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Denmark – Nordic Comfort Food and Seasonal IngredientsDenmark is a Scandinavian country known for its coastal landscapes, agricultural traditions and appreciation of simple, seasonal food. Danish cuisine has long made use of root vegetables, potatoes, cabbage, rye bread, fresh herbs and creamy sauces. From traditional home cooking to modern Nordic cuisine, familiar ingredients are often transformed into satisfying dishes that celebrate flavour, texture and seasonality. Celeriac is particularly well suited to this style of cooking, offering a delicate, earthy flavour and a wonderfully tender texture when prepared correctly.
From Danish Dildsovs to Crispy Celeriac with Curry MayoDildsovs is a traditional Danish dill sauce, often prepared with a light roux, fresh dill and a creamy liquid. It is commonly associated with fish and other classic Danish meals. This Via Veggie Vegan recipe began with the idea of pairing celeriac with a Danish-inspired sauce, but the final plate took a different direction: breaded, golden-fried celeriac served with homemade vegan curry mayonnaise. Curry-flavoured dressings and remoulade-style sauces are familiar accompaniments in Danish food culture, particularly with certain sandwiches, fish dishes and fried foods. My version combines that flavour inspiration with a completely plant-based, egg-free mayonnaise and a fresh green salad.
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Austria – A Country of Culinary TraditionsAustria is a Central European country known for its Alpine landscapes, historic cities and rich culinary heritage. Influenced by neighbouring regions and the former Habsburg monarchy, Austrian cuisine features hearty soups, dumplings, pastries and comforting traditional dishes. Clear broths with various garnishes remain an important part of Austrian food culture.
What Is Frittatensuppe?Frittatensuppe is a traditional Austrian soup made with thin pancakes rolled up, sliced into delicate strips and served in hot, flavourful broth. These pancake strips are called Frittaten, while the closely related southern German speciality is known as Flädlesuppe. Traditionally prepared with eggs, milk and often beef broth, my Via Veggie Vegan version uses chickpea flour pancakes, homemade vegetable broth, colourful vegetables and aromatic lovage, also known as Maggi herb, for a completely plant-based interpretation.
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Austria – Alpine Landscapes and a Rich Culinary HeritageAustria is a landlocked country in Central Europe, famous for its spectacular Alpine landscapes, historic cities and diverse regional food traditions. Its cuisine reflects centuries of cultural exchange within the former Habsburg monarchy and neighbouring countries. Hearty dumplings, potato dishes, seasonal vegetables and traditional pastries play an important role in Austrian cooking. From Tyrolean mountain specialities to Viennese classics and the rustic cuisine of Upper Austria, the country's culinary heritage is wonderfully varied.
What Are Grammelknödel?Grammelknödel are traditional Austrian dumplings particularly associated with Upper Austria. The name combines Grammeln, meaning crispy pork cracklings, with Knödel, the German word for dumplings. Traditionally, a soft potato dough is filled with seasoned cracklings, onions and marjoram, then gently cooked and commonly served with sauerkraut. My Via Veggie Vegan interpretation replaces the traditional pork filling with savoury plant-based ham cubes and uses a completely vegan potato dough. Served with creamy sauerkraut and a refreshing cucumber-dill salad, this hearty Austrian classic becomes a delicious plant-based comfort meal.
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Via Veggie Vegan Vunderland – A Culinary Destination Beyond Borders
Not every destination on my culinary journey needs a passport. Via Veggie Vegan Vunderland is my very own little wonderland, where creativity, imagination and personal memories are just as important as the ingredients on the plate. It exists alongside the 195 countries of Via Veggie Vegan as a special destination for recipes that cannot be assigned to one particular country. Here, familiar dishes become personal creations, seasonal ingredients inspire playful food art, and the stories behind a recipe are sometimes even more meaningful than the recipe itself. Because some culinary journeys take us around the world, while others lead us straight back to the people and animals we love.
What Makes Smurfy’s Magic Pumpkin Orange Soup Special?
Smurfy’s Magic Pumpkin Orange Soup combines roasted Hokkaido pumpkin with fragrant Madras curry, fresh ginger, garlic and the bright citrus aroma of orange. A touch of oat cream gives the soup its beautifully velvety consistency, while vegan sour cream and nutty pumpkin seed oil add a delicious finishing touch. Homemade pumpkin fritters shaped into little cats transform the garnish into a loving tribute to Smurfy, my beloved feline companion who gave this recipe its name. Inspired by a memorable visit to Leipzig, years of experimenting in my kitchen and an extraordinary friendship during a difficult time, this completely plant-based soup is much more than autumn comfort food. It's a bowl full of love, gratitude and precious memories.
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Germany – A Country of Regional Food Traditions Germany's culinary heritage extends far beyond sausages and sauerkraut. Every region has its own specialties, and Thuringia in central Germany is particularly associated with hearty home cooking. During the years of the German Democratic Republic (DDR), many traditional regional dishes continued to be prepared in everyday kitchens, often with simple, affordable ingredients.
What Is Thüringer Malzbiersuppe? Beer soups have existed in German cooking for centuries, long before the DDR. This Thuringian-inspired malt soup draws on that tradition, using sweet malt flavors, bread and savory seasonings. While malt beer is commonly used for this type of preparation, my version uses Karamalz, an alcohol-free malt drink, because alcohol has no place in my cooking. Rosemary, plant-based cream and crispy croutons complete my vegan interpretation.
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Potatoes, My One True LoveSome people fall in love with chocolate. Others can't live without pasta. Me? Potatoes! Absolutely, completely, unapologetically potatoes. Boiled, fried, roasted, baked, mashed or Hasselback-style – I love them all. Give me a potato and I'll find a way to turn it into something delicious. So when my culinary journey brought me to Belarus and its famous Draniki, I knew this was going to be a match made in potato heaven. After all, if there's one vegetable that deserves a little extra love, it's definitely the humble potato!
Love Is in the Shape of a PotatoTraditional Belarusian Draniki are usually round, but why settle for ordinary potato pancakes when you can turn them into little hearts? Exactly! I finely grated the potatoes and onion, added plenty of garlic, nutritional yeast and a pinch of nutmeg, then shaped the mixture into adorable potato hearts. A quick trip to the frying pan, a little finishing time in the oven, and there they were: golden, crispy on the outside and beautifully tender inside. Naturally, a generous spoonful of vegan sour cream and a shower of fresh chives had to join the party. Because even true love deserves a little seasoning. Team Garlic certainly approves!
There Is One Exception, Though...Now, I've said that I love potatoes in practically every possible form. Well, almost every form. Because there's one potato product I can happily live without: vodka! Since I don't drink alcohol, I'll gladly leave the potato spirits to somebody else. I'd much rather enjoy my potatoes golden, crispy and shaped like little hearts. No complicated ingredients, no fancy techniques – just potatoes, a little patience and a whole lot of love. Belarus, you've certainly found the way to my heart. Through my stomach, obviously! Via Veggie Vegan – A Culinary Journey Around the World.
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