Hi, I bought a sacher torte when I was in Vienna about three weeks ago. I sent it to a friend, who just got it. The expiration date was Oct. 23 or 24 (about two weeks after I first bought the torte). Now it's another ten days after. Do you think it's ok to eat?

My suggestion was to take a small bite and then take it to the office and share with all the evil colleagues.

I'm thinking of the foie gras thread, but I can't find it. That was hilarious. Then, again, I'm not eating this, but I think that I would take a small bite if I had the torte.

It takes about 3 cups of coffee per slice of fresh torte and about 9 cups of coffee per slice of stale torte.

(Sacher torte also makes a good paper weight.)

IMHO even fresh Sacher Torte is close to a paper weight. It's almost in the fruit cake category. Stale is best used as a weapon rather than eaten.

The meaning of life is to eat Sacher Torte and to heck with the consequences.....so eat (just a taste)...to sell by is not to eat by....reminds me of a famous saying...to whit..to be is not to be...????????

In our possession - about ten minutes - your friend's mileage may vary.

Here's the foie thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34488617

As for the torte, it's every man, or woman, for themselves~

I've to say that I was not a big fan of the cake until my recent experience. I've had the version at Cafe Sabarsky (the cafe at Neue Galerie in New York) and also the one at Hotel Sacher (sat down in 2002 but not on this trip).

However I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it this time around. I bought one from Hotel Sacher for myself as well. Obviously this is a money-making business for them. I think that separate shop opens until 1 am. And it's open Sundays.

Anyway, I thought that the cake didn't seem "heavy" at all. It was actually very nice.

I kept thinking that I should have kept the other one for myself and eaten it rather than mailed it.

Thanks mvor. I should have remembered the word "fetid" and searched for that. That thread was simply hilarious.

I only remembered it because of the alliteration. Fetid Fodors, oh my!

111op:

The answer is a three-word phrase which means the result of eating a Sacer Torte which is more than 24 hours beyond the expiration date;

The second letter of the first word (3 letters) is the "o" in Torte.

The third letter of the second word (also three letters) is the "e" in Sacher

The second letter of the third word (five letters) is the "a" in Sacher.

Let me know when you give up and I'll tell you the answer. And no cheating by going to "The" Google, either, LOL.

Hi Dukey, I give you full permission to take my place in the Euro Crossword Puzzle:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34635227

I hope the answer doesn't have anything to do with that "device a la turque."

I would not dream of even thinking of replacing you as I am certain there are many here who would gleefully point out my inadequacies.

In terms of the answer, the result of eating a Sacher Torte which is 24 hours beyond the expiration date:

"You Die Happy!"

That's funny. I guess at least one is spared the indignity of the device a la turque.

I've not managed to convince the friend to try the cake yet. Personally I'd eat it if I had it. Maybe I should get him to mail it back to me.

I really don't like Sacher Torte, and I imagine it will be quite stale. Hard to tell the difference from normal condition. But, in any case, there isn't anything in a cake that can spoil and cause harm when it's old, it's just stale and dry, so I don't think there is anything to be worried about. What could there possibly be in it that could be unsafe?

I agree. As I wrote to him, it's chocolate and apricot jam. I guess I'd question the state of the flour. But presumably it's easy to get a bite to see what it's actually like.

I think that Hotel Sacher probably did something to the cake to make it last a little longer. I can't believe the expiration date is a hard-and-fast one.