Join Rick Rodgers, author of Kaffeehaus, on a journey to the cafés of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as told through their iconic desserts. In his presentation, Rick discusses how a Viennese (and it was not Marie Antoinette) brought the crescent roll (kipferl) to Paris, its transformation into the croissant, and how laminated desserts subsequently conquered the pastry world. In Europe, what we Americans call Danish are Viennoiserie, but what is the story behind the discrepancy? What famous dessert was the basis of a long and expensive lawsuit to determine the legal owner of the recipe? Who were the Hungarians whose commercial leavening transformed home baking? What is the difference between “masculine/feminine” and “sugar/flour” desserts on Viennese menus? Learn the many distinctions between Austro-Hungarian and Franco-Italian desserts.

Rick Rodgers’ book, Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna, Budapest, and Prague, has been in print for over two decades. Its longevity is primarily due to the luscious recipes, which are so different from the French-Italian canon, and its exploration of the original cafés that gave birth to today’s proliferation of coffeehouses. Rodgers (rickrodgers.com) is the sole author, coauthor, ghostwriter, or editor of over a hundred cookbooks, many of which have been nominated for Beard, IACP, and Gourmand Awards. His client range from Patti LaBelle and Frankie Avalon to Williams-Sonoma and Tommy Bahama. He is also the recipient of Bon Appétit Magazine’s Food & Entertaining Award for Outstanding Culinary Teacher. He is currently consulting social media influencers as they transition to cookbook writing. Also, he is guiding culinary tours of Austria’s Christmas markets, food producers, and cafes (global gourmands.com).