Concierge Blog
From April to May, the Terlan Margarete asparagus is at the center of South Tyrolean culinary attention. Harvested in the fields around Terlan, Vilpian and Siebeneich, and prepared in local restaurants, the Margarete asparagus could not be grown any closer to the restaurants it is served in.
The Terlan asparagus hosts are true experts in preparing the Margarete asparagus. Founded in 1983, by 8 Terlan restaurants, local asparagus farmers and Terlan winery, Cantina Terlano, each spring, the Terlan asparagus hosts deliver culinary highlights centered around the versatile and delicious vegetable. This year‘s asparagus season ends on 16th May 2021.
The Terlan Margarete asparagus is traditionally served with the characteristic Bozner Sauce. Another South Tyrolean spring classic is fawn with asparagus and potato puree. Whether it is in risotto-, soup, pasta-, egg-, fish- or meat dishes, the Margarete asparagus and its typical intensive, nutty flavor is incredibly versatile. Accompanying the asparagus: wine from the Cantina Terlano, the so called „asparagus wine“, made from sauvignon blanc, is a light white wine with a flowery aroma that is bottled specifically for the asparagus season and harmonizes perfectly with Margarete asparagus.
For all those that prefer sweet over savory, asparagus even pairs well with strawberries.
Creativity knows no bounds in Terlan. Each asparagus host offers different specialties. This year five of them offer takeaway on their dishes, until restaurants will open again.
More information on the asparagus season, current events and recipes can be found under: www.terlaner-spargelzeit.it
© pict Marion Lafogler
A busy weekend lies in front of the Concierge. Finally, he is back in his element. In compliance with the safety rules for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic all the guests staying at the hotel this weekend are professional athletes or otherwise involved with the upcoming bike race in Nals.
All participants and accompanying personnel have to undergo regular tests.
The Concierge is keeping busy. Expensive bikes have to be safely stored and athletes need tending to, so that they may prepare for the upcoming race.
Mainly young cyclists are staying at the hotel but also some more experienced riders. The race itself is divided into various groups:
Women - rookies and juniors
Beginners 1 & 2
Cadets 1 & 2
Even while the athletes rest, the Concierge’s efforts continue. Vans loaded with mountain bikes are pulling into the parking lot. The van drivers are asking for a garden hose, which the Concierge of course provides. He wonders: will 50 meters suffice? And, what for exactly?
Quite boringly, the hose is used to clean the bikes. But the bikes are far from boring, professional mountain bikes, the Concierge couldn’t even guess how much one of these would go for… He watches with interest as they are washed, checked and adjusted. The parking lot is transformed into an improvised bicycle workshop. The bikes flashing clean in the sunlight. For now at least, mountain bikes don’t tend to stay clean for long.
Not only participants of the race stay at the hotel. On one hand the Concierge welcomes the teams with their athletes, mechanics, van drivers, a sports doctor and the athletes parents, and on the other hand a group of race technicians, commentators, journalists and photographers are staying the weekend.
A big thank you to Michele Mondini, who is not also one of the event’s photographers, but also the organizer behind the race.
Congratulations to the winners and all other participants of this year’s edition.
One of the winners spent the night here at the hotel. Of course, the Concierge asked for a picture.
© Michele Mondini
Autumn instead of spring, a small celebration instead of a big one. OTTO, the grand opening of the new public library of Terlan dind‘t happen in quite the same way that was once anticipated. But the satisfaction of the new library being finished brings us joy even in the midst of a pandemic.
Stay tuned!!
The Oktoberfest is still going strong until next Sunday, when the taps shut off and the Octoberfest closes its doors for 2019.
After about half of this year’s edition, more than 3,3 million people visited the festival, consuming 72 whole bulls, 25 calfs and, naturally consumed uncountable amounts of beer, as the tent owners proclaim.
The bad news? Last years bands playing in the tents unanimously elected the German pop song “Cordula Grün” as the 2018 anthem. This year’s edition however suffers, as the bands have not yet found a favourite tune.
Prosit!
…and stay tuned!
Artistic lead: Hartwig Thaler
FREIRÄUME (translates to free spaces) exhibits the works of over 50 contemporary artists with a special relation towards South Tyrol. Some of them are born here, live outside of South Tyrol or found their home here. As artists they represent what the lively cultural and artistical scene in and around South Tyrol. They occupy the free spaces of Thought and Action and fill them with new and exciting horizons.
The participating artists are:
Mariana Acuña, Leonhard Angerer, Sylvia Barbolini, born to kill (AliPaloma, Julian Angerer, Martin Fritz, Anna Heiss, Nora Pider), Moritz Brunner, Peter Burchia, Peter Chiusole, Monika Costabiei, Markus Damini, Erich Dapunt, Josefh Delleg, Stefan Fabi, Fazekas Fanni BOH_ART, Stefano Favaretto, Karolina Gacke, Astrid Gamper, Markus Gasser, Dario Grigolato, Sonya Hofer, Peter|||KOMPRIPIOTR|||Holzknecht, Ursula Huber, Heinz Innerhofer & Christina Auer, Franz Irsara, Harald Kastlunger, Markus Keim – Beate Hecher, Adama Keita, Markus Kiniger, Lars Klauser, Arthur Kostner, Matthäus Kostner, Kyra Leimegger, Ivo Mahlknecht, Mandarina Muttertier, Massimo Nalin, Verena Oberhollenzer, Margit Pittschieler, Edith Plattner, Hans Peter Ploner, Petra Polli, Andrea Pozza, Martin Pöll, Gregor Prugger, Leonora Amalia Prugger, Christiane Raich, Abbas Asadi Reza, Susanne Rieper, Orlando Rojas Gutiérrez, Thaddäus Salcher, Hubert Scheibe, Matthias Schönweger, Flavio Senoner, Johanna Senoner, Sergio Sommavilla, Maria Stockner, Martina Stuffer Tarhan, Georg Tappeiner, Tobias Tavella, Hartwig Thaler, Gala Vague, Peter Verwunderlich, Alexander Wierer & Vakhtang Sikharulidze, Francesca Witzmann.
From the 8th June to the 8th September, the exhibition curated by Hartwig Thaler, can be found in the internal and external spaces of the Fortress and transform the area into a celebration of arts. Other activities such as music and dance performances or literature and music will accompany the exhibition during the summer.
50x50x50 FREIRÄUME, supported by the regional museum Fortress Franzensfeste and the association OPPIDUM, was opened on Saturday, June 8th at 10:30 a.m. in attendance of the chairman of the museum Angelika Fleckinger, the major of Franzensfeste and president of OPPIDUM, Thomas Klapfer, the artistic leader and curator Hartwig Thaler, many of the exhibiting artists and many visitors.
Additional program supporting the exhibition:
21. June, 17 o ‘clock
Alba – „Vom Schatten ins Licht“
Performance with children and teenagers of the Community Dance Academy
26. July, 20.30 o ‘clock
Divergencies
Violin and Piano performance in collaboration with the AlpenClassica Festival
17. August 20 o’ clock
space is only noise
Sound performance by Tobias Tavella
7. September 20 o’ clock
La casa fuori
Literary evening of the compagnia delle poete under the leadership of Grazia Negro of the literature agency LINGUAFRANCA
The eight Terlano asparagus hosts reached the finals of this year’s EUREGIO competition “Tourism meets agriculture” with their Terlano asparagus season project and have been rewarded for their longstanding engagement.
The competition “Tourism meets agriculture” looked for projects in Tyrol, South Tyrol and Trentino that combined the two aspects and promoted their relationship and importance. The project of the Terlano asparagus hosts was presented and honoured in the Bolzano Merkantilgebäude, reaching the finals out of 73 projects.
For 36 years now, eight asparagus hosts from Terlano, Vilpiano and Settequerce, together with the asparagus farmers, the winery Terlano and the tourism association of Terlano organise the speciality weeks of the Terlano asparagus season. Taking place every year during the asparagus harvest, from the beginning of April to the end of May, the asparagus weeks have established themselves as one of the most renowned culinary speciality weeks in South Tyrol.
Ever since the founding of the asparagus weeks, the primary goal has been to combine and cross-develop the two economic branches.
Apart from the Easter week, the months April and May, are among the least busy months for tourism in South Tyrol. The Terlano asparagus season achieved a rise in attractivity and visitor numbers for the off-season. The asparagus triangle (Terlano, Vilpiano and Settequerce) profits all year round from the speciality weeks. Those who know Terlano, connect the village not only with wine, but also asparagus. On the other side, thanks to the asparagus weeks, it was possible to increase the awareness and the sales volume of the rather niche agricultural product. In the last years the production of asparagus has increased. The cooperation with the asparagus farmers and the winery further motivated to find new partnerships with small and local producers, like the association of small animal breeders, egg farmers with the quality sign South Tyrol and various butchers, bakers and apple cultivators.
Terlano - The asparagus hosts of Terlan, Vilpian and Siebeneich, recently invited to an incredible culinary bike tour through the asparagus triangle. The "Radlsonntag", organised every year, to celebrate the asparagus season, continued to attract a lot of people. At various stands, the eight partaking restaurants offered asparagus dishes, with ham from the butchers Nigg and Mair, asparagus wine from the winery Terlan aswell as the sparkling apple-winefrom the Sandwiesenhof. The mayor of the surrounding communes enjoyed the creative dishes, made from the Margarete asparagus. Dr. Schär and the bakery Mein Beck, supplied the cyclists with a sweet treat. "The organisation of this event was financially supported by the Raiffeisenkasse Terlan, and wants to help bring guests and locals into contact with the asparagus farmers and hosts.
From the left: Armin Gorfer, mayor of Gargazon, Roland Danay, mayor of Andrian, Edmund Lanziner, President of the association of communes Überetsch-Unterland, Klaus Runer, mayor of Terlan, and Georg Eyrl, head-chairman of the Terlan winery.
Text:HGV
Photo Marion Lafogler
Speciality weeks in Terlano, Vilpiano and Settequerce from April to May
Terlano- in the asparagus triangle around Terlano, beginning April, the royal vegetable is again the centre of the culinary offer. As part of a press conference, the Terlano asparagus season was presented in an asparagus field in Vilpiano.
Every year, the inns invite you to the traditional Terlano asparagus season, which, this year, will take place for the 36th time. The chefs enchant with their innovative and sophisticated asparagus creations. This year, for the first time, gluten-free dishes can be found on the menus of the participating restaurants.
The asparagus has always been accompanied by fresh wine from the Terlano winery. "At the beginning of spring, the asparagus is the protagonist in our restaurants and inns. Therefore, I’d like to thank the asparagus hosts, who each year put the Terlano Margarete asparagus, skilfully and creatively in scene, and to all the countless guests who have become regulars during the season.” Says Andreas Sparer, chairman of the local Terlano group of the Hoteliers and Innkeepers Association (HGV), who together with Alexander Höller, head of the Asparagus department of the Terlano winery and representative of the asparagus farmers and Georg Eyrl, chairman of the Terlano winery, presented this year’s asparagus season.
Also present were the mayor of Terlano Klaus Runer, HGV vice president Gottfried Schgaguler and Alexander von Egen, who congratulated on the successful initiative. As part of the press conference, Elisabeth Hofer was crowned the new asparagus queen; following Nadia Degasperi.
Sponsors of the Terlano asparagus season are the company Dr. Schär, the Raiffeisenkasse Terlan, the association of South Tyrolean small animal breeders and the eggs of the quality brand South Tyrol.
Opening party in Terlano
The opening party of the Terlano asparagus season will take place on Thursday, 4th April at 11 o’clock, on the Dr.-Wieser-square in Terlano. Interested parties are invited to take part in the festivities and taste the culinary delights of the Terlano asparagus Margarete while enjoying a glass of the asparagus wine (sauvignon) from the Terlano winery.
Culinary program
For locals and guests, the Terlano asparagus season offers plenty of opportunities to discover and enjoy everything related to the royal vegetable. Culinary asparagus walks through the orchards and asparagus fields, horse drawn carriage rides with tasting of asparagus creations from the Terlano asparagus hosts and a cycling pleasure tour are offered. As well as opportunities to look over the farmers shoulders during a guided tour. All information about the Terlano Asparagus hosts and the detailed supporting programme can be found under spargelwirte.it
The Terlano asparagus season was presented in an asparagus field. From left: Klaus Runer, Mayor of Terlano, Gottfried Schgaguler, HGV vice-president, Georg Eyrl, chairman of the Terlano winery, Andreas Sparer, chairman of the local HGV group Terlano and Alexander Höller, head of the asparagus department of the Terlano winery and representative of the asparagus farmers.
The participating restaurants
Gasthaus Hochbrunner, Terlano, Tel. 0471 86 69 735
Restaurant Oberhauser, Terlano, Tel. 0471 257 121
Buschenschank Oberlegar, Terlano, Tel. 334 318 95 20
Restaurant Oberspeiser, Terlano, Tel. 0471 257 150
Restaurant Patauner, Settequerce, Tel. 0471 918 502
Restaurant Pizzeria Schützenwirt, Terlano, Tel. 0471 257 146
Hotel Restaurant Sparerhof, Vilpiano, Tel. 0471 678 671
Hotel Restaurant Weingarten, Terlano, Tel. 0471 257 174
Text and photos: HGV
Margarete goes to Hollywood - fast
The Royal Vegetable, time and time again, summons the film crews to Vilpian, to the kitchen of the Sparerhof. What does it? Is it its freshness? Its taste? Its aphrodisiac properties? I honestly do not know. What I do know is that cameramen, directors and moderators all dance around the spring vegetable.
The result? Beautiful films:
"2m2" - Team Andrè Bechtold and Matteo Donagrandi were thrilled with this film. To view, visit: http://www.sdf.bz.it/Startseite/Mediathek/(video)/22178
"Land und Leute: Vilpian, Spargel & Genuss" ("The land and its people: Vilpian, Asparagus and Taste"), May 6, 2014 at 8.35 p.m. on the Rai Bozen channel.
