Herbal cuisine Appenzell

The people of Appenzell knew many years ago that herbs have hidden powers. We explore the medicinal plants in beautiful surroundings. We smell and taste their different aromatic qualities and learn more about their healing properties, how they can be used or integrated into everyday cooking. The information on local superfoods and old forms of preservation will also be very exciting. Rarely in Switzerland do you come across such a high density of medicinal plant gardens, nature pioneers and healers. This trip is as educational as it is relaxing, in wonderfully natural surroundings with all their historical facets and the wonders of medicinal plants. The exclusive ****Hotel Heiden impresses with its fantastic views and spoils us with gourmet menus and a wellness area.

Travel program:

Day 1: Medicinal herbs by the wayside

We meet at the Hotel Heiden at 11.00 am. We will then enjoy a light buffet lunch at the hotel. We start with an easy herbal walk around Heiden and enjoy the impressive view over Lake Constance and the border triangle.

Day 2: On the trail of the secret

The people of Appenzell have sworn by the power of herbs for many years. It is not surprising that the fine Appenzeller cheese is treated with a herbal brine over many months to achieve its great aroma. We will learn about the cheese-making process and perhaps we will even find out the secret of the herbal brine with a key. At the end, everyone gets to make a herbal mixture and we enjoy a cheese tasting as a little refreshment. From the Schaukäsi we continue our leisurely walk to the Chrüterei. There, Elsbeth Mettler will introduce us to her herb farm. In addition to plenty of biodiversity, we will marvel at the fields with various herbs and the separate medicinal herb garden. Before returning by bus, we will enjoy a herbal aperitif made from the farm's own syrups and pastries.

Day 3: Unknown vegetables and herbs

We hike a short distance to Peter Ochsner's wonderful variety garden. He cultivates old vegetable and fruit varieties as well as herbs for ProSpecieRara and takes care of the seed collection. We are allowed to try a few things, including fruit leather. A small picnic will give us the energy we need for the onward hike to Wald, where we will catch a glimpse of the Alpstein. The last few kilometers we take the public transport back to Heiden.

Day 4: Hot on the heels of the bitter substances

We travel by bus to Gais and take a leisurely hike to Appenzell. Our focus is on bitter substances. Recognize, use and taste them. Why are bitter substances so important for us? When we arrive in Appenzell, we treat ourselves to a cold platter at the Rössli. Afterwards, we stroll to the Alpenbitter and learn more about the numerous herbs and spices in Appenzeller Alpenbitter during a guided tour of the herb world. Of course, we are also allowed to taste and enjoy. After the tour, we allow ourselves another hour to stroll through Appenzell and marvel at the wonderful painted houses in the main street. The return journey to the hotel is again by bus.

Day 5: Hike to the jungle house

On the last day of our trip, we hike from Heiden via Grub to Rehetobel to the Urwaldhaus. This special restaurant has a lot to offer in terms of culinary delights and culture. We enjoy a delicious wild herb lunch there. Afterwards, we walk to the Postbus stop and use public transport to get back to the hotel, bringing our wonderful culinary herbal journey through Appenzellerland to an end. Individual journey home from around 4 pm.

Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.