Holidays in South Tyrol they never end, especially in Autumn. In fact, for a last full of energy before winter, Alto Adige Balance has devised a series of experiences to discover herbs, woods, waterfalls and genuine flavors. You will be guided by a team of experts, directly from theAccademia delle Erbe for a natural lifestyle, in a truly unforgettable and regenerating journey, to leave everyday life behind and totally absorb the beneficial and healing energy of the nature, starting from the use of herbs in the kitchen.

Discovering the herbs

Accompanied by some florists like Morelweibele Geli and Annelies Kneiss, you will learn to know and recognize the immense biodiversity of South Tyrolean natural herbs. In particular, you will be amazed by them beneficial effects on body, mind and soul, according to the ancient herbalist knowledge of the ancestors. Furthermore, you will discover how easy it is to achieve well-being with the help of nature and to enrich your diet with some natural herbs that you probably didn't even think were edible.

After you have tasted new flavors, you will be preparing herbal dishes yourself, to take home the lessons of nature discovered. Meanwhile, here are some tips from La Cucina Italiana to make even the simplest recipe precious thanks to the use of herbs.

Herbs in the kitchen

We begin to give you some anticipation on some lesser known particular herbs that are worth rediscovering in the kitchen. Let's start from nepetella, with a penetrating aroma, similar to mint, rich in herbaceous nuances, ideal for eggs, vegetables, mushrooms and meat.
THE'Erba San Pietroinstead, it gives a lot of character to omelettes, vegetable and bird cakes thanks to its distinctly bitter taste: for this reason it should be used in moderation.
There Borage, better known, has a pleasant taste that reminds a bit of cucumber, which makes it perfect to give a touch of freshness to soups and fillings, but also sautéed in a pan with anchovies and garlic.
There Pineapple sage (the name already declares the taste) amazes for the sweet and fresh tones very similar to those of pineapple precisely and is excellent on white meats, fish and fruit.
Or again, the Savory strongly aromatic and bitter, alone or combined with related herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage, it should be used with measure on meat, fish and legumes.
Finally the Stevia which gives the palate an intense sensation of sweetness, leaving a vague balsamic note of licorice, and is a perfect natural zero-calorie sweetener. But we are only at the beginning, because the world of herbs that can be used in the kitchen is truly endless.

Salt flavored with herbs

With herbs and spices you can also give salt an extra touch quickly and easily. Always starting from 250 grams of coarse sea salt, you can try the celery salt: blend the salt with 6 light celery leaves, a fresh bay leaf, the needles of a rosemary branch, a teaspoon of marjoram leaves, the peel of half an orange, a juniper berry, all chopped. You'll see what a touch it will give to baked potatoes and grilled red meats.
Or is there the lemonade salt, more delicate: mix the salt, the leaves of 5 sprigs of lemon thyme and 3 of common thyme, 5 leaves of lemon verbena (Luisa herb) and the chopped half lemon rind, then add 50 g of fine salt and sprinkle with meat white and pork.

Or again, the salt with fennel: mix the salt with a tablespoon of chopped fennel, two sprigs of chervil and a piece of lemon peel, always minced, completed with 5-6 grains of white pepper pounded and poured into jars and will be perfect for fish and vegetables.

Liqueurs with herbs

With aromatic herbs, liqueurs can easily be made at home. Depending on what you use, you can get an alcoholic beverage refreshing or digestive to conclude maybe an important dinner. The important thing is to always follow these basic tips in preparation:

1. Put the herbs in 95 ° alcohol for at least 3 days in the dark and in a cool place;
2. Strain through gauze and dilute with a boiled syrup for 6 minutes from complete dissolution of the sugar;
3. Allow to cool and pour into the bottles, corking tightly.

For a mentino liqueur, very refreshing, infuse in 15 g of alcohol 15 g of mint leaves of water, 8 g of leaves of wild thyme, then filtered and diluted with a syrup prepared with 500 g of water and 350 g of sugar. For a digestive liqueur proceed as above by infusing 10 fresh leaves of San Pietro herb for 4-5 days and always kept cool. Finally, for a fragrant liqueur the procedure is always the same but with different doses: 400 g of alcohol, syrup with 600 g of brown sugar and 450 g of water for 20 leaves of lemon verbena, 4 sprigs of lemon thyme and 8 basil leaves, to be served very cold .

Curious?

We are waiting for you on September 17th and October 8th every Tuesday from 10am to 1.30pm with a meeting at the Monte Corno Visitor Center in Truden 17 September and 1 October, while ad Anterivo in Piazza del Municipio 24 September and 8 October.

The registration fee is 15 euros per person, free only with the local GuestCard and can be done by 12.30 every Monday.

For any information you can call our numbers 0471869078 and 0471882077 or visit the website.

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