Food & Tradition

The Vorarlberg table features Käsknöpfle, small dumplings made with mountain cheese and topped with fried onions, and Riebel, a baked cornmeal dish often served with applesauce. Both dishes are hearty, and after such rich fare, a small glass of Kirsch is often served as a digestif.

Whether a schnapps after a meal actually aids digestion is a widespread belief. It isn't backed by evidence — in fact, alcohol slows gastric emptying. The feeling of relief comes from relaxation, not faster digestion. After Käsknöpfle and Riebel, the small glass of Kirsch remains a fitting end to the meal rather than a remedy for heaviness.

If a brandy suits the meal, it's because of its freshness. The clear Kirsch cuts through the richness of the cheese without competing with it.

In Fraxern, there's also a tradition built around the cherry stone. The pits are sewn into little pouches called Kriasimann, used as warming cushions. The cherry stems are put to use as well, brewed into tea. Käsknöpfle are made from Spätzle dough layered with cheese, while Riebel comes from cornmeal fried in a pan. Add to this the cherry blossom season as an occasion for walking, and the harvest as an occasion for garden work. That's how the year unfolds in Fraxern, where cherries dictate everything, moving between blossom, harvest, and winter distilling.

In spring, locals lead walks through the cherry blossoms on the slopes of Fraxern. From what grows on these slopes, the Kirschwasser of Fraxern is also made.