Open the kitchen door at the Brennseehof in Feld am See, Carinthia! As part of our special feature "Tennis & Culinary Delights in Carinthia," Brennseehof's head chef, Joshua Mitterer, takes us on a culinary journey and explains how the hotel implements the principles of Slow Food, regionality, and sustainability, bringing them to your plate. The hotel's own permaculture garden plays a key role in this. The chef draws culinary inspiration from the Alps-Adriatic region, which will delight TennisTraveller Joshua's recipe is traditional yet reinterpreted : the very healthy Ritschert , a dish as synonymous with Carinthia as strawberries and cream are with Wimbledon. And the special part: Joshua will also provide you with a vegetarian version of Ritschert.
We hope you enjoy this culinary excursion to the Brennseehof and bon appétit!

Kitchen door opens at the Brennseehof tennis hotel in Feld am See

We asked Joshua Mitterer, head chef of the Brennseehof , a few questions about Slow Food and Alpine-Adriatic cuisine. Read on to find out how the hotel puts these two concepts into practice every day.

 Carinthian Slow Food – that stands for fantastic regional and high-quality products that you use in your hotel. Where do you source your products (meat, fish, cheese, etc.) and do you have a particular favorite?

My favorite products come right next door: fresh vegetables and herbs from our own permaculture garden. It's fun to learn about the entire cycle of growth and (re)processing through our permaculture garden. Permaculture, in which people, animals, and plants support each other, perfectly aligns with our company's philosophy, where sustainability is a central tenet.

We source the majority of our products directly from the region. The more regional, the better. It's important to us to work closely with our local farmers, who also make a significant contribution to landscape conservation, especially in the tourism sector.

Here's a brief overview of our regional suppliers:

• Beef from the Rannerhof farm in Gnesau in the upper Gurk valley
• Pork from organic farmer Ofner in Afritz
• Organic eggs from the Obereder family in Gnesau in the upper Gurk valley
• Potatoes from the Treffner farmer - Gregor Mischkulnig
• Wech - Carinthian farm poultry
• Our fish comes from the local Hofer fish farm in Feld am See
• Carinthian milk
• Cheese products from Kaslab'n in Radenthein – a cooperation of regional farmers

 Carinthia is known for its so-called Alpe-Adria cuisine: how would you define this style of cooking? What makes this cuisine particularly delicious?

On the one hand, this cuisine is down-to-earth, rooted in local traditions, and steeped in heritage; on the other hand, it always reflects an international flair. Traditional dishes are often reinterpreted, but their origin should always be clearly recognizable. Due to our state's southern location and proximity to Italy and Slovenia, these Mediterranean influences are also frequently present.

 What is your personal favorite Carinthian dish that you serve at the hotel?

Vegetarian Ritschert. Ritschert is one of the oldest dishes and evokes childhood memories for many. It is considered very healthy and is especially popular in its vegetarian version

 What should a TennisTraveller absolutely eat when visiting Carinthia?

Carinthia stands for hospitality, culinary delights, and a deep connection to its homeland. This is especially evident in our rustic mountain huts. Here, people gather together, everyone is on a first-name basis, and it's a meeting place for young and old. Accordingly, the food is more down-to-earth and rooted in local traditions. You absolutely must try 'Grantnmilch' (Grantn = cranberries with fresh buttermilk) or 'Glundner Kas' (a special cheese with caraway seeds).

The recipe from Brennseehof: Vegetarian Ritschert

the head chef of the Brennseehof, has prepared a dish for us to recreate at home that couldn't be more typical of Carinthia. However, it's slightly modified, as Joshua presents the Ritschert in a vegetarian version.

preparation

1. Dice onions, potatoes, carrots and celery and sauté them
2. Add the beans and pearl barley and pour in the vegetable stock
3. Add herbs and spices
4. Let it cook until everything is soft and creamy
5. Season to taste

Joshua Mitterer and the Brennseehof wish you lots of fun cooking and bon appétit!

Looking for more tennis holiday inspiration in Carinthia?

You can find lots of information about tennis hotels in Carinthia at www.kaernten.at/tennis . Specific booking offers can be found at: www.kaernten.at/tennis/urlaubsangebote. 
Or, of course, directly here on TennisTraveller on our Carinthia inspiration page – everything at a glance: Carinthian tennis hotels, camp offers, and interesting blog posts.

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