Kaiserschmarrn for Christmas: this is how long jump king Ehammer celebrates

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Decathlete Simon Ehammer (23) has had a turbulent year. At the World Cup in Budapest in August he disappointingly missed the final. However, at the Diamond League meetings in Oslo (Norway) and Eugene (USA) he twice took first place in the long jump. In September there was another low point: his shoulder had to be operated on. A little break at Christmas is not annoying for him.

This year the celebration will take place in Styria, Austria, with the family of his fiancée, ski crosser Tatjana Meklau (24). “The last two years we spent Christmas with my family. “Unfortunately, neither is possible,” says Simon Ehammer during a meeting on the Schwagalp. The long jumper and the ski crosser treated themselves to a short break in the hotel directly at the Säntisdal station. For breakfast the two have Kaiserschmarrn, probably the most famous Austrian dessert. However, there is a catch. The two have to prepare their own breakfast.

Childhood memories are awakened

While it is storming and snowing outside at the top of the Schwagalp Pass, everything is ready for them inside in the rustic Laternli bar – the egg whites have already been beaten until stiff, the other ingredients are weighed and ready in a bowl. In principle, not much can go wrong. “I don’t guarantee anything,” Ehammer warns. Cooking isn’t really his strong point. Fortunately, he has expert support at his side in the form of his fiancée Tatjana Meklau, born in Austria.

We occasionally serve Kaiserschmarrn at Ehammer/Meklau. The sweet egg dish is associated with childhood memories for both athletes. “We prefer to eat it for dinner, always with applesauce,” says Appenzeller. “Grandma always had apple compote with it. She threw so much powdered sugar in it that it actually tasted like sugar. That was great!” While they talk to each other, the Kaiserschmarrn dough is already sizzling in the pan with lots of butter.

A wonderful scent soon spreads through the Laternli Bar. “Now we have to slowly turn things around – right?” says Ehammer with a questioning look at his fiancée. Tatjana Meklau has to show how exactly this works. She quickly divides the dough into four pieces and turns them over before dividing the dough into even smaller pieces. That’s how it goes!

Raclette is not just raclette

It is clear which of the two will not be in the kitchen at Christmas. “Unfortunately, due to my training rhythm, I don’t have the time to cook properly,” the decathlete explains. “I can cook spaghetti, but then I quickly give up.” But that’s not so bad at Christmas. Because the Ehammer family and the Meklau family in Styria have simple Christmas classics.

“We ate raclette every year,” the ski crosser remembers. “I had to have Simon tell me that in this country it’s called a table grill,” she says, smiling. “We really put everything on the raclette oven. Vegetables, bacon and sausage – but I now realize that the Swiss understand raclette differently.”

Wrong noises around the Christmas tree

The second Christmas classic – Fondue chinoise – is available at Ehammers in Appenzell. “You can’t go wrong, even if you have to cook yourself.” When it comes to another of his family’s Christmas traditions, Ehammer prefers to stay in the background. «Every year we sing Christmas carols around the Christmas tree. Until we all find the right key, it sounds terrible.”

The long jumper would certainly be musical. He played trumpet and baritone in the brass band Stein. “That’s why we always used to go to church at Christmas, that’s where the Christmas concert took place.”

Great love for Christmas packages

When asked if they would give each other something for Christmas, Simon Ehammer replied in the affirmative. “Yes, we will!” He explains: “The older I get, the more I prefer to give gifts rather than receive them.” Ehammer’s joy in gift giving became so great that the family set a budget limit for Christmas presents. “Slowly but surely the presents became a bit exaggerated,” says the long jumper, laughing.

The couple is not worried about packages, at least not this year. “We happened to be at the Christmas market in Innsbruck and found some nice gifts,” says Tatjana Meklau, while her fiancé is eating a snack of Kaiserschmarrn with plum compote. Does it also taste good? Ehammer’s conclusion: “Phenomenal!”

Source : Blick