Today we celebrate a unique kind of chocolate cake called Sachertorte or Sacher Torte. This day is observed annually on December 5th.
Sacher Torte or Sachertorte is a specific type of chocolate cake, invented in 1832 by Austrian Franz Sacher for Prince Metternich in Vienna, Austria. It is one of the most famous Viennese culinary specialties.
The cake is consists of a dense chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam on top, coated in dark chocolate icing on the top and sides. This type of cake is traditionally served with unsweetened whipped cream.
The Original Sacher Torte has two layers of soft chocolate cake that are separated by apricot jam. It is coated with chocolate icing and is often accompanied with unsweetened whipped cream. The recipe is a closely guarded secret, although the cake itself is one of the most recognized in the world. The original cake is served at different Hotel Sacher locations and at the Hotel Sacher website.
Over 360,000 Sacher Torte cakes are made in Vienna each year and are shipped all over the world. Today, the Original Sacher Torte is one of the most recognized cakes in the world and had helped establish the five-star Hotel Sacher in Vienna which is founded in 1876.
So, today, celebrate this day by trying to get a recipe for the famous cake and try to make it at the comfort of your home to share and enjoy for the holiday dinner. If you want to experience the original Sacher Torte cake, you can always order online as a special treat for yourself. Share on social media if you made some or ordered it online just for this day using #SacherTorteDay.
2013 South African president Nelson Mandela dies at 95
On December 5, 2013, Nelson Mandela, the former activist who overcame a nearly three-decade prison stint to become president of South Africa, passes away after years of struggling with health issues. He was 95.
“Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” South African President Jacob Zuma said, “What made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.”
Mandela was known as a freedom fighter, prisoner, civil rights leader, political leader, and symbol of integrity and reconciliation not only for South Africa but for the world.
His lifelong mission to end apartheid started when he left school early to join the African National Congress (ANC). He rose quickly in the organization and was elected president of the organization in 1950. It was in 1960 that Mandela’s efforts turned more militant, sparked when police opened fire on a group of unarmed protestors in the Sharpeville township, killing 69 people.
(excerpted from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nelson-mandela-death-2013)
