Typically South Tyrolean
Bacon – the pride of South Tyrol
Those familiar with South Tyrol will automatically think yearningly of the typical South Tyrolean bacon. The bacon is not only held in high esteem in South Tyrol, but has become a South Tyrolean brand the world over and is available in many well-stocked delicatessens and grocery stores. It ranks first among South Tyrolean specialities. Bacon has been produced in South Tyrol for centuries. The climate and environment in the “country in the mountains”, as Tyrol was called in the High Middle Ages forced the mountain dwellers to be very resourceful. The alpine farmers’ subsistence had to be guaranteed the whole year through and to this end the precious meat had to be preserved after the livestock had been slaughtered. One of the methods used is the production of bacon. The procedure was perfected over the centuries on the farms and the curing and smoking of ham according to age-old recipes has become a veritable art form.Only certified producers are allowed to affix this seal of quality to their produce. This way, gourmets can rest assured that the bacon they are eating is a quality product made according to ancient South Tyrolean traditions at every stage of production.
Kaminwurzen (salted smoked sausage); just take a bite
Kaminwurzen are smoked, dried sausages made of pork and beef with a rustic and spicy taste (about 18 cm long, and 1 cm in diameter). Kaminwurzen can be used in a variety of ways. Kaminwurzen can be part of a hearty supper or simply savoured as a snack for between meals. Kaminwurzen are also often diced and mixed into so-called sausage dumpling dough. A delightful delicacy.Vinschger Paarlen
South Tyrolean varieties of bread have a history of their own. The traditional South Tyrolean varieties of bread have emerged over the course of centuries. They reflect the regions’ way of life. Distinctive shapes, typical herbs or varying recipes and baking methods say a great deal about the country and its people. Today’s great variety of delicious creations made of flour, water, salt, yeast and sour dough reflect traditions which have been passed down from generation to generation. For example there are the typical Vinschger Paarlen, flat bread spiced with caraway, fennel and sweet trefoil. History tells us that in bygone times, half Paarlen were baked for wakes (the meal after the funerals).
South Tyrolean wine
In South Tyrol today, grapes are cultivated on some 5,000 hectares of arable land. The vineyards extend along the river Etsch through the valleys between Schlanders and Salurn and along the river Eisack between Bozen and Brixen. South Tyrol’s natural conditions are ideal for viniculture. The work in the vineyards and cellars ennobles the natural product and leads to the successes that have made South Tyrolean wine well-known and famed the world over.South Tyrol is one of Europe’s smallest wine-producing areas. Wine, culture and tradition are closely connected in this country on the southern fringe of the Alps. Generations of wine growers have helped shape the history of South Tyrol. The charming wine-growing landscape before the backdrop of the snow-covered mountain scenery is today synonymous for extraordinary and unmistakable wines. The wines of the Unterortl (below Juval castle) and Falkenstein wineries, both in Naturns, have already enjoyed remarkable successes. Wines: Blauburgunder, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, distillates. Regular wine tours.
Vinschgau apricot liqueur and Vinschgau Williams pear liqueur
The fruit liqueurs are among some of our region’s most famous specialities. Apricot and Williams pear liqueurs are distilled in many places. Fermented fruit pulp is distilled twice by means of the water bath method using a tried and tested technique. In this way, the delicate fruit aromas are treated far more gently, thus facilitating the top quality of the fruit liqueurs. The fruit liqueurs gain their rounded mild flavour after being seasoned for around 12 months.Apples
It’s our climate that does it. The climatic requirements for cultivating fruit are unparalleled in South Tyrol. The mild climate with more than 2,000 hours of sunshine per year, warm, sunny days and cool nights created the ideal conditions for top-quality apples. They lend the South Tyrolean Alpine apple its unmistakable, juicy-fresh aroma, the firm, crunchy flesh and the beautiful colouration so typical of this variety.Quality from the bottom up. Some 8,000 fruit growers, most of them family-run businesses with orchards that are on average only 2 hectares in size, look after their fruit trees passionately and with a great deal of love. The requirements of integrated cultivation are practiced in a way that is both ecological and consumer-friendly. A very special natural spectacle: To protect the delicate blossoms from being damaged by an unexpected sudden cold spell in spring, the flowers are “iced” by the fruit growers only to thaw unscathed in the warmth of the daytime sun. A sight that is as bizarre as it is beautiful!
Cheese
Unique mountain countryside – the source of naturally healthy quality. Since time immemorial, South Tyrol’s mountain landscape of the Alps and the Dolomites has been home to traditional dairy farming, which today operates according to the strict criteria of naturally healthy, GM-free quality production.Over 12,000 farmers take great pains to look after our unique man-made landscape with its total of 1,500 cultivated alpine pastures and their abundance of natural meadows rich in aromatic grasses and herbs. The natural environment and the organic animal husbandry and feeding of the dairy cows on the meadows and farmyards form the basis for our high-quality produce that is both tasty and nourishing.
Every day the fresh milk is brought to the dairies from every valley and even from the most remote farms. In this transparent and controllable set-up, the milk is prepared and processed using state-of-the-art techniques, but without genetically-manipulated ingredients. Stringent production practices, the strictest of controls, our well-developed distribution network and immediate and especially gentle processing guarantee that all South Tyrolean milk and milk produce is always fresh and pure when it reaches the consumer. Many traditional, old production and finishing processes have remained in use and – meanwhile improved and refined – form the basis for our present-day high standards. Skilled management, origin control and the use of the latest technology are the prerequisites for our tasty quality. Compared to other international producers, the dairy farms and cooperatives of South Tyrol are relatively small.
