The Colonel isn’t the only one with an original recipe.
It’s not often you get to eat 1200 year old Strudel. But in Salzburg, you can visit St. Peter Stiftskeller, which is widely known as the oldest restaurant in Europe, having been first documented by Charlemange’s visit in 803.
As we were enjoying our strudel, which was rumored to have been on Sir Mange’s plate, Deal Kid’s eyes lit up in the way only a 9 year old’s can. “Hey Mom! Wait a minute…Charlemange was here in 803, right?”
“Yes, Deal Kid”, I replied, taking a bite of the raisn-y, cinnamon and nutmeg filled pastry, richer than what I think of as “strudel”.
“Well, Mom…what are the chances that Charlemange was there for the restaurant’s grand opening? Don’t you think the restaurant opened in like, 802?”
Um….I took a sip of coffee…
“Or Maybe it was more like they heard he was coming through and they quick made up some food and a banner and were like: Hey, Charlemange! Eat Here! Grand Opening!”
Well, I’m afraid history is vague on that, Deal Kid, so we’ll never know if indeed Charlemange did indeed attend St. Peter Skiftskeller’s Grand Opening or if it opened in 802, but either way, the strudel was tasty, but expensive.
What do you think?
I think Charlemagne was the restaurant’s silent partner, and he ensured it’s success by publicly dining during his visit. I’m sure a messenger was sent via horseback to alert Salzburg’s paparazzi well in advance of his arrival so that they could prepare their parchment and quills for speed-sketching the event. He probably had a member of his court hold up a shield during his dine so that the paparazzi couldn’t capture his every bite, as he lamented the ridiculousness of his inability to have a simple streudel without being announced by the town crier. The town crier and paparazzi were probably paid handsomely under the table for their efforts.
He was a man ahead of his time, and celebrities have followed his lead ever since.