Food & Tradition

Part of the Alb experience is the Mostbesen, a simple tavern serving cider alongside something cold to eat. The board holds Landjäger, Schwartenmagen, Leberkäse, and ham sausage, along with bread and pickles. The Swabian Vesper is a cold meal with nothing cooked, and cider and fruit brandy suit it well, since both come from the same meadows as the fruit sitting in the bowl alongside.

For something warm, there's lentils with Spätzle and Saitenwürstle. The dish is considered a Swabian national dish: the Spätzle are made from egg, flour, water, and salt, traditionally scraped from a board, served with lentils and Saiten sausages similar to Vienna sausages. Schupfnudeln and potato salad also belong on the Swabian table, the potato having arrived in the 18th century.

An Obstler after the meal is widely regarded as an aid to digestion. Those who believe this often mean relaxation more than any actual speeding-up of digestion. As a digestif, a small glass of Obstler or pear brandy works well, since its dry, fruity character cuts through a rich Vesper or sweet cider.

In autumn, once the apples and pears are ripe, harvest time begins across the meadows, and the region fills with visitors to the cider houses and fruit distilleries. The Biosphere Reserve's orchard-meadow brochure lists Mostbesen taverns, cider houses, and distilleries as places to visit. Tradition and landscape are closely linked, since without demand for cider and brandy, many old trees would no longer be harvested at all. So anyone visiting a Mostbesen, while enjoying a cup of cider, is also helping ensure the meadow by the village keeps being harvested.