Twilight of the Gods.

It seemed the best place to watch the day fade, through there were no palm trees, no seagull shrieks, or watery horizon, in fact, no sun at all. Just a bath of warm light light creeping across the facade of a twelfth century castle perched high above a valley of corn fields that looked as if Gustav Klimt had brushed them into the landscape. In the shadows beneath, houses sat like slabs of nougat in the brisk country air, which smelled of distant chimneys and hay. The stillness broken only by the echo of a whistle, a giggle, a bark. As the heavens grew heavy like drooping eyelids, an onion-domed cathedral doled out the evenings aging hour. The places we hold most dear have in one moment, marked us forever. The memory of such places ignites the imagination of artists and transports us to a time that, though will never be repeated, must be shared with others.

A blind sunset in Austria, its autumn colors a glow, excited my understanding of Austria's rich topography and the nature of its cuisine born of majestic mountains, lake regions, and a wealth of vineyards. As the Danube runs across the 160 mile stretch of northern Austria, it carries with it the promise of rich wine regions and buxom orchards. From the Alpine mountains of western Austria to the fertile plains in the east, Austria abounds with culinary promise. The western state of Vorarlberg is famous for pasta dishes served with a hard, piquant mountain cheese. Pannonia, near the Slovenian and Hungarian, border, is known for its use of paprkia, tomatoes, and peppers, The lake region of the Salzkammergut yields fresh water fish. Styria, in the southeastern part of the country is home to a wealth on farmland, 80% of whilch is organic. Styria is known too for its delicate jamb, often kept within the confines of the province. Thanks to Roman aqueducts, Austria enjoys some of the best watch in the world. Its great tradition of pasteries and coffee originated with the Moors who brought coffee, croisants, and bagles to Austria. In Vienna these traditional foods became delicacies to be introduced to the rest of Europe. Austria is home to some of the most brilliant minds, inspired artists, and spiritual melodies in the worlds. It is also a place of modest refinement, not immediately associated with central European cuisines. Though Vienna and Salzburg have always spoken eloquently for the country, it is the countryside, where the true cuisine is found. Often thought of as clumsy and gristle filled, Austrian cuisine is as varied and sophisticated as any contemporary Asian menu. Freshly grated horseradish is as readily available as wasabi, andpumpkin seed or reigns like soy sauce. Soups are silken and vinegars made with the same care as Riedel crystal.

APPLE BALSAMIC

'Good food keeps the body and soul together.'

For the most part, vinegar is made from taking inexpensive spirits and exposing them to aerobic bacteria, which yields a highly acidic liquid. Though inexpensive these products lack the finesse of balsamic or aged vinegar. Even so called 'fruit vinegar' usually starts with a raw practice with balsamic vinegar that a highly concentrated fruit juice is transformed through artisanal fermenting and aging techniques into a luscious condiment. After spending time with some of Italy's finest balsamic vinegar experts, the schnaps producer Alois Golles returned home with the impetus to make Austrian balsamic vinegar; the first of its kind produced from apples. True to his distilling philosophies, Golles maintains that the quality of the fruit juice is important. Sugars in the fruit juice, which will be transformed into alcohol and from alcohol to acidic acid, will contribute to the complexity of flavors. Once produced, the vinegar is stored from one to three years in barrels during which time oxidation occurs, causin g the fruit flavors to concentrate and ripen. Golles has also been working on an aged balsamic, the 1987 vintage that will be available by 2005. His unique line of twelve different 100% fruit vinegars made with pears, peaches, apricots, blackberries, and raspberries are aged from one to three years and lend an interesting note to salads, saviches, granites, and geles. Among the list of fans. Chef Hans-Peter Fink of restaurant Fink. Neighbors and close friends, Hans-Peter Fink and Golles share a passion for breaking new ground with respect to the cuisine of their country. Fink prepares tripe with pearl onions and Golles apple vinegar, a variation of the Norman dish tripes a la mode de Caen, poached with onions and carrots, in cider.

It is such patriotism mixed with the fresh perspective of youth, which is invigorating the Austrian food scene and many young chefs are eager to make their mark on the gastronomy of their forefathers. Chef Helmut Osterreicher is one such chef. He takes great price in Austrian ingredients, describing his cuisine as classical Viennese-Austrian with modern sensibilities. He believes that young Austrian chefs are aware of modern techniques but, like him, are trying to remain true to regional dishes. Though his peers may be pleased to make appearances in the dining room. Osterreicher maintains that the chef's role is not in the front of the house, but rather beyond the house establishing a good rapport with suppliers in order to find the best fish, fruits, vegetable, etc. Like the great chefs before him, it is the customers not the critics who receive his undivided attention.

Though many of the great restaurants near Salzburg and Vienna are rated by the Michelin Guide and Gault Millau, many are overlooked. "The Michelin rating system is very important to us if we want to reach the world outside Austria's boundaries," admits Karl Obauer of restaurant Karl-Rudolf Obauer. "It gives us international recognition." In most German speaking countries, Gault Millau serves in much the same way as Michelin guide, especially for those restaurants that are strewn throughout the countryside and resort towns. Much of the country's cuisine remains a cliche to outsiders. Obauer shares his colleagues' enthusiasm for tradition: he does not however, believe Austrian dishes make a grand cuisine. "Austrian food is very rustic there is not one special feature there are some specialties but you couldn't make a grand cuisine with Austrian food." Though he quickly adds, There are dishes which have become world famous, especially the pastries, but we don't want to cook only in an Austrian kitchen. Obauer i nsists. "We look to Italian and French kichens and add a touch of the Far East." A pro at incorporating these influences, Obauer is cautious not be misunderstood, "When you are new to your craft you can not improvise. But, after you have done your job for a long time and you are organized; improvisation becomes a learned skill."

Perhaps there is no chef more intrigued by the idea of innovation than Jorg Worther. Though highly regarded among gourmets, Worther is distracted by the untapped world of fast food. "We are missing out on a lot of opportunities to prepare good, fast food for the lifestyles of our customers," Worther declares. "Not everyone who comes to my restaurant for dinner can afford the time or expense of eating this way all the time." Worther has many ideas of incorporating good healthy philosophies to the emerging eating habits of the times. "The fast food industry has such a tremendous influence on the way people eat," Worther continues. "But they fail to explore these things and are missing an opportunity to work with great chefs." Worther proclaims he has a 'drawer full' of ideas that would help the whole country eat healthier at the fast food level. He reasons, "Just because our lives move quickly, doesn't mean we have to do without wholesomeness, creativity, and freshness."

FRANZ & HANS-PETER FINK

Fink Riegersburg, Austria

"You can not learn to cook in school, but you can learn to taste, to smell, and to comprehend."

The 'Chilled Gazpacho with Mustard Ice Cream' received rave reviews. It takes a pretty confident chef to pull off such a combination and though I have heard of some strange dishes, this I had to see. Some chefs are easy to trust-no matter how discombobulated the ingredient list, no matter how intense the food aversion. This I quickly believed of Executive Chef Hans-Peter Fink.

Not only am I squeamish when it comes to the use of organ meat but I become absolutely void of appetite when blood sausage is involved. It was with great faith that I put fork to plate and severed a blood sausage ravioli garnished with tender ribbons of nutmeg pumpkin and petite cepes. It was polite-not the loud, sharp flavor I had prepared myself for, but warm and rich. The following dish of fresh lambs' cheese with hemp oil and dried tomatoes demanded equal attention. The fragrant, spicy oil escaped description. "Mr. Stamen, a small local farmer makes three kilos (6 1/2 pounds) a week," Chef Fink gladly shared as he prepared the next course. "This dish is made with a semi-soft cow's milk cheese that is over-ripened in Zweigelt red wine for two weeks," he continued as he served a neat wedge with peppercorn and sweet fig sauce. Several courses followed, each a blend of Austrian ingredients and the unmistakable mark of Hans Peter's genius. He is amused to learn that the cost of a similar dining experience in N ew York could run in excess of 3000 Austrian schillings ($200) per person. At restaurant Fink, the six course prix fixe dinner is 570 Austrian schillings ($38) per person. "My inspiration comes from inside, it is a hidden truth that I feel," Hans Peter tries to explain. "I have my way in my mind. Many people think we are foolish to invest ourselves and our time to do such labor intensive things. But, it always pays off," he declares with a smile, which he wears most comfortably. Hans-Peter and older brother Franz (yes, 'Hans and Franz, 'though no amount of explaining conveyed the comic implications) grew up in the same house and restaurant they now call their own. Both spent much of their youth in the kitchen with their father or in the front of the house with their mother learning how to tend to the needs of guests. With the help of their wives and parents, Hans-Peter, adept at the stove and Franz, an accomplished sommelier, maintain the inn, pub, and outdoor terrace restaurant which overlooks the Riegersbur g Valley. Their sidewalk ice cream stand and indoor parlor serve as the community gathering point after church and for morning coffee before work. The restaurant has also become a highly prized recommendation from those who are in the know about this region. Day-trippers from nearby cities bike or drive to the countryside to sample the future of Austrian cooking. At 26 years of age. Chef Hans-Peter Fink is a revelation among the younger generation of Austrian chefs. He is admired for his dedication to craft and wisdom. As one of his admirers contends, "His taste has an understanding beyond his year and his technique is perfect." For Hans Peter, the reality of his cooking is simple, "You can't learn to cook in school, but you ca learn to taste, to smell, and to comprehend." The rest must be learned in the Kitchen.

KARL & RUDOLF OBAUER

Karl-Rudolf Obauer Werfen, Austria

"If you want to be a chef, you must prepare the same plates day after day and year after year in order to develop ways of changing them."

Karl-Rudolf Obauer, the avant-garde two-star Michelin restaurant of Austria resides in the unassuming mountain village just outside harmonious Salzburg. Throughout the restaurant whimsical murals in shades of cranberry, turquoise, lime, and peach splash across interior glass walls and transparent doors. In a back pantry just off the kitchen, five apprentices stand over a stainless steel basin plucking tiny orange berries from a mound of sandthorne branches. Chef Karl Obauer, the elder, enters at a steady pace, breezing by the young chefs on his way through the kitchen. He stops, samples a berry, considers its flavor without revealing an expression, and proceeds on his way to his next task.

In 1979, Karl opened the traditional Austrian guest house with the standard hearty fare expected from the mountainous region. However Karl had boundless curiosity for new ideas. He quickly built a reputation for creating some of the most innovative dishes in Austria, drawing from an international array of ingredients and cooking techniques. "Of course this change was not understood by everyone at first," Karl recalls. "But as dinner guests traveled from other countries to eat at our restaurant, our fellow Austrians became curious." Chef Karl Obauer believes in simple combinations of flavor and remains honest to his creative intuition. "I get my best inspiration when I am by myself and when I am hungry," Karl muses. "Like our food, everything is changing. I think of the day, the weather, the mood of my appetite. Every day is not the same and every day the menu changes. Improvisation of season is to-the-day. I think any kind of work is an improvisation; it means being flexible. We look to the Italian, French, a nd the Far East to add small touches to our food." In the course of our conversation, Karl is called away on several occasions to answer a phone call, tend to a guest, or converse with a cook. On the third ring of his fourth phone call he quips. "In 1968 I started as a cook, now, I am the chef and owner. I must be organized," and he excuses himself. After several quiet moments he sails in, returns to his chair, and continues; never missing a beat. "Young chefs in our industry struggle with the business aspect of owning a restaurant. If you want to be a chef, you must prepare the same plates day after day and year after year in order to develop ways of changing them." he explains. "You have to make the best of any situation in order to survive." Karl cites his younger brother Rudolf, as an example; Rudolf sought instruction in France from the Troisgros siblings, Emile Jung and at Alain Chapel. In 1981, with several more years of experience and some persuasion from his older brother, Rudolf joined Karl at the r estaurant. "When Karl and I first started we worked very hard--we had only three helpers," Karl specifies. Today the restaurant relies on all thirty staff members to prim the property and pamper the guests. Twenty years later, the two brothers still work in the kitchen every day, especially during service. No dish leaves the line without passing both sets of Obauer eyes. They believe it is the only way to succeed. "We were lucky," Karl admits of their timing and location. "But if you work hard enough and do the best you can, it is amazing how your luck improves."

HELMUT OSTERREICHER

Steirerek Veinna, Austria

"We don't have something for everyone."

Flowers cascade from the entrance of Steirereck onto a busy street corner in downtown Vienna. The wafting sent of musty cheese hangs in the entryway overripe with a seasonal display of corpulent gourds. Inside, a little dumpling of a girl, the daughter of a fellow employee, observes guests from her well balanced stance in the center of the dining room. She nibbles a fruit glazed pastry just small enough to fit in her soft palms and skillfully finds her way around the waiters as they tend to the last of the lunch crowd. In the depths of the kitchen Herr Helmut Osterreicher is oblivious to the buzz among his guests as they sing his praises. He doesn't believe in being out in the dining room; 'every minute he spends in the dining room, he is missing in the kitchen,' is his mantra. Osterreicher also believes his front of the house staff is so well trained that they bring the dining room to him so he knows what is happening at each table. For Osterreicher, the most important part of the day is the thirty minutes h e spends before service to get into the right frame of mind. Each day is a career in itself. Every day in a series of two decades was spent building the twostar Michelin reputation and Relais & Chateaux status he enjoys today. In the beginning, some twenty-three years ago, Steirereck was a simple city inn, following the trends set by other chefs. One day, Osterreicher decided, 'no more,' he would cook for the sake of creating a superb meal and satisfying those who came to dine. "Food is important but a restaurant should not be a gourmet temple," he confides. "Food, service, and atmosphere have to be excellent; it is all part of the bigger picture and that is to achieve total satisfaction of the customer," Osterreicher plainly states. "We don't have something for everyone." His focus is not to provide the most, but to provide the best. "My biggest battle is developing good suppliers so that I may satisfy those who do dine at Steirereck." Osterreicher's directness is part of what makes him so intense or perhaps the reverse is true. Chef Osterreicher instills this same appreciation for near perfection in his staff by setting the example, and by building teams among the kitchen crew to create a sense of competition. Each of his sixteen cooks is anxious and eager to succeed, to be the best. "Chefs cook to please customers but they also cook for their own egos," Osterreicher concludes, as he eyes our unfinished desserts at the end of a satiating supper.

JORG WORTHER

SchloB Prielau Zell am See, Austria

"I am a perfectionist, I never feel complete."

Just northwest of Salzburg, the lake resort town of Zell am See unravels at the northern foot of the Austrian Alps. Set apart from the village center, the SchloB Prielau resides on a wooded estate of its own. Built in the 1400s the chateau was originally the residence of the princebishop of Herrenchierusee. Today, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, the youngest son of the renowned automobile clan, maintains the SchloB Prielau as a luxury resort and dining destination.

As a tribute to Austrian culture, a collection of watercolor prints by Austrian artist Helmut Hierner adorn the entry and dining room. His basic images of fish, lobster, figs, radishes, and other raw ingredients inspire hunger. In 1995, Executive Chef Jorg Worther, a local boy from Gastein, was hired by the Porsche family to refine the inn's menu. One year after his arrival, Gault Millau awarded Worther with the four-cup award and in 1999, bestowed upon him, the honor of 'Chef of the Year.' He is best regarded for his ability to modernize Austrian dishes through healthier cooking methods, smaller portions, and cleaner presentations. Though contemporary in approach, you won't see any Asian, Indian, or Italian ingredients in his food. Worther works only with Austrian products.

In sync with his cooking dogma is his steadfast managing style. "I do not believe in running a strict kitchen," Worther explains. "But, I do insist that everybody has a specific involvement with the day to day menu planning and preparations." Worther's crew may be small but it has worked together for many years and understands his philosophy. "When a new chef enters my kitchen I can tell if he will understand my way," Worther declares. "It is in the way he handles fish or cuts meat. We maintain a very professional kitchen and have a specific way of doing things. Some young chefs just aren't prepared for that." For the SchloB Prielau staff, exacting Worther's work ethic means reaching a level of personal satisfaction as a chef. Something most of them will spend their lives trying to achieve.

"Ever since I was a young boy, I have wanted to become not only a great chef, but a famous chef," Worther proudly recalls with a laugh. "I read an article about Paul Bocuse and was amazed. It was at that point that I just knew what I wanted to do." His first step was to enroll in an apprentice program at the Grand Hotel, Gasteinerhof. The next five years were spent in Munich and Hamburg. With this experience under his belt, he returned to Gastein where he opened his own restaurant in 1987. After several years on his own, the opportunity to run the SchloB Prielau presented an ideal change of pace. Worther professes half laughing, "I am a perfectionist, I never feel complete! I have not finished--there is more to achieve." One of Worthers's unrealized goals is achieving three-star Michelin status. Although the highly regarded reviewers often overlook small country restaurants outside of France, Worther has every confidence that when they do visit, his three stars are not far behind.