Hello lovelies, I don't know about you, but lately we've been getting a touch of wanderlust again. So today I'm taking you along on a little culinary trip and sharing 2 great recipes from South Tyrol. The special part: they don't come from me, but straight from the heart of South Tyrol – from the chef of Italy's first 100% vegan hotel, La Vimea. You're in for a treat, because these are two seriously delicious dishes.
Anyone who has been to South Tyrol knows the region isn't just beautiful – it's wonderfully fertile too. Lots of hours of sunshine, high-quality regional products and excellent wine – and a good deal of it ends up on our plates. Asparagus, strawberries, the South Tyrolean specialty Schüttelbrot and, of course, apples play the starring role in both dishes.
La Vimea and its chef
Both recipes were created by Luca Sordi, the chef at La Vimea. I was thrilled to get to recreate two of his dishes, because La Vimea has been on my wish list for a long time. The hotel sits in beautiful Naturns and is not only Italy's first fully vegan hotel, it also places great value on sustainability and living in harmony with nature.
In our video, Luca tells you much more about himself, La Vimea and why he chose these particular ingredients – do take a look:
And now to the two dishes Luca created for us:
1. Panzanella South Tyrolean Style
Panzanella is the classic Italian bread salad. In Luca's spring version, crispy Schüttelbrot meets green asparagus, fresh peas, sweet strawberries from the Martell Valley and elderflowers. We make the elderflower vinegar ourselves – it gives the salad a wonderfully floral aroma. Savory, fresh and summery light.
See the recipe: Panzanella South Tyrolean Style
2. Apple Strudel Pralines
The second recipe centers on South Tyrol's best-known ingredient: apples. Apple growing has a long tradition here – around a quarter of all organic apples in Europe come from South Tyrol. Luca turned the classic apple strudel into praline form: vegan energy balls of apple, nuts and cinnamon, rolled in colorful fruit powders and served in a little wooden box.
See the recipe: Apple Strudel Pralines
The matching South Tyrolean wine
Of course, the right wine couldn't be missing either: a Chardonnay Ateyon from the biodynamic Loacker wine estate. The family has been a pioneer of biodynamic winemaking since 1979 and, alongside typical South Tyrolean grapes like Vernatsch and Lagrein, also grows Chardonnay, whose delicate apple note pairs beautifully with both dishes.
I found this culinary trip to South Tyrol so lovely – the exchange with Luca was fascinating, and you can feel how much passion he and the La Vimea team have for their region. Do try both recipes and let them whisk you off to the south for a moment. And if you'd like to see more of the region, take a look at my travel diary South Tyrol for families and vegan foodies.
Yours, Verena
This blog post was created in collaboration with South Tyrol Tourism, but reflects my own opinion.
