Wine Food Pairing - The Cows Go Up And The Cows Come Down!
Wine Food Pairing in the Alps what, could be more of an adventure? Every autumn, usually in September or October the cows in the Alpine regions of Europe make the annual trek down the mountainside after a summer of feasting on sweet, tender grass on the mountain tops. This fattens up the cows for a winter season of "hopefully" bountiful milk and cheese producing.
This event is called Almabtrieb in German and is looked forward to as terrific time to celebrate with music, beer, wine and local food! Large tents are set up and locals as well as the tourists watch as the shepherds dressed in their traditional garb of lederhosen (rhymes with lair-de-hose-in) lead their bovine wards down the mountains through the streets of the village.
The shepherds in their short leather breeches are not the only ones dressed up for the occasion. The night before they are led down the mountain, the cows are all decked out in flowered harnesses, ribbons and bells. It is quite a sight to see and hear!
Did I hear you ask about the motor traffic during this event? Nothing moves very fast on the day that the cows come down! If you are in your car and are going the same way, it is almost impossible if you are lucky enough to be able to pass the parade you will find yourself moving along eye to eye with one of these colorful flowered beasts .. and you pray to make it around the herd before it decides to move back across the road.
The best case scenario is to find the Beer tent and kick back to enjoy the celebration! For myself, I enjoyed a liter of the local red wine along with a cheese sausage or kase grinder. Teamed up with a fresh roll it made a hearty snack! Of course all of these local kitchens cook up a mean schnitzel, which is a breaded meat cutlet.this cutlet can be any type of meat from veal to pork or turkey. I like the hearty red wines to pair with these also, but many find that they cant do without their traditional beer!
If you would like to have a more personal interest in the events it is possible to rent a cow. Yes, rent a cow! In Switzerland, some of the farmers have come up with a program to rent a cow for the summer. Renting a cow comes with privileges. You will get laminated photo of your Bessie along with her name .. you can even visit your bovine up in the Alps.. and, the farmer will sell you cheese at a discounted price. For additional fees, if you arrive by 5:00am, you can have the special honor of milking your beast.
This cow rental contract, yes, you know the Swiss are very precise people, also allows you to join the procession down the mountain during the Almabtrieb. Pretty cool, huh? Im not sure about availability, but I would book far in advance!
I found this whole celebration a delightful experience.good food, wine and entertainment galore.and you should see the cows!
This, my friends, is Wine Food Pairing at its finest! CHEERS!
Denise Clarke has been passionate about wine food pairing for many years... follow her blog at: http://www.winefoodpairing.blogspot.com or go to her website at: http://www.wine-food-pairing.com
I Love Italian Wine and Food-Amarone and Friends
This article reviews a fine, distinctive Italian red wine and its more pedestrian cousins. I look at several food pairings. Was it a bargain?I have a ...
I Love French Wine and Food - A Maconnais (Burgundy) Chardonnay
If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Mconnais area of the Burgundy region in eastern France. You may find a bargain, and I h...
Two Simple Types of Wine
Even those who are not wine consumers know there are two simple types of wine; white, and red. This is an extreme over-simplification of the types of ...
Wine Food Pairing With Salmon - King of Fish!
To me, salmon has always been the king of fish. Wine food pairing with salmon is truly a delight. I grew up in the pacific northwest of the United S...
Wine Food Pairing - Cracked Conch
I love to do Wine Food Pairing with foods that are outside of mainstream America, so for this adventure I crossed the Gulf stream and cruised over to ...
I Love French Wine And Food - A White Beaujolais
If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Beaujolais region of southeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that youll...
World Food and Wine
For a lot of people, the best and maybe only way to experience cultures around the world is through the food and wine of each region. Every country a...
Pairing Food with Red and White Wines
Types of Wines and Pairing Each with FoodWhen only one variety of grapes is used to make a wine, the wine is called a varietal and is named after that...
Wine Food Pairing - My Famous Potato Salad, Grilled Brats And?
Wine Food Pairing .I absolutely love it. It allows my imagination to run wild with possibilities!
I am famous for my all American potato salad.at ...
Wine Related Gifts
Wine is a wonderful gift for almost any occasion. Whether it is an informal meeting of friends or a grand ball thrown for a wedding or other gala, win...
Food And Wine Magazine Is A Great Resource
If its fine wines and great food that you live for, then its all about Food and Wine Magazine. This magazine has dedicated itself to the individual wh...
I Love French Wine and Food - A Red Cotes du Rhone
If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Rhne Valley region of southeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that youl...
Wine And Food Gift Baskets
Of all the things in life that seem to be important to a lot of people wine and food gift baskets seem to frequently rank near the top of the list. Wh...
I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Bascilicata Region
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Bascilicata region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that youll ha...
How To Pair Food And Wine
As someone who worked in the restaurant industry I became almost annoyed with the lack of education people had in wine tasting. I became even more an...
Drink Wine and Grow Healthy!
Wine is made from the fermentation of grapes and has been used for centuries as an accompaniment to food. In many countries drinking wine is a part of...
The Benefits Of Wine On Your Health
How did wine come into being? Thousands of years ago, an unknown person must have accidentally let some sweet fruit juice to ferment. May be this was ...
Barley Wine and Cigars - A Dynamic Duo
The saying, its lonely at the top, is true for cigars. A type of smoke that makes the Marlboro man look weak rather than rugged, cigars have a way of ...
A Review of the Wine of the Month Club
I, with my husband enrolled to a wine of the month club, thanks to the couple that chose to stay with us on a weekend who extended the invitation to j...
Basic Wine Making Equipment
Wines are usually made in prestigious wineries. However, there are many people who make homemade wines both as a hobby and a small scale business.The ...