5 World-Famous Dishes From Europe You Got To Try

Europe is home to many world-famous dishes. What's behind their success? And what makes them the real thing? Here are the secrets behind five European classics that you shouldn't miss during your trip to Europe. We're on the streets of Berlin, on the hunt for a currywurst, our number five. Sausage and sauce. Nothing complicated here. The big question, though, with or without the skin? So much for the secret of the sausage. But what about the sauce? The currywurst is as diverse as Berlin itself. The secret is that there is no secret. Every shop has their own take. That puts it at number five on our list. Next up, paella. And while it might look like you just grab some leftovers from the freezer and put them over rice, there's a lot more to Spain's national dish than you might think. We start with oil, chicken and rabbit. Green beans, tomatoes and garrafon beans are a perfect topic. If you want, you can add snails or garlic. And saffron adds a bit more colour. Finally, rice. The Bomba variety is used for fluffiness. Spanish paella is not to be missed on a trip to Europe. Our number four. Now we're off to France, where you can find the best baguettes in the world. Supposedly, every French person eats about half a baguette a day. But what is it that makes the baguette so popular? The bread doesn't have many ingredients. Flour, water, salt and yeast. These four ingredients may seem simple at first, but you need them to get a good bread at the end. The most important ingredient is the sourdough, which is often many years old, developing its flavour over time. And the scoring on top isn't just a design choice. Looks easy enough, but good luck trying this one at home. That's why it's best to try our number three directly in France. Bon appétit! Next, we're off to Austria to try the legendary Wiener Schnitzel. It might look simple, but the original follows a strict recipe that might surprise you. The schnitzel is pounded until it's three to four millimetres thin. That keeps it nice and tender. On to the breading. First the veal goes into the flour, then into the eggs and is finely pressed lightly into the breadcrumbs. Then the breading can rise nicely later. We have pork fat, which is a classic. Then we have butter fat, which adds a nice buttery flavour to the veal. Or we have vegetable fat, which is milder and more neutral. You can choose. My tip is butter fat. It's perfect. Fry the schnitzel briefly, taking care to keep it moving in the pan. Then onto a paper towel to blot any excess fat. And you're done with this crispy classic, coming in at number two. Our top recommendation is actually a side dish for some, but not for the Belgians. For them, it's hard to beat a bunch of golden fries. The secret to good fries is using the right potato. In Belgium, binja potatoes are most common. They're a particularly aromatic and crispy variety, fried twice in beef fat. The secret to good fries is using the right potato. For me, fries are the quintessence of Belgian cuisine. It's something very simple, yet every day I discover something new. For some, a side dish. For others, a meal. But it's the love of fries that unites everyone. A must-try when visiting Belgium. And our top recommendation.