Concierge Blog
Last week the visit to the Rauch hut was scheduled. But the storm of snow, wind and rain advised the concierge not to take off his slippers and he therefore strictly remained at home in front of the nice and warm stove.
But today, with a serene and clear sky and a breathtaking view, our concierge decides to head towards Alpe di Siusi: the largest plateau in Europe just a couple of minutes by car (about 40) from Vilpiano.
The Dolomite region Alpe di Siusi is just a few minutes' drive from Bolzano. 300 days of sunshine a year, a mild climate and different altitudes make the Dolomite region Alpe di Siusi unique.
Once we got to the top with the gondola lift, the concierge again had the option of moving with the carriage drawn by galloping horses through the UNESCO World Heritage Site. But no!! Walking is good and then in this setting of the majestic Dolomites.....we don't have many excuses.
After an easy walk you reach the Rauch hut. A retreat on 1850 meters above sea level run by Helga, Andreas and their daughter Maria. Here, the passion for cooking and wine can be seen and above all tasted! For lunch we opted for a menu composed as follows: burrata with dried tomatoes in oil and focaccia, pappardella with venison, polenta gnocchi and local beef fillet with vegetables. All rigorously homemade and with regional products and top notch materials. The concierge after a glass of white wine also allowed himself a glass of red wine! Piedmontese!!! I hope all zero kilometer lovers can forgive it.... in any case it was absolutely worth it!!!
The return to the cable car was also possible by public transport, a very welcome thing in our land. But the concierge again decided to train his legs. But he hadn't counted on the wind!!
How will he get back to the hotel?
Stay tuned!!!!
Recently, the Concierge was in Sesto in val Pusteria to meet with his web designer. They wanted to talk about ideas for an upcoming redesign of the hotel’s website and decided to do so over lunch.
Their meeting was to take place in a mountain lodge in the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Three Peaks Nature Park.
We arrived at the parking lot of the Talschlusshütte which is about 2 km from the lodge. The Concierge’s web designer and friend promised him a (not quite serious) pickup in a horse-drawn carriage, which to no one's surprise, never arrived. Instead of this we enjoyed a short walk of 20 to 30 minutes.
On a sunny day the snowy mountain peaks of the Dolomites look particularly impressive. Walking in the brisk air, combined with the sight of the midday sun hitting the mountain peaks and crests is a unique experience. In these conditions even the longest of hikes would feel no more exhausting than a pleasant stroll.
Arriving at the lodge, the Concierge had worked up a hunger, but for now he had to wait. The lodge can only accommodate a limited number of guests, so after he and his group were checked for their reservation and their green passes, they were asked to wait outside. It was a bit chilly despite the sunshine, but no problem: warm blankets and hot tea were immediately provided by the lodge. Instead of the tea, the Concierge went for a cup of steaming hot mulled wine.
“SPARER!” rang out the voice of Frau Maria, who was in charge of our table. We sat in a traditional Tyrolean Stube, with a tiled stove on which masked teddy bears sat.
To give strength to all the hikers, climbers and other winter sports enthusiasts, the lodge serves typical Tyrolean specialties.
A glass of white wine was already waiting for us at our table together with the Web designer. We opted for a horseradish cream soup, followed by a risotto; while the Concierge’s web designer chose potato mezzelune with a chive butter and game filling. The Concierge had a parsley risotto with Brise, and for seconds, calf cheeks with a Lagrein sauce, served with potato mash and celery root. For dessert we enjoyed créme brulée with raspberry ice cream.
While sitting at our table in the corner, the Concierge noticed that from time to time people would walk into the kitchen or open the door to greet the chef working inside. He couldn’t help but wonder who this widely popular chef must be. They all seemed to know him and his family quite well. One of them even turned to the chef with a request: “Hanspeter, please give my regards to your son!"
Something similar played out with a lady, who briefly peeked through the doors and told Hanspeter: “Thank you for the delicious Schlutzkrapfen! If you hear your son, tell him I said hello!”
Another guest said something along the lines of: “Hanspeter! Tomorrow morning we’ll all be glued to the TV!”
Now what could he have meant by that, the Concierge wondered. What could there possibly be on Television, that all inhabitants of the small Fischlein valley would watch TV for?
Without being able to solve this riddle, the Concierge’s attention was drawn back to the matter at hand, his website. A few final details later and Frau Maria brought the bill, but not before insisting on treating the Concierge to a gentian Schnapps at the bar counter.
At the counter, two postcards caught the Concierge’s eye. On both of them was an autographed photograph of Jannik Sinner, the Italian tennis player from San Candido, ranked number 10 in the ATP rankings.
Jannik Sinner is considered one of the best tennis players of his generation. Suddenly something had clicked in the Concierge’s head. Someone on a table close to his had even said that the Sinner family sure knows how to get great at something. Until this point the Concierge hadn’t been able to connect the dots between the chef and everybody wishing his son well, but then suddenly everything made sense.
An incredible chef and a world star tennis player as his son. Only one thing left to say: Game, set and match SINNER! How will tomorrow’s match at the Australian open end? In any case, we’ll too be sitting in front of the television to root for Sinner!
Stay tuned!!!
recently became the scene of a humorous story told to the Concierge by a fellow colleague in the hospitality business. One hot summer month, a group of sommeliers from the Commonwealth of Independent States were guests of one of the, back then still known as, four wineries in Kaltern. The director of Sales and Marketing of the winery in question, was in charge of the small group of about ten as their guide.
She welcomed the group at the airport and supplied them with brochures and information regarding their stay and the surrounding area. After escorting the group to the hotel for check-in, she led her guests on a tour of the winery, followed by a wine tasting and an aperitif in a local bar. All this followed by a gourmet dinner of regional specialties, prepared by one of South Tyrol’s most famous chefs, and, of course, accompanied by various wines presented by the winery's cellarmaster himself.
After dinner, the group strolled to a bar to enjoy an after dinner drink. One would expect the activities of this evening to be entirely professional and not overindulging, seeing that all participants of the group are experienced tasters of wine and spirits…
At the end of the evening, the lights in the bar were getting lower and lower and the bar staff were eagerly waiting for the group to leave. The group however was not convinced that the night was coming to an end. In time the winery director serving as group leader did convince the, let’s say “tipsy”, group to leave. The director, still sober and 100% professional, led the group back to the hotel on a path through the vineyards, but upon arrival the group changed their mind. It was not time to go to sleep they said, instead, they wanted to go for an after midnight swim in the lake.
The group leader, as professional as she was, didn’t object, organized towels and discretely left the scene, as some of the group's participants at this point in time were rather scantily clad, and since they were supposed to leave for the airport in the morning, she went to get some sleep herself.
At 9:00 AM the bus was waiting to leave. Only the group was nowhere to be found.
A few calls later the bus was almost full with hungover sommeliers. Only one lady was still missing.
She was eventually found sitting at the lake. No, she wasn’t feeding the ducks, but instead she was searching the waters edge completely distraught. The group leader asked her to get on the bus as they had to leave if they were to catch their flight. Crying, the sommelière refused. The previous evening , while swimming in the lake, she had lost her cellphone containing all her contacts. This lady was one of the most respected sommelière in Russia and her smartphone was not backed-up. The numbers on her phone belonged to the who’s who of the Russian upper society. She had lost the numbers of Russian officials, ministers and allegedly, even heads of state. On top of that, she was supposed to organize the wines for a state dinner the next evening.
Naturally quite upset about this loss, the sommelière insisted on calling the fire department and a diving team to look for the cellphone. Only after half an hour she was finally convinced to get on the bus, as the phone was hopelessly lost in the lake.
Just as the bus was about to leave the yard, a hotel employee sprinted across the yard and tried to get the passengers' attention. In his hands was the missing cell phone. To find it he didn’t need the fire department or a team of divers, he didn’t even have to get his toes wet, the phone was found lodged in a space in the bathroom, in between the bathtub and the toilet.
Upon arrival at the airport, when the guest finally boarded the airplane just in time and she was no longer required to look after the group, relief broke out on the group leader’s face.
The Concierge heard this story from the very director for marketing and sales who was responsible for the group, and did not miss the opportunity to visit the lakeside hotel himself. At lunch in the hotel, the Concierge can’t help but remember the story with a smile. In the course of his years as concierge, he had also often been a group leader leaving his guests at the airport, and he, like his colleague in the story, could only breathe a sigh of relief once the plane was finally in the air.
We might „only“ run a small three-star hotel with a few rooms, a restaurant and a bar; but we know that what we lack in size we make up for in hospitality, and the personal relationship with our guests. So naturally, the Concierge places great significance on his personal appearance – even holes in his socks are a no-go (even when his feet are hidden behind the front desk all day).
Grandma might knit great socks, the thick wool kind that keep your feet warm even in the coldest of winters at home or on the ski slope, but for the work behind a reception desk, they are unfortunately unsuitable.
So today the Concierge is off to buy socks. The Merano Lauben should have everything he needs. On a cold, gloomy day such as today, the city is packed – which makes navigating the narrow streets of Merano hard as the Concierge fights through the crowds. Eventually the right store is found and 10 pairs of socks are easily acquired. Nothing stands in the way of just returning home. A quick one today eh?
But at the end of the arcades, the cathedral church bells of St. Nicholas can be heard ringing through the streets. It’s twelve o’clock, maybe we should stay for lunch?
We decide on the inn “Wirtshaus zur Blauen Traube” (“Blue-Grape Inn''). A historical inn in Merano, a cultural and gastronomical heritage site.
We chose the inn in part because our butcher, Metzger Mair, used to supply the Blaue Traube with local beef.
Our lunch consists of two gnocchi variations, one with Hokkaido squash and cheese, and the other one with cheese fondue, cream spinach and Speck; followed by pike perch in broccoli foam, leek, capers, raisins and grapes; and a roasted venison shoulder with red cabbage and apple, potatoes and a juniper berry sauce.
For dessert we have a reinterpretation of Tarte Tatin, also known in Paris as Tarte du chef or Tarte des demoiselles Tatin, made from South Tyrolean apples. While in reality a typical french cake, it could also be a South Tyrolean invention, as its ingredients come in abundance in South Tyrol.
The young but experienced and well traveled chef Christoph Huber responsible for this delicious lunch attended various culinary schools of haute cuisine and learned from many internationally renowned master chefs. In the dining room, young Franziska Mittelsteiner, called Franzi, is in charge: she is responsible for the wine in the Blaue Traube.
The meal was accompanied by a Pinot Blanc Muschelkalk from Abraham, Pinot Noir Gottardi and a Gewürztraminer Terminum.
Let us hope our socks don’t last too long, so we’ll get another chance to buy some more soon…
Stay tuned...!!
While South Tyrol is renowned for its wine, South Tyrolean beer should not be underestimated.
Yesterday, the Concierge was having a look at the dining room and observed that on this particular evening, the most common beverage to accompany Tyrolean specialties was not wine, but beer. Thus, at the end of the evening the Concierge noticed that the remaining beer levels in storage were dangerously low. Too low, in fact, to continue serving beer throughout the next evening, should his guests again favor beer over wine.
So, early next morning, the Concierge contacted one of his most trusted suppliers, but: „Unfortunately, we can't deliver until Wednesday morning!"
A backup plan was needed. Of course, the Concierge would be quite a lousy concierge if he gave up after a single phone call, and especially if he didn‘t know where to get beer on an ordinary weekday. After all, if his guest wanted beer, beer they shall have!
On his quest the Concierge drives his van to Meran, and lo and behold, two kegs were acquired with ease.
And now, with his hunt completed and the sun setting high in the sky, hunger sets in. So, where to, for a fast and simple lunch? Asking his phone he reads the words „trucker lunch“, sure, that should do nicely. The route takes the Concierge towards Dorf Tirol and to an old and rusty cable car. He isn‘t supposed to get on this thing is he?
Thankfully he wasn‘t. The drive continues and at the end of the road he finds himself outside a restaurant with a breathtaking view of the whole valley below him.
„Trucker lunch“, he thinks. Let‘s see...
Lunch consists of
beef tartare, quail egg and mustard ice cream followed by char filled ravioli from the Passeier valley with slivers of almonds, and as main course a new interpretation of „Zwiebelrostbraten“ (fried beef and onions in gravy). For dessert, lime yogurt with marinated pineapple and a sorbet of South Tyrolean Pink Lady apples.
So much for „trucker lunch“...
Compliments to the colleagues from the Michelin starred Farmerkreuz restaurant, even if they don‘t quite play in the same league as the Concierge (but perhaps at least two leagues higher...)
Stay tuned!!!
For over 200 years the Gump Hof, which can be traced back in historical documents to the year 1546, has been owned by the Prackwieser family. In the mid-nineties Markus Prackwieser discovered his passion for wine and took over the old-established family business from his father Johann. An ongoing dialogue with fellow winemakers and excursions to leading wine growing regions are typical of the spirit of experimentation at the Gump Hof. A combination of knowledge acquired over generations, personal experience, time, patience and continuous attention to a distinctive prole results in wines that reflect the character of both the landscape and the wine-grower.
The vineyards of the Gump Hof, with their southwest exposition and 60 - 70 % inclination, are located on solid Bolzano quartz porphyry and o‑er ideal conditions for the varieties grown by Markus. Situated at 400 - 800 meters above sea level, the vineyards have two special features, namely calcareous morainic soils and diurnal variation in the winds. During the day, a Mediterranean climate is delivered by the Ora wind from Lake Garda, while downslope winds from the Dolomites cool the vines at night, resulting in particularly complex wines with a crisp freshness. No wonder that wine-growing is experiencing a remarkable renaissance here on the steep slopes of the southern Valle Isarco at the foot of the Sciliar massif.
Summer is in full swing. Heat and sultriness are the order of the day.
The concierge longs to cool down, and above all: a change of pace. A colleague advises him to try fishing, something the concierge has never done before. And the thought of being near a large body of water does sound somewhat refreshing.
So the concierge decides to spend the day at the Durnholzer Lake in Sarntal fishing.
With a fishing permit bought at a local restaurant and his equipment kindly provided to him by his colleague, we drive to the lake. A light, but refreshing breeze awaits us. With rod and tackle in hand, we set out to find the perfect spot for the concierge's first fishing experience.
The breeze picks up a bit and light rain sets in. Maybe it‘s better to take a break after all...
We take a break at the Fischerwirt, a well-known inn in the area. The concierge thinks about trying the grayling, a fish the Durnholzer lake and this establishment is known for. But the menu is filled with delicious sounding dishes, which makes the decision on what to order more difficult.
Finally we decide on tartar of veal and beef with homemade brioche and butter
Tomato gazpacho with peach
Potato mezzelune stuffed with veal breast
Ox fillet with chanterelles on mashed potatoes and Lagrein sauce
Accompanied with a glass of Kerner, an aromatic white wine.
The rain continues to increase. Too heavy to continue (or start...) fishing. So the concierge decides to go home, disappointed, without a catch.
The return trip was a bumpy ride. The summer thunderstorm becomes more violent and hail falls over Bolzano.
All in all, the concierge is nevertheless satisfied with the trip. From his point of view, the saying: „Life begins, when the fishing season does“ is something that perhaps should be reconsidered...
stay tuned!!
It‘s Tuesday and the Concierge decides to take us exploring. He leads us to Barbian, a village in the Isarco Valley, in which a tower stands that is similarly crooked, if not more so, than its more famous relative in Pisa.
We hike along a path that brings us past several waterfalls to Trechiese. The Ganderbach falls over several rock steps down into the valley and mist from the water fills the air with a cool and refreshing haze on this hot summer day.
After taking a relaxing break by the waterfalls, we continue our hike towards the Hotel Briol.
Far from traffic, surrounded by lush meadows and forests, the Hotel Briol in Barbian is located at an altitude of 1.310 meters above sea level and offers a view of the Val Gardena and the Dolomites.
For lunch we have Schlutzkrapfen and potato dumplings with butter from local cows and fresh sage. To round off the meal, we enjoy an assorted cheese platter with various chutneys.
Chatting with the owner, the Concierge finds himself asked where he‘s from and, of course, answers: Terlano. Terlano! The owner is familiar with the name, in fact, she knows the village very well! She tells us that 35 years ago she had her wedding dinner in Terlano, coincidentally, and to our big surprise, at the Hotel Sparerhof. Back then the Concierge‘s father was still the owner.
Satisfied after a delicious lunch, we leave the inn to continue on the path to Dreikirchen.
Dreikirchen („three churches") receives its name from the village churches. St. Gertraud, St. Nicholas and St. Magdalene. The oldest of the three, St. Gertraud was first mentioned in writing in 1237. Apart from the beautiful frescoes, the church's wooden shingle roof that connects the three churches into a single structure is especially impressive.
With tiredness slowly setting in, we start the descent towards Barbian and take a look at the Trostburg, where the famous wanderer and minnesinger Oswald von Wolkenstein lived.
What a beautyful day!!!
Stay tuned!!!!
