Principles of the Steinschaler Country Cuisine

Healthy food can be tasty, too

In addition to the basic rules to cook regionally, seasonally and sustainably, we also stand by a few other cooking rules developed by ourselves. We also have and have had some intensive internal and external courses in the subject, and we are also glad to pass on our knowledge, like in our popular wild herbs courses.

Through our dishes offered we aim to convey the special character of the actual season and some knowledge about our region.

A few of our guidelines:

• striving for a nutritionally balanced relationship of the primary nutrients (proteins and fats versus carbohydrates)
• rich in minerals, vitamines and fibres
• rich in secondary plant ingredients
• the proportion of plant material dominates (vegetables, fruit, cereal products, legumes, legume products, potatoes, sprouts, flowers)
• high proportion of whole meal cereals (white meal only when necessary, organic breads, homemade products
• using lesser known cereals (spelt, amaranth, oats, pearl barley, corn grits)
• using "forgotten" potato varieties like Kipfler potatoes, mealy varieties, varieties with red skin
• usage of wild fruit (Cornelian Cherries, elder, damson plums, blackberries, raspberries, rose-hips, but also cider pears or plums)
• cold pressed oils for salads, vegetables and fish dishes,
  refined oils only when absolutely necessary because of high temperatures
• reduced usage of margarines
• using refined sugar as little as possible
• striving for using as low-processed products as possible when preparing fresh dishes.
• low level of using convenience products (except the homemade ones)
• usage of wild herbs, if possible from our own gardens.
  - a special distinction goes to the health supporting properties of many of our dishes
• products from regional agriculture are especially emphasized in the menu
• loving decoration, also with edible flowers

Seasonal and regional

There are many seasonal products in the Steinschaler Cuisine. Our single most important, classical seasonal products are the Cornelian Cherries. Through preserving we are able to provide you with Cornelian Cherry products through the whole year. Our motto is: Let´s prolong the season with a little effort!

Cooking seasonal is a regional advantage and has also decided advantages for our environment:

• in cooking seasonal and regional there is much less energy necessary (like production in heated greenhouses)
• it costs less or no energy in cooling or freezing facilities
• it requires no supraregional transport capacities
• and if ingredients come from the region, most packaging that is a must for long distances is unnecessary.

Because of all this, seasonal affects climate and local (regional) agriculture favorably. It contributes to making local agriculture stronger and livelier. And this again conbtributes to preserving our cultural landscape.

An example: the sheep farmer lets his sheep feed on marginal land, and so stops automatic reforestation of these areas. Sheep cheese is therefore a classic example of seasonality in the Dirndl Valley. In the early spring the lambs are born. Following this, the milk is used for cheese production. In the autumn the quantity of milk is slowly getting smaller, and with the finishing of milk production cheese production comes to a halt.

Another example are elder flowers used for our baked elder flowers: they are only available in the spring when elders bloom.