My culinary highlights of the Ski amadé ski-enjoyment-routes
This winter, new ski routes were added to the already extensive offer from “TASTE Ski amadé“, which skiers and/or snowboarders can combine with culinary ski hut culture.
The routes in the individual ski areas can all be experienced and can be easily mastered on a winter sports day. To help you, I would recommend the new Ski amadé Guide, a super cool App! However, I do have some insider tips for you, as I am fresh off the slopes so to say and would like to share my TASTE Ski amadé experiences with you!
My first culinary stop took me to the region of Flachau – Wagrain – St. Johann.
In accordance with the Italian attitude towards life “Dolce far niente“, on the so-called Prosecco tour you cannot only enjoy the Salzburger hospitality, but also discover their culinary skills.
The tour, which takes you diagonally across the entire ski resort throughout your ski day, already starts at the bottom station at the Dampfkessel (just opposite Spacejet 1) with a typical Cappuccino, Brioche and, if you would like, a first glass of Prosecco.
My personal tip would be to have a little less breakfast at your hotel on this morning, so that you can head off on this tour with a good appetite. Afterwards, on this same day, two further culinary highlights in two of Ski amadé’s certified ski and wine gourmet huts await you. I would therefore recommend that you head into the Lisa Alm at about 11am to have your lunch after the first couple of intensive hours of skiing fun.
Then you will have the impressive Flaucher slopes to yourself whilst the other skiers are taking their lunch break.
The Lisa Alm – well-known for its stylish interior design and the some-what different Après Ski lifestyle in the afternoon with live music, Prosecco or even Champagne – have come up with some Italian dishes for the Prosecco tour, of which I would heartily recommend the pasta variety.
After a light portion of “sea trout ceviche“, I would recommend the crayfish Pagliarini with clams. If you have to, then share it with someone, but it is truly amazing and really melts in your mouth and there is a glass of Rosé Prosecco to accompany this dish.
Finally, after a strong espresso, then it is time to head back onto the carving slopes. Although I have to say that it was difficult for me to leave this hut with its cosy and chic alpine interior design.
Later in the afternoon, I was starting to feel a little peckish again after the pasta and it was time for a break at the Aufhofalm. It does not matter whether you sit on the spacious sun terrace (with some sun loungers and lounge furniture), or you sit in the stylish Aufhofalm lounge by the large wood burning stove and panoramic window on the first floor.
Incidentally, this is my favourite place as it has wonderful mountain views and is really cosy. Also here you are spoilt with wonderful pasta dishes or pizza.
I decided to have the Spaghetti ai Pomodorini and Ruccola, and the somewhat different pizza bread. After a Cappuccino and a tasty digestif, with a heavy heart, it was time to head back out onto the slopes.
Should you not be too tired on your way back from Flachau, then you can stop off again at the Lisa Alm as after 3pm there is the best Après Ski.
With some luck, it will be a Thursday and Francesco, the Italian, will get you into the Italian flair with his hot songs. Finally, you can take a detour to the Herzerlalm, by the 8 seater Jet and enjoy a glass of Prosecco and Aperol.
Then if you need to, you can always take the ski bus back to your car at the Spacejet car park, which is very close by.
The next day I went to Großarl, a wonderful, small but fine family ski area and I followed the tracks of the Ski amadé enjoyable tour, which not only took me up on the mountain, but for the first time there was also a stop off in the village centre.
Also here I would recommend setting off early so that you enjoy the wonderful carving slopes before the families and ski clubs get up there. You can easily get to Dorfgastein and be astounded at the stunning panorama of the Gasteinertal.
A special insider tip is the peak of the Kreuzkogel, which you can get to in only a five minute walk from the Kreuzkogel top station. Your “efforts“ will be rewarded with a 360° mountain view!
After some snapshots, you should get back on your skis or snowboard and enjoy the runs. If you get hungry then I recommend a culinary stop at the Gehwolf Alm, another Ski amadé certified ski and wine gourmet hut in the ski resort.
Here you have a choice of numerous local delicacies. I chose a tasty Kaiserschmarr’n (chopped up pancakes), as this just has to be a part of my ski day, especially when the weather is so great and I can sit on a sun lounger on the terrace.
As I spent the whole morning skiing, I headed back down into the valley after lunch. It was my very first time in Großarl and therefore I was curious to have a look at the village centre and the further highlights of the Ski amadé gourmet ski route.
A visit to the local farmer’s shop is part of this, the so-called “Troadkasten“, which is easy to get to on foot from the gondola station. First of all, I had to practice my pronunciation, as I had never heard of this word before.
So, a Troadkasten describes a place where they used to store the grain of the farmers during the winter. Here you will find all sorts of healthy foods from the Grossarltal, as well as from the region.
Should your appetite not stretch to a tasty cheese dumpling soup and a hearty ploughman’s lunch after your Kaiserschmarr’n at the Gehwolf Alm, then I would recommend to stock up on the last day of your holiday.
I could not resist the homemade farmer’s bread, the local butter, the bacon and the wonderful cheese assortments and so I took a piece of Grossarl and a lot of culinary memories back home with me.
Whilst on my discovery tour through the centre I really took notice of Atelier Astei with traditional and really impressive woodcarvings. An insider tip for a holiday souvenir!
At some point, my hunger returned and I was looking forward to the next stop off, the new Kost Bar in a newly renovated mountain lifestyle hotel. If you would prefer to enjoy your ski snack in somewhat quieter surroundings, then you can sit in one of the equally cosy and comfortable lounges.
Even the menu hides some healthy surprises, from salad bowels to hearty soups, to various local and Italian dishes. I decided upon a crunchy chicken breast wrap with a salad garnish and also sampled some homemade lemonade.
After a really nice talk with the hotel boss, I walked back to the hotel where I spent the late afternoon in the spa and sauna area. Shortly before I dozed off I thought back on all my culinary adventures, but also personal experiences.
Together with the cuisine and the wonderful slopes, I was really impressed by the heartening Austrian hospitality and I was already looking forward to my next gourmet ski route in Ski amadé!
