2022 – Eat and Drink Like A European

Olpererhütte – The Very Best of the Alps

December 30, 2022/in Alps, Dolomites/by Craig Bresett

One of the best things about hiking in Europe’s Alps is the amazing network of alpine huts (“refuge” in French, “rifugio” in Italian, “hütte” in German). Hikers can set out on most any trail and somewhere along the way there will be a hut where they can rest, get a meal or a cup of coffee, and in some cases stay the night if they wish. These aren’t just mountain resorts that you can drive up to like we’re used to in North America – these are literal places of refuge high in the alpine that are only accessible by hiking (or skiing in the winter). Some of them are so rugged they can only receive their supplies by pack animals or helicopter!

The very rugged Rifugio Monte Cristallo was built during WW I into the side of the mountain and is still used by climbers today.

Rifugio Guido Lorenzi in the Dolomites.

One of my favourites is the Olpererhütte in Austria’s Zillertall, which is why I’ve included it in our Very Best of the Alps Tour. The scenic suspension bridge behind the refuge will make you stop for a photo, guaranteed! And then you can rest your feet and satiate your hunger and thirst at the refuge’s excellent restaurant, with fine views over Lake Schlegeisspeicher.

Olpererhütte – originally opened in 1881 as a simple shelter, it is now a full restaurant offering accommodations to backpackers.

Kaiserschmarrn – a perfect meal after a hike and a specialty at Olpererhütte! It’s chewy Austrian pancakes shredded and served with applesauce and raisins. Yum!

Nothing like a refreshing pilsner beer after sweating your way up the trail!

The Joy of Raclette

November 19, 2022/in Alps, Raclette/by Craig Bresett

Alpine cuisine is very cheese-centric, and with good reason. It seems in some parts of the Alps there are more happy cows than people wandering around the meadows enjoying the beautiful vistas. I always rave about the milk, cream, and butter in the Alps – there’s obviously a connection between the free range dairy cows munching on wildflowers and drinking from glacial melt streams and the rich, sweet milk they produce. And of course, the people of the Alps have become experts at preserving all of that milk in the form of cheese.

La Raclette by Ernest Biéler (1903)

There are many ways that Alpine cheese is consumed – fondue is of course the one that comes to mind when you think of the Alps, particularly the Swiss Alps. However, for me, after a long day hiking or skiing in the mountains, Raclette is the way to go. This traditional cuisine has its roots in the medieval era, when cow herders moving cattle through the high Alpine meadows would carry blocks of hard cheese for their evening meals, setting them beside their campfires to melt the outer layer so it could be spread on the stale bread they had to eat while away from their villages.

Today Raclette is served a couple of different ways – in Switzerland it will usually be melted by a large wood fire and scraped onto plates by servers.

Traditional Swiss Raclette – half the block warms up while the server scrapes the melted part off the other half.

I prefer the French method, popular in Chamonix, where the server actually brings a small Raclette oven to your table and you melt the raclette as you go. It’s always perfectly hot and melty! It is usually served with boiled potatoes, ham, and pickles and a glass of Savoy wine. Such a simple dish, but simply delicious!

French style Raclette – the wood fire is brought right to your table!

Join us for a proper tableside Raclette dinner in Chamonix on our Very Best of the Alps Tour!

The Bacari of Venice

November 17, 2022/in Baccalà, Eat and Drink Like a Northern Italian, Uncategorized, venice, Wine/by Craig Bresett

One of the true delights of a trip to Venice is the cuisine… unless you have no idea what to look for and end up at one of the plethora of terrible tourist traps serving up uninspired portions of bland food no self-respecting Venetian would eat. An excellent choice that will satiate your hunger and suit pretty much any budget is a Bacaro (plural – Bacari).

Bacaro Risorto – one of my favourite’s in all of Venice!

Bacaro is the Venetian word for “bar”. The typical Venetian bacaro offers “ombra” (a small glass of wine), aperitivo (think Spritz Campari or its milder cousin Spritz Aperol), and a nice selection of fresh cicchetti (small snacks or side dishes – like tapas in Spain). Some of my favourites also have a small selection of tasty craft beers as well, like Bacaro Risorto, pictured above.

A small glass of wine and a plate of cicchetti as pictured above will only set you back a few euros.

Locals and visitors-in-the-know will make a nice evening visiting a few bacari, sharing drinks and snacks with friends – old and new alike! It’s easy to meet new people at a bacaro – people generally crowd around the bar or stands on the square or sidewalk chatting with each other while enjoying their finger foods and drinks. However, if your feet are tired from a day of sightseeing, you can probably find a table to relax at.

Locals chatting with the bartender about football and local politics.

One of my commitments when I started Eat and Drink Like a European was to ensure that in addition to high-end fine dining, my guests would always get a chance to connect with the locals and eat the way they do every day. I hope you can join me on a Bacari “crawl” on our next Very Best of Northern Italy Tour!

Augustiner Keller – A Party Every Night in Munich

November 16, 2022/in Beer, Germany/by Craig Bresett

The Augustiner Keller has been around since the early 19th century in one form or another. Despite being built next to the old execution grounds for the city of Munich, it’s always been party central. I like to think that maybe the condemned got to stop by for a maß and a pretzel before the end. Today, with an expansive outdoor beer garden, a large festive hall and a cellar bar and restaurant, it can accommodate thousands of hungry and thirsty locals and visitors alike. One of the highlights is watching the barmen tap the huge wooden kegs to keep the beer flowing. Many of the friendly waitstaff have a great sense of humour – ask one of them if you can get a beer in any size smaller than a litre (a maß) and prepare to be playfully insulted!

Our Ultimate Beer Tour members always rave about the time they spend at Augustiner Keller. Maybe it’s time for you to join us!

Parmagiano Reggiano

November 14, 2022/in Parma/by Craig Bresett

The only real “Parmesan” cheese is made in the region of Parma in Italy. It’s a protected local agricultural product and all elements of its production must meet the strict standards of the Consorzio Del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano. They are actually currently fighting Kraft in court over the use of the word Parmesan to describe the powdered “cheese product” that they market outside of Italy – Matured for 12 to 45 months, this special cheese is known for its excellent flavour and multitude of culinary uses. It has a history going back more than a thousand years! In the Middle Ages Benedictine and Cistercian monks, committed to finding a cheese that could last long, were the first producers: using the salt from the Salsomaggiore salt mines and the milk of the cows bred in the monastic farms, the monks obtained a dry paste cheese in large wheels suitable for long preservation. During the first period of European tourism, when English nobles were travelling through Italy on their “Grand Tours”, one of the first stops in Italy would be in Parma to purchase one of these large wheels of cheese. One such Englishman, Samuel Pepys, brought back what remained of his large wheel of Parmigiano cheese to London after his travels, and famously buried it, along with some special bottles of wine, when his house was threatened by the Great Fire of London in 1666. He couldn’t carry it, but he couldn’t stand that thought of it burning up either. That’s how good it is!

On our Very Best of Northern Italy Tour we visit one of the finest cheese markets in Parma and sample this fantastic cheese right from the source. WIth some special wine and beer and other local delicacies, it’s a picnic you won’t forget! The whole city of Parma is a foodie’s delight, and we also explore its often-overlooked architectural and historical sites as well.

Lac Blanc – French Alps

November 12, 2022/in Alps/by Craig Bresett

The Very Best of the Alps

One of the most gorgeous hikes in the world – take the lift to La Flégère from Chamonix and hike to Lac Blanc in the French Alps. Beautiful views of Mont Blanc and the entire range, and a fine alpine hut to rest your legs and enjoy a beverage or snack before descending! This is what hiking is like in the Alps. I’d love to have you join us on our Very Best of the Alps tour in 2023!

Olpererhütte – The Very Best of the Alps

The Joy of Raclette

The Bacari of Venice

Augustiner Keller – A Party Every Night in Munich

Parmagiano Reggiano

Lac Blanc – French Alps

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Archive for year: 2022