Hansi Treichl and his team at the Böglerhof use regional and seasonal produce to create high-quality, honest dishes with great attention to detail. © provided

The tale is too beautiful not to be told over and over again. It is said that the oldest cookbook in Austria was written by the merchant's daughter Philippine Welser from Augsburg in the 16th century. The wife of Archduke Ferdinand II of Habsburg, back then Prince of Tyrol, is said to have been not only incredibly beautiful, but also an enthusiastic and talented cook. Legend has it that her recipes meant that noble families from all over Europe considered it a special honor to be invited to Ambras Castle near Innsbruck as her guest. It will not have been quite like that. But it's true that "à la tyrolienne" cuisine was literally on everyone's lips throughout Europe during this period.

Wirtshaus Steuerberg, Kitzbühel: Healthy local produce and seasonal variety are the restaurant's secret recipe. © Philipp Horak 

The existence of the famous cookbook is also undisputed. It can still be admired today in the Kunstkammer of Schloss Ambras. However, it seems more likely that it was Philippine's mother Anna who originally commissioned the work for her daughter. Numerous handwritten additions, which were most likely made by Philippine herself, show that she actually picked up the wooden spoon and carving knife herself.

At Böglerhof, the focus is on regionality - both for traditional favorites and new cooking trends. © StockFood

She must have had a flair for the culinary arts, as there's no indication of quantities or of cooking and roasting times. Just how interested the archduke's wife was in medicine is shown by a chapter devoted entirely to food for illness. In addition, 245 of the almost 300 recipes don't include meat. The collection of recipes also includes dishes from the Romanesque region.

Enjoy the Tyrolean way

The 500-year-old Fuggerstube cooks "brutally local" - tomatoes and wild herbs come from its own garden, the eggs from chickens that the host looks after, and the rest is supplied by local partners © Tirol Werbung Kathrein Verena

Of course, people didn't save on calories back then. Even lean chicken was made sure to have enough fat. "Take a chicken, cut it into four pieces. Put it in a heffalin, pour a good meat broth on it; also two parsley roots and a little mace and ymber stup (ginger powder, note); also a little onion. Put it to the fire and vir fams clean (skim it clean again and again, note). And when it's about half boiled, take the pout of a white roll, which has been soaked in fresh water beforehand, (and) put in as much as you want the broth to be thick. You can also add some wine, the broth will be stronger and better. And if you want to serve it, put some fresh butter in it. And let it cook for just one hour and then serve it," reads one of Philippine's recipes.

Der Unterwirt, Ebbs: Head chef Christian Ranacher is passionate about creative slow food cuisine. © Joerg Lehmann

Butter was used as a cheap flavor carrier in many dishes. After all, the price of spices had risen sharply since the Crusades between the 11th and 13th centuries. For example, when the price of pepper increased thirty-fold in the 15th century, the cost of flavor in food rose exorbitantly. People made do with what they had and the result was something to be proud of. After all, travelers in the 19th century were just as impressed by Tyrolean cuisine as they were by the fresh air and impressive mountain scenery.

Nature in the Alpbachtal is a source of inspiration for the cuisine at Romantikhotel Böglerhof. © Bernhard Huber

On the one hand, they were inspired by the Tyrolean works of the Munich writer Ludwig Steub and, on the other, because several factors coincided. People increasingly saw fresh air and physical activity as a source of health; the nobility made summer retreats fashionable. In addition, the expansion of the railroad made it easier to reach Tyrol. After long hikes, people would eat Gröstl, bacon dumplings, Kaspressknödeln, a Marend with bacon, cheese and bread, Kasspatzeln, Kiachln and Schlutzkrapfen.

Down-to-earth quality: burrata and beef tartare are available at Wirtshaus Steuerberg, as are Tafelspitz and co. © Philipp Horak / Kitzbuehl

Baked Apfelradln, Strauben, Paunzen with apple sauce and Buchteln are other typical Tyrolean delicacies that are still enjoyed today. After all, you want to aviod a calorie deficit after a mountain tour, mountain bike adventure or at the ski hut at all costs. Unlike in the early days of tourism or in Philippine times, today in the gourmet paradise of Tyrol you also have the opportunity not only to enjoy fantastic home cooking and traditional cuisine, but also to be cooked to the highest international standards. No other province in Austria has so many restaurants with top-class awards. 

Paznaunerstube at Trofana Royal hotel in Ischgl offers international cuisine at the highest level, as well as down-to-earth Tyrolean cuisine that combines substantial and light dishes. © A.M. Lohmann

Tyrolean Benjamin Parth has been one of the undisputed elite in this respect for years. Both at hotel YSCLA and the associated gourmet restaurant Stüva in Ischgl, he collects one award after another. He's regularly at the top of various global rankings, most recently in fourth place among the world's thousand best gourmet restaurants. However, Parth isn't resting on his laurels; he is committed to his credo of getting better every day. He likes to keep things simple in the kitchen - he never combines more than three flavor components. However, these are perfectly coordinated. "Cosmopolitan, cheeky and out of the ordinary, garnished with a pinch of imagination" is how the young Tyrolean describes his cuisine.

Scharnitzer Alm, Seefeld: The menu features exclusively regional and homemade dishes. © Tirol Tourist Board Bert Heinzlmeier

Peter Fankhauser, on the other hand, specializes in vegetarian and vegan cuisine in his restaurant Guat'z Essen in Zillertal. Fankhauser relies on ingredients from his own permaculture garden and is considered one of the newcomers of the year. Culinary seasonality and regionality matter to him a lot; even forgotten species find their way into Fankhauser's varied menus.

Gourmet paradise Tyrol

At Paznaunerstube you can eat in the alpine-rustic parlor, which is wonderfully unpretentious and yet provides the perfect setting for upscale enjoyment. © dieWEST.at

Of course, good food doesn't necessarily have to be served in a sophisticated ambience and with awards. Many spots in Tyrol prove that you can enjoy culinary masterpieces even in the smallest huts on the highest mountains. Around 120 quality-tested inns and guesthouses with the Tiroler Wirtshaus seal of approval serve typical Tyrolean dishes, such as Marend, Blattlstock or Kaspressknödel, prepared with passion, care and according to traditional recipes and, in some cases, ancient knowledge. Products from our own farm or from farmers and producers in the immediate and surrounding area are used for cooking.

Summer freshness on the alpine pasture: grazing cows enjoy exercise and a varied diet. © Achensee Tourism

The Bewusst Tirol (Conscious Tyrol) initiative also highlights those businesses that demonstrably focus more on products from the region, value animal welfare and produce typical regional dairy, meat and cheese specialties with craftsmanship. After all, it tastes even better when you can enjoy it with a clear conscience.