Ahhhh! Exquisite white and dark chocolates, sweet cakes, and magnificent pastries to die for! Even the Emperor Franz Joseph called upon Demels to provide sweets, cakes and pralines to enjoy during his tête-à-têtes with his numerous lovers, while his sad and unhappy wife, Sissi sat alone. Fortunately, Sissi was addicted to the legendary Demel violet Sorbet, so at least she was not alone. And so, until this day, we continue to enjoy our "Sweets--to--Die--For."

For over 200 years Demels has provided decadent and excessive sweets and treats to please one and all. I could now recite a long and dreary dissertation of the origins of Demels and their fine treats; however, you can see the company’s entire history including lovely pictures and pleasant music at their website www.demel.at. Therefore, I won‘t bore you with history.

A long-standing battle between Demels and Vienna’s Sacher Hotel continues regarding discovery of the fabulous ‘Sacher Torte’ chocolate treat. The question remains ‘Who invented this wonderfully creamy, sweet chocolate cake?’--Both claim to have the "First and Finest" Sacher Torte; therefore, you must sample both and make your own decision. -- What a way to go--

The Demels establishment sits just below the dome of the Hofburg. You can sit in the sidewalk cafe spaces and delight in the magnificence of the dome--Or you can go inside to enjoy your treats. An attractive young waitress wearing the traditional stark-black dress with a starched white collar led us past glass counters and silver trays laden with dreamy chocolate sweets, and delivered us to our private round marble table. Much could be said about the decadent treats we enjoyed--easier to say "Sweet dreams come true easily" at Demels.

You can also view the Sacher website at www.Sacher.com but unfortunately, the English version is not yet available.