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Finger Food Hits

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History of the Schnitzel

Up to 1514 the schnitzel was "coated" with real gold.
The precursors of the breaded schnitzels can be traced back to the ninth century. At the banqueting table of the Byzantine Emperor Basileus, particularly delicate pieces of meat were coated in leaf gold. In this way, and to honor the Emperor, he could be presented with "golden meat". Later, the aristocracy and the rich adopted this pompous gesture, until it was prohibited in 1514. However, because gold has always been expensive and coveted, inventive citizens replaced the leaf gold with a golden-yellow coating of breadcrumbs.

The Arabs introduced the schnitzel to Italy.
This custom quickly spread and was introduced to North Africa, Southern Europe and gradually further north by Byzantine Jews, Arabian traders and other culture bearers. In the wealthy city of Milan, this manner of preparing the dish was an indication of the prestige of the host.

Only in the middle of the 19th century was the Milanese specialty, the "cotoletta milanese“ brought to Vienna, allegedly by the legendary commander and connoisseur Radetzky. There it quickly advanced to a dish for the peasant wedding breakfast. Interestingly, the breaded schnitzel was initially popular in Austria as a dish eaten between meals or as a midnight snack. Not until 1900 does the term "Viennese Schnitzel" begin to appear in the cookery books.

The method of pounding the schnitzel originated in the Slovakian military. As meat was in short supply, it was pounded to make the pieces as large and thin as possible, so that every soldier would at least get some of the rations.

What is the lemon doing on the schnitzel?
The custom of serving a piece of lemon on the schnitzel also dates back to this time of privations. As fridges had not yet been invented, the lemon helped mask the taste of rancid fat and meat which was no longer quite fresh.
Later this custom was retained, as fresh lemon juice made the frying fat more digestible – and because it tastes great.
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