a recipe for “Kaiserschmarrn” in any good Austrian cookbook.

It’s a funny word that translates into “Emperor’s Nonsense,” referring to (Kaiser) Franz Josef I who was fond of this fluffy scrambled pancake. But there’s no nonsense about it, this classic meal and dessert is pure heaven – the ultimate Austrian comfort food.

Ingredients: 8 egg yolks, 60 g sugar, 300 ml milk, 250 g flour, salt, 8 beaten egg whites and a side of plum compote (stewed plums)

Add egg yolks, half the sugar, salt and milk and slowly stir in the flour, paying attention no lumps form. Then fold in the whipped egg whites. Add butter or lard to a hot fry pan and add the “mess” batter.

When the batter stiffens and firm up, use a fork (or spatula) to lift and flip it over back into the pan. Shred with the fork into small bite-size pieces. Another alternative: Add a pinky-finger size of lard to an oven-proof dish. Let it melt, then pour in the batter and put in oven. When one side is nicely browned, take it out and flip the cake. Take it out of the oven and cut up into bite-size pieces, sprinkle with sugar and put back into the oven for a quick sweat, then serve immediately with plum compote.

Some recipes call for raisins. It’s your choice. The fact is this: Aunt Anna’s scrambled pancakes are simply the best. If you’d like to add an intense and caramelized flavor to your “nonsense,” you can flambé the pancake at the end with 80 proof rum. Watch out…you might just start Yodeling!