The Coffee bean

[Mutawintji]

How do we daily celebrate the breaking of the siege of Vienna (beseiged by Ottaman Empire) in 1683 ?


Greg

[BobL]

By eating a croissant.

[Mutawintji]

By eating a croissant.

Yes ... Correct, but coupled with coffee. As the Turks fled, they left behind all their treasures that supported the siege. By the time the hero had emerged from underground where he had disabled the mine, his compatriots had shared out all the loot. He was left with what appeared to be inedible bags of beans.

He brewed the beans in hot water as he had seen the beseigers do, and made Crescent shaped pastry. Croissant actually means Crescent.

Coffee entered Europe.

cool bananas ... Greg

[BobL]

The way I heard it the Turks decided they had had enough and left and in celebration the Vienna city authorities ordered the city bakers to bake cakes in the shape of a crescent.

As far as coffee is concerned, coffee was first imported by the Venetians in the 1570's whereas the Battle of Vienna was not until 1683.

Also From Wikipedia.

The vibrant trade between Venice and the Muslims in North Africa, Egypt, and the East brought a large variety of African goods, including coffee, to this leading European port. Venetian merchants introduced coffee-drinking to the wealthy in Venice, charging them heavily for the beverage. In this way, coffee was introduced to Europe. Coffee became more widely accepted after the controversy over whether it was acceptable for Catholics to consume it, was settled in its favor by Pope Clement VIII in 1600, despite appeals to ban the drink.^[21] The first European coffee house was opened in Venice in 1645.

The real first coffeehouse in Austria opened in Vienna in 1683 after the Battle of Vienna, by using supplies from the spoils obtained after defeating the Turks. The officer who received the coffee beans, Polish military officer of Ukrainian origin Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, opened the coffee house and helped popularize the custom of adding sugar and milk to the coffee. 'Melange is the typical Viennese coffee, which comes mixed with hot foamed milk and a glass of water.

The price of coffee in Venice does not appear to have changed since the 1570's. I still have a 2010 receipt somewhere for two coffees in San Marco's square that cost $42! - it's probably increased since then.

[Mutawintji]

Perhaps I should have said 'milk coffee' ... I only got a small brain

cool bananas ... Greg

[artme]

Lesson here Mutawinji:Apart from being a top bloke Bob is of Italian heritage so beware of your facts when it comes to things Italian.!!

Yes Bob coffee prices in Italy in general are horrendous. What annoyed me most was that if you sat down to drink your expensive thimbleful
you were charged extra!!!

[_fly_]

Sounds like you sat outside on the grand canal for those coffee's.....
Some friends of mine paid $10 in 1985 for a small bowl of chips on the grand canal.

Bob didn't pay 42 for the coffee, he paid 5 for the coffee and 37 for the view...

If you go into a side alley its only half the price.

[BobL]

Sounds like you sat outside on the grand canal for those coffee's.....
Some friends of mine paid $10 in 1985 for a small bowl of chips on the grand canal.
Bob didn't pay 42 for the coffee, he paid 5 for the coffee and 37 for the view...
If you go into a side alley its only half the price.

It was in San Marco's square.

We have been a number of times before to Venice (my mother is Venetian) but my relatives all live on the mainland.
For coffee and food we have always done the side alley thing, usually it's been a pub that did a good espresso for $1.50 and decent fresh pannini but last time SWMBO said "I want to have coffee in San Marco's square" (like all the other silly tourists do - my words!)

The cost was $41.17, the coffees were indeed $5.70 ea the rest was the cover charge for the orchestra which did not even play while we were drinking our coffee.
It just so happened I stumbled across a photo of the event last night.


,

[_fly_]

I did pay $25 for one scotch and dry in 1985.
But it was Monte Carlo Casino.
It was a lot of money then (even now its a lot) but it was one of the best I've tasted as well so I didn't mind to much.

[John Saxton]

How much is a coffee in St Marco square when the square becomes flooded as it has done?

Heading back there again this year,Venice is my one favourite city of all our travels, this will be our sixth trip there always like wandering the inner paths along the canals getting lost and finding your way out again is good fun.

Interesting about the coffee lesson was not aware of this & the croissant.

Cheers