Did you know that the “epicentre of good taste” lies in Eastern Styria?
According to the Apple Men of Puch near Weiz, their typical Abakus apple schnapps is the “highest spirit state of the Styrian apple” ever achieved – the origin of good taste. And although the Abakus may be truly unique in its taste, our trip exploring the Styrian Apple Country and the Pöllauer Tal Nature Park leads us to many more interesting local producers.
Let me share the area’s top foodie variety with you today.
The Styrian Apple Road in Puch near Weiz runs right through the heart of Eastern Styria.
Laschet Farm and Orchard
Our first stop exploring the foodie trails of Eastern Styria takes us to the blossoming orchard paradise of the Laschet family. Johann and his wife Maria welcome us warmly; together with their two-year-old granddaughter we set off across the orchard meadows around the farm. Of the 260 or so fruit trees that stand there, about 150 are of an old local pear variety called “Hirschbirne”. Johann explains that he also keeps records of bumblebees and swallows during his tours; both cows and swallows clearly feel at home in the dairy cows’ barn.
After the tour, we are given a taste of what the pear produce harvested each year is made into: juice, strudel, cider, liqueur, jelly and much more. Hungry, anyone?
Johann Laschet guiding us around his farm in Eastern Styria.
The orchards around the farm are in full bloom in April. The landscape is also a real treat to look at!
In the stables, the main focus is on ensuring the cows’ wellbeing.
Following the farm visit, we are invited to taste a few of the delicacies produced on site. Most of them are sold directly in the nearby Pöllau farm shop.
Pöllau Farm Shop
This farm shop can proudly proclaim to be the largest in all of Styria. Wolfgang Zemanek, an organic herb farmer, is one of its 150 suppliers. Feeling like an “honorary pastor”, he says this about the farm shop: “We are located right next to the church in Pöllau, on main square number 2. People come here not only for the rural specialities, but also to talk to us, to exchange ideas, to linger, and to get rid of – or learn – a story or two”, Wolfgang smiles.
Besides being an organic farmer and an honorary pastor, he is proud to be the chairman of the Pöllau farm shop. Should you wish to shop, you will find it open from Monday right through to Sunday, very convenient indeed.
View of the Pöllau farm shop with its large range of products: From left to right, bloggers Christina Leutner and Angelika Mandler, chairman Wolfgang Zemanek and myself included.
Fandler Oil Mill
Not far from the Pöllau farm shop is another business known far beyond the borders of Eastern Styria: the Fandler oil mill. It stands for high-quality, cold-pressed, single-variety vegetable oils. Among the most famous in its range is the Styrian pumpkin seed oil, as well as the Camelina oil (made from gold of pleasure, or false flax seeds), peanut or hazelnut oil. The latter two are my new favourites for our sweet pancake cuisine at home!
Managing director Josef Spindler and team leader Helga Lechner welcome us for a guided tasting. They explain that most of the 60 or so oil mills in Styria produce pumpkin seed oil. The Fandler oil mill, in contrast, has diversified into a much larger product range. In addition to all high-quality oils being produced, the press cake obtained is further ground into fine flours. These flours are naturally gluten-free and enhance the flavour of any conventional cake or bread recipe.
Talking about recipes: Cooking courses using Fandler oils and its many other products are also held regularly at the Fandler oil mill. The company shares recipes for every oil or flour that is sold. We find products here that we have not discovered anywhere else!
Check this out.
Visiting the Fandler oil mill: Thank you, Helga Lechner and team, for the warm welcome!
Helga gives us a tour of the entire product range of the Fandler oil mill …
… a mill that produces oil as we speak …
… even pumpkin seed flour, which has a truly special taste.
I also love the variety of nuts, herbs and salts around here.
Soon the company celebrates 100 years of existence: Congratulations on all your successes, dear Fandler team!
Apple Museum, Abakus Schnapps and the Apple Men
So finally, let me talk a little bit more about the mysterious Apple Men introduced at the beginning. What is it about them? Is it a modern marketing gag, or do they actually have some sort of historical significance?
Probably, it’s a little bit of both. On the way to the local Apple Museum, we learn that the Celts already worshipped the apple in what is today Styria. They called its representative among the gods Abellio. Today’s Abellio presides the annual Abakus distilling retreat, a retreat among Apple Men resulting in the best Styrian apple schnapps made in Puch near Weiz.
As soon as we enter the Styrian Apple Museum, the “secrets of the Apple Men” stand out to greet us …
… what with the name Abakus originally meaning “calculating machine”. It marks the entrance at each of the 15 participating Apple Men’s farms.
As we visit the Apple Museum and learn more about the Abakus apple schnapps …
… we learn what’s so secret about making the best, and only the best, of all apple schnapps in Styria.
The orchard owner of the Wilhelm family, Josef Wilhelm, is also a member of the Apple Men. He shares further, interesting details concerning the distillery of the Abakus apple schnapps.
The noble taste of the Abakus apple schnapps, he says, is owed one third to the quality of the fruit, another third to the precise technology and a final third to the human factor, i.e. the skills of the master distiller. As an annually limited edition, Abakus can only be purchased from the Apple Men in Puch, who (have to) choose the best variety of their apple fruit in order to make it.
Josef Wilhelm, one of the Apple Men in Puch bei Weiz, poses with his own statue next to his distillery.
Here, in the heart of his distillery, the famous Abakus apple schnapps is created every year in a secret distilling retreat.
Cheers: We prove ourselves “worthy” to be allowed to taste the special Abakus!
Top foodie picks: Gasthof Restaurant Hubmann in Pöllau and Gasthof Stixpeter in Floing
Are you still looking for typical restaurants for your lunch or dinner tables?
We have tasted local Styrian specialities such as the Erdäpfelwurst (potato sausage), Backhenderl (fried chicken) or asparagus and can recommend the above-mentioned restaurants to you. Both are family-run businesses with a mission to make you feel good!
A view of my truly colourful plate at the Gasthof Stixpeter in a small town called Floing.
In addition, I can recommend two more family-run businesses for visiting and staying in Eastern Styria: The Hotel Waldhof Muhr and the Bio Natur Resort Retter. I have described both in detail in the linked article.
Travel video “Route der Genüsse”
Also, check out my video about travelling in both Eastern Styria, as well as the Wertheim region in Southern Germany, both hot spots for gourmet foodie travellers.
Further images from my trip are displayed in this picture gallery:
Disclaimer: I have been invited on this trip by the Eastern Styria tourism board. All opinions are my own.