What do bread dumplings, wild garlic pesto and Schlutzkrapfen have in common? The Tyrolean and Bavarian specialities are prepared with fresh herbs from the region. This gives them their particularly delicious and unmistakable flavour. Of course, no holiday near the Zugspitze should be without these delicacies. After all, they simply taste best in the marvellous mountain scenery. The Ox & Ehrlich restaurant offers many such regional dishes. Fresh herbs from Tyrol or the Mediterranean are always used. The restaurant is located in the Boutique Hotel Bellevue in Lermoos.
Sustainable and seasonal delicacies
The hotel's managing director, Knut, is also one of the two chefs at Ox & Ehrlich. The plant-based menu is particularly close to his heart, which is why he is mainly responsible for this. Around half of the dishes on offer are vegan or vegetarian, while the others contain fish or meat. "So there's something for everyone," laughs Knut, who follows a vegan diet himself. Knut and his team also attach great importance to the environment. "We try to be as sustainable as possible. We only source meat and fish from sustainable and species-appropriate farms," summarises Knut. "We also pay attention to regionality and seasonality when it comes to vegetables. We mainly use what is growing in Bavaria or Tyrol, for example Bavarian asparagus or Tyrolean berries. They are particularly crunchy and delicious at harvest time," he enthuses.
Parsley, chives and wild garlic are very popular in Bavarian and Tyrolean cuisine. But herbs from Tyrol, which are less commonly used in everyday cooking, also find their place in Knut's kitchen. For example, he prepares dumplings and pesto from nettles. He also enjoys cooking with Mediterranean herbs such as fresh thyme and rosemary. Although collectors can't find these in the Tyrolean forests, they can still be combined very well with local dishes. "Of course, you can also collect well-known herbs such as dandelion and lovage in the forest," says Knut, who is also passionate about picking herbs in the vast forests around the Zugspitze.
Get to know regional herbs from Tyrol on a hike
However, the curious should not set off in search of wild herbs without prior knowledge. The risk of making a mistake and finding other poisonous plants instead of the fine herbs from Tyrol is too great. For example, the popular wild garlic looks very similar to poisonous lily of the valley or autumn crocus. However, if you still want to go in search of herbs, the Lermoos tourist office offers guided herb hikes. Participants can explore local herbs, plants and other seasonal specialities. The hike is even free of charge with the guest card.
Incidentally, Knut's favourite herbs from Tyrol are wild garlic, chives and parsley. "The herbs taste best fresh, of course. They simply have a completely different flavour," he emphasises.
Who got hungry while reading about the delicious dishes and aromatic herbs? Those who want to bring the flavour of Tyrol home with them can try out Knut's tasty recipe for asparagus and wild garlic dumplings. These are of course flavoured with regional herbs.
Bloggers Maren and Manuel have taken some great photos of the region to satisfy the wanderlust for the unique feeling of the mountains, not just in culinary terms but also visually. These are guaranteed to brighten up the wait for your next trip to the Zugspitze.
