The Austrian holiday region of Saalfelden Leogang im Pinzgau is committed to neo-ecology : environmentally conscious and energy autonomous. Of course, this concept also includes food from the region that is sustainably produced and grown organically .
With over 340 farms, the area is one of the largest farming regions in the Salzburger Land. Therefore, quality farm products are a given in Saalfelden Leogang. Specialties such as bacon, bread, fruit, honey, eggs, cheese, milk, yoghurt and schnapps come directly from the surrounding farms. That means: no long distances, fresh food, organically produced goods - food can hardly be more natural when it reaches the end consumer. Pinzgau cuisine is also predominantly meatless. Here, Sunday or holiday roasts are the norm rather than the exception. Otherwise, the cuisine is quite hearty and simple. But it is extremely tasty thanks to the high quality food. Family recipes abound and are passed down from generation to generation. One or the other is slightly modified and refined, but always remains a well-kept secret.
Fruit has always played a big role. That's how it is today. The cranberries (blueberries), which the locals like to collect in the green forests of Pinzgau, are particularly popular. This seasonal delicacy is not only made into jam, but is also used to conjure up blueberry dumplings, for example, a sweet dish with addictive potential. In general, there is a certain preference for all kinds of sweet dishes. The honey from the region is also famous, because in Saalfelden all is well for bees. Flower honey, forest and alpine rose honey promise a healthy taste experience. And if you mix a spoonful of this delicacy with homemade yoghurt, you will experience the next taste explosion. The yoghurt, made by farmers, comes from the milk of organically raised cows , which is not homogenized.
The goats are also raised naturally, and their milk not only tastes exceptionally good, but is also better tolerated than cow's milk, especially by people with histamine or fructose intolerance. And when we're talking about milk, there's no getting around cheese. Soft cheese is made from the whole milk of alpine cows that has not been pasteurized. The ripening process, which takes up to four weeks, runs from the outside to the inside. Every farm puts a very special flavor stamp on its cheese. This also applies to hard cheese, which has a more intense taste than soft cheese. It also requires a longer maturation period, ranging from three months to two years. Nobody has to wait that long for their breakfast egg. Thanks to the many organic farmers , the eggs really come from happy hens who enjoy light, air, sun and free range. And you can taste that with every egg.
Eating and drinking have always been a culinary unit. Whether beer with sausage soup or wine with Nidei is up to the individual's taste. But some people may be craving a schnapps after a hearty meal. The region's fruit and berry schnapps are legendary. Distilling schnapps has a long tradition there and the Klare was one of the oldest trade goods. Today there are only small distilleries that produce schnapps, which is of known good quality. The fruits come from controlled organic cultivation. No flavorings are added to the fruit schnapps; they remain natural.
Tinctures are often prepared exclusively for health, using medicinal herbs from the local environment. Herbal schnapps with wormwood, gentian, sage or arnica are used both internally and externally. Arnica schnapps is particularly suitable for rubbing against all kinds of niggles. By the way, for a good schnapps you need very good water. The region has even that to offer, with numerous clear water springs bubbling up. And the drinking water in Saalfelden Leogang consists 100 percent of groundwater and spring water . The low chloride, nitrate and sodium values make it a real health water that also benefits high blood pressure patients.
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