“Honest and down-to-earth” is how the longtime chef at the Hotel Das Rübezahl in Füssen describes Allgäu cuisine. In the mountains of the German-Austrian border region, he says, you can get by with very few ingredients and rely directly on nature. Erik will tell you what you must try in the Allgäu.

This is the second installment of our Culinary Journey series – each month we introduce a new destination

The cuisine of the Allgäu region is characterized by agriculture and livestock

The Allgäu is a region in southern Germany, although the Allgäu Alps are part of Austria. It is a picturesque landscape of mountains, forests, meadows, rivers and lakes. Near Füssen, where the Green PearlsⓇ Hotel Das Rübezahl is located, you will find many German castles. Among them are Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.

“The Allgäu was a very poor region for a long time,” says chef Erik. “Characterized by agriculture and livestock, especially at higher altitudes.”

“Flour, eggs and cheese are the staples of Allgäu cuisine. In the fall, a few mushrooms are added. But it’s precisely the limited ingredients that make it easy to taste the typical taste of the Allgäu. – Executive Chef Erik Wendt

The aromas are taken directly from nature: elderberry and gentian are typical. Each farm has an elderberry bush that, according to Erik, must never be cut down. “It would be bad for the blessing of the house,” he explains.

Traditionally, meat was always served at festivities. Beef, pork, a classic butcher’s platter. Maybe even a chamois from the local hunter. Recently, Erik has noticed a trend towards vegetarian and vegan dishes, which he has incorporated into his kitchen and continues to expand.

Allgäu classics for the right feeling

#1: Cheese Spätzle – “You can’t fit more Allgäu on a fork”

Käsespätzle is a hearty cheese noodle dish with fried onions and black pepper. It tastes best after a day in the mountains and a hike in the fresh air – for example at the Rohrkopfhütte on the Tegelberg.

To make spaetzle, a fresh dough of flour and eggs is scraped into boiling water. (This technique takes practice. Beginners can use a spaetzle press). The cooked spaetzle are then sautéed in a pan with onions and cheese. Finally, add a pinch of pepper and chives.

According to Erik, the most important thing for the taste is the type of cheese used. He himself uses Weißlacker. Allgäuer Weißlacker is a cow’s milk cheese with a “full-bodied taste” that goes well with Spätzle. In addition, he adds a milder Romadur, a soft cow’s milk cheese also made in the Allgäu region.

#2 Cabbage fritters – preferably vegetarian

“Cabbage fritters are savory and spicy, and give you that extra energy you need to hike in the mountains feeling invigorated,” says the chef. The classic recipe calls for a roll of dough filled with sauerkraut, onions, apple, and bacon, which is then sliced in a pan with oil.

“”It is hard to imagine the beautiful Allgäu without cabbage fritters. They are served in the local huts and occasionally on the dinner menu at our restaurant Louis II – although I make a vegetarian version!” – Küchenchef Erik Wendt

Tip: If you want to try a vegetarian option at home, you can substitute pan-fried smoked tofu for the bacon.

#3 Holderkiachla – “A real treat”

Holderkiachla are elderflowers fried in a crispy batter. They are served with powdered sugar or elderflower syrup.

As mentioned above, the elderberry bush is typical of the Allgäu region, and in early summer you can see the farmers standing in their front yards picking the elderflowers.

Tip: Mara from our editorial team is also a fan of Elderberry Cake – she shared her recipe on the blog.

#4: Elderberries with vanilla ice cream

Later in the year, elderberries are boiled down to sweeten the winter months with vanilla ice cream, cream and cinnamon.

Allgäu cuisine reloaded: The creations of Erik Wendt at Restaurant Louis II

Restaurant Louis II is part of the Rübezahl Hotel, but is also open to external guests. Erik Wendt and his kitchen team focus on regional ingredients and support small businesses and local farmers. However, the chef loves to push the boundaries of Allgäu cuisine by adding international spices, new ideas and the “Aromakreis” (a local spice mix) to surprise his guests with new flavors. Instead of sauerkraut, for example, you will find “orange white cabbage” on the menu, as well as braised sweet potatoes or recipes with soy. Take a look at Louis II’s current menu here.

Read more on the hotel’s website in the article about flavor explorer Erik Went.

Allgäu cuisine and climate change

Animal products, such as eggs, cheese, butter and meat, are not the most climate-friendly products. So it is a good thing that the people of the Allgäu are turning to other ingredients and enjoying their specialties as specialties and no longer as everyday food.

In Germany, all wild gentian species are protected. It seems likely that the gentian, like many alpine plants, will continue to migrate upwards as it becomes too warm for it at lower altitudes.

Erik says he can still get everything the land, lakes and rivers have to offer in his kitchen. But climate change is already an issue when you talk to farmers, fishermen and hunters:

• The increasing frequency of extreme weather events is changing the seasons and reducing the predictability of crop production.
• Fish retreat deeper into lakes in the summer and are harder to catch.
• Cold-loving plants (such as gentian) move to higher altitudes.

As a result, Hotel Rübezahl is committed to keeping its carbon footprint as small as possible. The hotel produces 90 percent of its own energy through photovoltaics and a combined heat and power plant. The remaining 10 percent is green energy. In addition, there are many environmentally friendly initiatives, such as planting a tree for every room cleaning that you, as a guest, choose to forgo.

Tip: Take cheese home as a souvenir

During a culinary vacation in the Allgäu, you will notice that cheese is ubiquitous. There are numerous traditional cheese dairies to visit, and of course they sell their cheese in beautiful gift boxes. (Some are environmentally friendly, using natural cardboard and straw). It makes a great holiday souvenir. However, in my personal experience, it doesn’t taste quite as good in a city apartment as it does up on the mountain! I wonder why?

Save this article to Pinterest.