Dolomites -Food

A tradition closely linked to Austrian and German cuisine, which puts grains and cured meats as its trademarks, and which makes Dolomites a unique place. The food here is a mix of unmistakable flavors and aromas, a succession of spicy and smoked scents which enrich many of the local specialties. Here the harsh climate  is compensated with a generous gastronomy on both the sweet and savory front.

Below is a typical dinner with the most representative dishes of the regional cuisine of the Dolomites:


APPETIZER– Traditional speck plate–  The most representative cured pork product of the area, this is a specialty obtained from a salted pork leg that is initially cured with natural flavorings, and then finally smoked. This delicacy was originally created as a way to preserve pork meat, and later became an integral part of local cuisine.   Best way to taste: with black bread, horseradish, herb butter and gherkins.

APPETIZER– Calf’s head with sour onion — Dish of the poor mountain tradition, cooked with the scraps from the slaughter of calves, the meat is boiled and then macerated with raw white onions, vinegar, sultanas and pine nuts.   It is a tasty dish that is served cold.


FIRST COURSE/SOUP – TirolerKnödel  —  Dumplings made of stale bread, flour, eggs, speck, parsley and parmesan cheese, also known by the German name Knödel. There are many variations, each with different ingredients and proportions. Always in the dough are alpine herbs, some form of pork meat, local cheese, plus mushrooms and broths that add flavor.


FIRST COURSE/PASTA – Schlutzkrapfen —  Also called ”Roffioi”, the Schultzkrapfen are one of the symbolic formats of the Dolomites: crescents of rye, wheat, eggs, oil and water pasta, stuffed with spinach, ricotta and potatoes in Winter, or poppy seeds and chives in Spring.


MAIN COURSE Tiroler Herrengröstel– The Dolomite’s Potato Gröstl is a winter dish based on potatoes, onions, speck and veal or beef. It is enriched with porcini mushrooms or chanterelle mushrooms and sliced ​​red peppers. It is served hot in the pan accompanied with fried eggs and crispy slices of toasted black bread.


MAIN COURSE Tyrolean venison stew – It is a preparation linked to the gastronomic traditions of the Austrian Alps and the Dolomite area. The classic and wild taste of venison is perfectly sweetened by the addition of wild cranberries.


DESSERT – Apple Strudel  —  Thin roll of pastry dough stuffed with apples, raisins, pine nuts and cinnamon. This is ideal for a snack or even as dessert at the end of the meal, paired to a good glass of Vin Brulé, custard cream or gelato.


DESSERT – KAISCHERSMARREN — Dessert of Emperor, legend has it that one evening the emperor Francesco Giuseppe, having no time for dinner, had ordered his chef a crepe. The cook, taken aback, forgot the crepe and left it too much on the fire making it slightly burn, more when it was turned it broke. Since he did not have time to prepare another one, the cook broke the crepe completely, since he could no longer stuff it, he put the jam on the edge of the plate and covered the burns with plenty of sugar.

Traditional, rustic and tasty egg-based dessert, it looks like a thick, chopped crepes, to be served with excellent blueberry jam and sprinkled with icing sugar