Culinary enjoyment in summer with regional specialties on the mountain huts in Ski amadé
Culinary enjoyment in summer with regional specialties on the mountain huts in Ski amadé
Marietta Weißofner

My meadow is my castle

The snow has already melted from the piste and nature is now slowly peeling itself out of the last remaining snowy blankets high up on the mountain. She is getting ready for all kinds of guest, animal and human ones ? During summer the alpine pastures are a heavenly meadows for cows, goats and sheep, but also a wonderful recreational area for hikers and adventure seekers.

Anyone who knows the mountains from skiing in winter...

...will be amazed at how different this world looks in lush green. Suddenly you see paths, hills, huts and attractions that leave some puzzles as to what it looked like when you were dashing across the piste just months before. 

A microcosm is also hidden under the snow cover, which reveals unique regional specialties in the cycle of the seasons. This is exactly what the hosts put in the spotlight, especially for the Ski and Wine Enjoyment Week. Then all 5 Ski amadé ski regions have the motto "Culinary and Austrian wine enjoyment" with small farmers' markets right at the ski hut.

The cows, goats and sheep can’t wait to get back on the fields. And so do I, because there is nothing more relaxing than sitting in the sun on a cozy hut terrasse, having some good traditional food and enjoying peace, quietness and an amazing view…

The cows, goats and sheeps can’t wait to get back on the fields.

And so do I, because there is nothing more relaxing than sitting in the sun on a cozy hut terrasse, having some good traditional food and enjoying peace, quietness and an amazing view… 

While this idyll means rest and relaxation for me, “big business” is all around – there are chickens which deliver eggs for pastries, busy honey-bees select pollen for honey, sheeps, which ensure warm feets during the winters. Wild Berries which get boiled down into sweet jam or the famous rowanberry, which destilled is one of the austrians best kept secret if it comes to digestives – Schnaps.

The cycle of nature and the symbioses that arise are simply fascinating me and it is precisely these original products that are so important for an ultimate taste experience that so successfully lures us to fresh farmer's donuts and Kaiserschmarren in the huts. ?

Every single ski region of all five in Ski amadé has its own delicacies:

Dine like a king! Alpine parmesan cheese, farmers’ mozzarella cheese, mountain cheese chocolate from confectionery Bauer, 100% regional veal sausage from Maria Alm and delicacies made from herbs from the mountain pastures: dumplings, spreads, juices and even creams.

In Gastein, pine cushions, schnapps and chocolates are manufactured from 300-year-old pine trees. Apart from mineral water, the organic wheat beer from the Schmaranz brewery is also a good thirst quencher.

Eggs, eggs, eggs - whilst a village full of chickens in Wagrain are laying one egg after the other, of course outdoors and organic, in Radstadt it smells suspiciously like “Radstädter cheese.“ And for all those that like game, the finest venison is served in the “Pongauer game gourmet region.“

Delicacies from Enns valley lamb, such as dried lamb sausages and the culinary regional symbol - Styrian cheese tastes best in the fresh air around Dachstein!

Here in the valley mountain pastures, sour cheese, hard cheese, soft cheese and cream cheese are produced made to a secret recipe! Furthermore, everything here is made into schnapps, as the valley provides: fruit, herbs and also pines. Do a tasting from hut to hut in the culinary region of the “Grossarler mountain farmers’ cheese.“

Marietta Weißofner

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