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Discovering South Tyrol cuisine with Norbert Niederkofler

by Jeanne Horak on November 22, 2013 3 Comments in Pop-ups and supperclubs

NiederkoflerTitle © J Horak-Druiff 2013

The first time I became aware of the existence of Tyrol as a teenager, I was pretty sure it was somewhere in south-east Asia.  But to be fair, my geographic guesstimate came less from National Geographic than from the lyrics of the (fabulously retro) One Night in Bangkok which makes reference to a Tyrolean spa.  But enough about my misspent youth!  These days, of course, there is Wikipedia to ask so as every schoolboy now knows,  Tyrol is a chunk of Western Austria in the Eastern Alps that borders on Italy, Germany and Switzerland (think Innsbruck and surrounds).  Like Alsace, it is one of those fascinating bits of Europe that can’t totally be claimed by one language group – and in the case of South Tyrol it is a beguiling mix of Germanic efficiency and Italian Brio.  Although I visited Innsbruck many years ago, it seems you need to head further into the mountains to where the culinary action is – specifically to San Cassiano in Badia if you want to experience the cooking of chef Norbert Niederkofler.

Norbert Niederkofler was born in South Tyrol and grew up in small valley in the province of Bolzano, where he learnt his love of home cooking using local quality products from his father. He trained as a chef in Germany before working in Switzerland, the USA and Austria. In 1994 Norbert returned to Italy and joined the Rosa Alpina hotel to revitalise their food and beverage offering.  It was also here in 1996 that he opened his restaurant St. Hubertus which earned its second Michelin star in 2012.  Here, Niederkofler serves up acclaimed dishes inspired by the gastronomical heritage and fresh produce of South Tyrol.  But the mountains are a long way from London to go for dinner and so I was thrilled to be able to attend a recent event in London where chef Niederkofler would be cooking.  The evening was intended to showcase not only South Tyrolean cuisine but also to provide an introduction into the South Tyrol region, which also boasts activities such as hiking and downhill skiing.  Chef Niederkofler briefly explained his culinary philisophy to us before introducing the evening’s theme of ‘Cook the Mountains’ which saw him creating dishes using only seasonal ingredients sourced from the surrounding South Tyrolean region.   All dishes were prepared in a small open kitchen in the venue, with chef Niederkofler and his team explaining each dish andavailable to answer questions at any stage of the preparation. The scene was set for the evening with an amuse bouche plate drawing together a number of flavours that typify South Tyrol:  venison tartare sandwiched between two wafer-thin crackers; a shot of perfectly clear pine resin; and a spoonful of sweet/savoury hazelnut puree topped with a crisp hazelnut sliver (not pictured).

 

NiederkflerTalking2 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

 

NiederkoflerPrep1 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

The starter (“River in Wintertime”) was the most intricately plated dish of the evening and, as chef Niederkofler explained, was designed to evoke the beauty of a glacial river and its surrounding riverbanks. Fish tartare from the lakes of South Tyrol was accompanied by wild herbs, jelly and “ice” made from river water from the region, as well as grey edible “rocks” and pristine “snow” made from dehydrated olive oil.  For me, not all of the plate worked in terms of taste – I didn’t like the chalky texture of the “rocks”) but I loved the idea and pretty execution. This, as well as our amuse bouche, was accompanied by 2012 Sylvaner Kuenhof (Alto Adige/Südtirol DOC) by Peter Pilger, a pleasant and fruity wine, rather like a less acidic Riesling.  The fish course was one of my favourites of the evening: South Tyrol char baked at low temperature (as the chef explained, pan-frying is too strident a method for the subtle flavours of the fish) and served on a bed of mushrooms together with a vibrantly green celery sauce, a sliver of crisp bread and a slice of speck. I adored everything about this dish – the bright green evoked pristine mountainsides, and the delicate smoke of the speck seemed to enhance the delicate fish, while the celery kept the flavours fresh. This was also accompanied by my favourite wine of the night, the 2010 Nova Domus (Alto Adige/Südtirol DOC) by Terlano.  This blend of 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, made from hand-selected bunches with partial malolactic fermentation and 12 months in oak barrels was like a mouthful of fruit salad with a good structure and a creamy mouthfeel.  For anbody wondering whether South Tyrol produces wines of quality, this should answer their question decisively.

 

NiederkoflerTalking3 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

NiederkoflerRiverInWinter © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

NiederkoflerChar © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

The final savoury course consisted of beetroot gnocchi filled with radish and horseradish cream, sautéed in butter and beetroot juice and garnished with young beetroot greens and beer “soil”.  This was comfort food, South Tyrol style – the gnocchi had a perfectly al dente consistency but one bite revealed the creamy centre with the bite of horseradish.  Chef Niederkofler also came round with the massive copper pan in which the gnocchi had been sautéed,  offering up seconds and drizzling more of the jewel-coloured sauce on our plates. This was accompanied by a 2010 Pinot Nero Riserva Trattman (Alto Adige/Südtirol DOC) by Girlan, a soft yet rich example of Pinot with good colour and succulent fruit.  Dessert was once again accompanied by a bit of theatre:  green apple sorbet with pine needle marshmallow (made with apples and pine needles from South Tyrol).  Once the dish was plated, we watched as the chefs took glowing coals from a waiting grill and pressed them gently on the marshmallow for just long enough to caramelise the exterior so that it resembled a campfire roasted marshmallow of my youth and infused the dessert with a gentle smokiness. Inspired!  This was accompanied by a glass of 2011 Kerner Praepositus Passito (Alto Adige/Südtirol DOC) by Abbazzia di Novacella, a dessert wine made from grapes left to dry out to a raisin-lime consistency to concentrate the flavours.

 

NiederkoflerGnocchi © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

NiederkoflerPlatingDessert1 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

NiederkoflerPlatingDessert2 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

NiederkoflerDessert © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

The wines were a revelation to me, and the whole evening was a fascinating insight into the philosophy and flavours of the cooking of a world-renowned chef, and his passion for both the ingredients and the South Tyrol region was infectious and made me keen to find out more about visiting the area.  The region is an all-year destination with 300 sunny days a year – warm summers and spectacular snowy winters – and year-round gastronomic delights.  For wine lovers, there is a wine safari on offer; and when the snow begins to fall, it’s time for the “Slope Food” gourmet ski safari, a ski-in, ski-out movable feast which allows you to ski from mountain hut to mountain hut sampling fourteen different small plates created by Michelin-starred chefs.  As a ski bunny and a food fan, this sounds like my idea of heaven!  The Rosa Alpina and St Hubertus restaurant are located two-and-a-half hours north of Venice and two hours south of Innsbruck.

For more information on the gourmet and wine events this winter in Aldo Adige/South Tyrol region visit http://www.altabadia.org and http://www.suedtirol.info/en/.

DISCLOSURE:  I attended this event of the South Tyrol tourist board but received no other remuneration for writing this post and all opinions are my own. 

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  1. Katie Bryson says

    November 25, 2013 at 10:08 am

    What delicate and beautiful food – so much thought and work goes into these plates! I particularly like the look of the beetroot gnocchi with a creamy horseradish filling – what a great idea and such fabulous flavours! Inspiring post 🙂

    Reply
  2. Jan says

    November 25, 2013 at 10:35 am

    What a fantastic post! Lovely food, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  3. Yvonne Horak says

    December 30, 2018 at 1:37 pm

    Not my kind of Tyrolean food. I have had much nicer dishes I think for my personal taste. . I would also have settled for the Fish.THAT looked and sounded really tasty. Loved the years we lived in Berlin and then Bavaria . Spent wonderful weekends and time in Tyrol area and into Italy regularly. during the years my husband career with Lufthansa and mine also. Also wonderful years in Asia.! My favourite Countries. Love and enjoy your blog Jeanne
    Best wishes from South Africa

    Reply
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New year's resolutions: waste of time or the way f New year's resolutions: waste of time or the way forward?

I have mentioned before that I don't really make new year's resolutions. There is always so much pressure to make them BIG lofty goals and this is essentially what dooms them to failure. Instead, for the past few years I have made a list of... affirmations? Mantras? I have yet come up with a word that does not make my toes curl 🤣

These are essentially reminders rather than goals - presets, if you like, for the year ahead. I keep them in a handwritten list next to my computer and when I don't know how to react to something or how to shake a mood, I read them and there is usually an answer in there somewhere. 

Given the bruising year last year was, and how 2021 has so far proven itself to be not much better, I really wanted to add something practical to this year's list to lift my spirits on days when I am down. And for that I borrowed shamelessly from the wonderful @gretchenrubin:

🌈  ACT THE WAY YOU WANT TO FEEL 🌈

And this photo is a reminder of how I want to feel on so, so many levels: hanging out with friends; dancing in the sunshine; wearing my favourite red dress; travelling (this was in Carouge, Switzerland); and surrounded by a rainbow of colour. I can't travel and I can't see friends, but I can dance in my kitchen, singing at the top of my voice wearing my brightest clothes. 

What strategies do you use to lift your spirits? I'd love to hear! 

📸 by @tasteofsavoie
If you, like me, are mssing your Pret-a- Manger Bi If you, like me, are mssing your Pret-a- Manger Bircher muesli during lockdown, you will want to bookmark this post right now! 🔖

I have learnt a few things during lockdown. I have learnt that I am more comfortable spending long periods alone than I had ever imagined; that I suffer a lot more from FOMO (fear of missing out!) than I would like to admit; and that pre-Covid I spent rude sums of money on commuting and barista coffee...! 

I also learnt that although I miss travel and social events and meals out, it is often the smaller things that you miss most acutely - the freedom to call up a friend you haven't seen in a while and inviting them over. Hugging (or even seeing) my family. And grabbing a macchiato and a Pret Bircher muesli on the way to work. Don't ask me why, but it became a small obsession of mine to create a fakeaway Pret Bircher during lockdown - and I think I have succeeded! Here's how:

For 2 servings you will need:
100g rolled oats
200ml milk or water
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds 
1 Tbsp shelled pistachio nuts
1 Tbsp dried cranberries 
2 small apples
175g plain yoghurt
Honey
Pomegranate rails

Mix the oats, seeds, nuts and cranberries together then add the milk/water and a pinch of salt. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight. 

When ready to serve, grate the apples and mix them in with the oats and yoghurt (add a little extra milk to loosen if needed). Stir in honey to taste and serve topped with pomegranate arils and pistachios. Full recipe and more photos are available now on the blog - click the live link in my profile.

Did you try any fakeaway recipes over lockdown? Please let me know in the comments - I would love to hear about it!
Me, turning around and walking out on 2020 like a Me, turning around and walking out on 2020 like a bad romance...

And while we are on the topic, can I still get a refund on the first week of 2021? Not sure it was fit for purpose... 🤣 Either way, I am putting on my brightest dress, fixing my eyes firmly on the future and walking purposefully towards it (bottle of wine optional but always welcome!). 

I don't make resolutions at new year, but I have been thinking about what positives I want to carry forward with me as I walk away from the car crash of a year that was 2020. For me, some big positives have been:

* Working from home, in terms of increased flexibility, increased productivity and increased visibility - I definitely hope never to have to work in the office 5 days a week again. 
* Better and more regular exercise. I ran 585km in 2020, probably as much as in all previous years put together - let's see what I can do in 2021!
* Better connection  and more video calls to faraway friends and family. Why have I not always made video calls?? 

I don't think we need to even mention the many negatives of the last year, but I am curious to know if you took any positives away from 2020? Let me know in the comments 🙂

Onwards and upwards!
One last look back at the kettle of crazy that was One last look back at the kettle of crazy that was 2020 before we dive headlong into 2021... 

I am guilty of not posting as much as I would have liked to in 2020 but as it turns out, I find it hard to be on social media much if I am not in a good headspace. Who knew... 😜 A lot of my posts were memories of previous trips but a huge thank you to you all for indulging my travelstalgia (if that is not a word, it should be!), coming along for the ride, liking, commenting, and sharing your thoughts. 

So I give you my #topnine2020 posts, in order of most likes over the past year. Left to right, starting top left, we have The Shard in London; my sesame ginger Brussels sprouts; Keukenhof garden tulips; Christmas at London's Spitalfields market: Carcasonne; my sticky plum upside-down cake; Singapore shophouses; Grenada harbour; and a raspberry & hibiscus G&T.

Here's to making new memories in 2021, and wishing you all a year of abundance x
So how was your Christmas day yesterday? In this So how was your Christmas day yesterday? 

In this year that has been so hard on so many people,  I hope you had somebody to share it with; enough food to feel replete; and warm place to eat. I know it was  not the Christmas that we all wanted, but it was definitely the Christmas that reminded us to count our blessings. 

One of the blessings at my table was one of the best Brussels sprout recipes I have ever had - roasted sprouts with chorizo, hazelnuts and thyme - and with only 4 ingredients, so simple to make! Trust me, you want to bookmark this one 🔖

For 4 people you need:
* 500g trimmed Brussels sprouts 
* 75g chorizo, chopped
* 15g hazelnuts
* sprig of thyme
* vegetable oil

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Halve each sprout lengthways and toss the sprouts in enough oil to lightly coat. Arrange on a baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for 15 mins or until outer leaves start to brown, then turn over and roast till cut sides just start to colour (about 10 mins). 

2. While the sprouts are roasting,  toast the hazelnuts in a large dry pan over medium heat till light brown, remove and roughly crush.

3. In the same pan, fry the chorizo  till it starts to release its oil, then remove sprouts from the oven and add to pan. Mix well.

4. Tip sprouts into a serving bowl and top with hazelnuts and thyme leaves. Serve hot.
"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoug "The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius

I think we can all agree that 2020 was not the year that we ordered and was a really difficult year for almost everyone (other than maybe Jeff Bezos...).

I could so easily dwell on all the things I have found hard this year - being separated from my family in South Africa and no realistic hope of seeing them anytime soon; no travel since Oct 2019; the social isolation of living alone in a pandemic; having friends fall ill with Covid; and the huge anxiety brought on by the uncertainty of everything and the complete inability to plan anything (hard for a planner and control freak!).

But as the quote says, think dark thoughts and your soul ends up dark. So I have chosen to dye my soul in the bright colours of things I am grateful for instead: a rewarding job that i can do remotely; amazing friends to Zoom or call around the world; a house of my own that I love; a beautiful running route minutes from my door; and a strong, healthy body.

What colour are you dyeing your soul in this Christmas?

🎄🎄🎄
If you've visited London in the last 7 years then If you've visited London in the last 7 years then you cannot have failed to see The Shard - a striking assymetrical architectural "shard of glass" building dominating the skyline south of London Bridge. 

At 800ft and 95 floors, it is the tallest building in the UK and western Europe and houses 26 floors of office space, 3 floors of restaurants, 19 floors of 5-star Shangri-La hotel, 13 floors of residential apartments, and London's highest public viewing gallery, @shardview, comprising the 68th, 69th and 72nd floors.

The viewing gallery has now reopened after the Covid-19 lockdown and here are my 6 top tips for visitors:

🏙 Book in advance via the View From The Shard website. Walk-ins are not currently accepted. Although you can make a same day booking via the website, tickets are up to 35%  cheaper if you book 14 or more days in advance. For example, a standard adult ticket costs an eye-watering £34, but can go down to £22 if booked in advance.

🏙 Entry is timed and you have 30 mins after your allocated time to arrive or risk losing your slot. Security procedures take a while, so arrive 15 mins or so before your allocated slot.

🏙 Once you are at the top there is no time limit so take your time! Savour the views in all directions, as far as 40 miles away on a clear day. Use the enhanced reality interactive telescopes to learn more about London landmarks.

🏙 You can buy a £5 "weather guarantee" per ticket - and then if visibility is so bad you cannot see at least three of: the London Eye the Walkie Talkie, Tower Bridge,  One Canada Square, and St Paul’s Cathedral - then you can come back for free within 3 months.

🏙 No cash payments are accepted, so make sure you have a card to pay for souvenirs and refreshments.

🏙 Make sure you visit the restrooms while you are there - it's the best view from a loo you have ever experienced!
PSA: you may want to hit the bookmark icon because PSA: you may want to hit the bookmark icon because trust me, this refreshing summer cocktail is a keeper! 

Over the last few years, there has been an increased interest in premium tonic waters - after all  what is the point of buying excellent, nuanced, small batch gin and smothering it in cheap tonic? 

In 2015 premium spirits brand Suntory founded @merchantsheart, a range of premium mixers designed to enhance the flavour of their spirits. The range includes plain, light; floral aromatics; hibiscus; and pink peppercorn tonics, as well as ginger ale. I have been buying the pink peppercorn flavour at Sainsbury's since last year so I was thrilled when Merchant's Heart asked if they could send me a gift box of their tonics to try. [GIFTED]

To show off the beautiful pink hibiscus gin, I made a raspberry & cucumber gin cocktail (swipe left  and turn your sound up to hear the fizzzzzz in the video!). To make 2 long drinks you will need:
🍸 50ml gin
🍸 2 x 200ml bottles Merchant's Heart hibiscus tonic water
🍸 a handful of fresh raspberries
🍸 cucumber ribbons 
🍸 ice

Muddle half the strawberries with the ice. Pour over the gin and mix, then slowly top up with tonic. Add the cucumber ribbons and whole raspberries and enjoy. The hibiscus tonic not only lends a pink colour but also a floral flavour without being sweet.

What is your favourite way to enjoy gin and tonic?
"What is this life if, full of care, We have no ti "What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare." - William Henry Davies

Seeing as I am not able to add much to my travel photo collection in 2020, I have been enjoying a trawl back through old travel pics like this one, taken about a year ago in beautiful hilltop town of #Carcassonne.

This spectacular old walled city stands in the middle of the modern town in the Languedoc region of southern France and was started in Gallo-Roman times. The citadel consists essentially of a concentric design of two outer walls with 53 towers and barbicans designed to prevent/survive attack by siege engines. Even today you can see the different building styles and materials of the Roman and Medieval sections of the wallls as you walk between them.

In the central keep, protected by its own moat and drawbridge, stands Château Comtal, a 12th-century castle which offers archaeological exhibits and a tour of the inner ramparts for history fans.

Or you can do as I did and just take a moment to stand and stare, dreaming of fairytale castles and knights in shining armour.

Have you visited Carcassonne or any other castles? I'd love to hear about it in the comments 🏰

📸  @federica_wine 🙏
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

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