Hello from the Olympics
And the Dolomites, but I come bearing recipes!
Hi hi, every time I miss a week I feel like I missed a millennia. And yet somehow posting a newsletter once a week feels like too much - make it make sense?
But from the title, yes! I was at the Olympics last week with Loacker, and coming back has been a whirlwind of readjusting and wishing I was back in the Dolomites again.
The bulk of this newsletter will be everything I did while I was floating between Bolzano, IT and Lienz, AT. (Which yes, you can just go back and forth across the border and I’ve never clutched my passport so hard). But then of course, I have a few recipes that I’ve been dying to share with you. Winter has turned out to be a fantastic time to cook.
Giada De Laurentiis lol, at Gostner Schwaige. Both an inn, farm, cheese dairy, apres-ski spot, and generally stunning destination in upper Bolzano. Stanley Tucci has filmed there too, so you know it’s worth a visit. Some exceptional things I tasted were their dumplings (pictured below), sweet knödel (in my video with Giada), and their cultured yogurt butter, which was tangy, rich and delicious.
The Olympics being played in Walther Square in Bolzano, literally three steps outside of my hotel, Stadt Hotel Città. I wish I had more than a night in Bolzano, the city is quaint but beautiful in a way where I was shocked I was still in Italy. The architecture was uniquely Germanic and I overheard a few people at my hotel who were setting out to hike for the day. The dream.
A frozen version of the Lago di Braies/Pragser Wildsee lake. But now all I want to do is go back in the summer to see what I walked all over.
And yes WE HAVE CURLING AT HOME, but if you’re ever driving through the Dolomites, you could also curl at Curling Südtirol
And if you are in South Tirol, I know I’m one of their partners for the year but I am not mandated to say this, a stop by the Loacker Headquarters. You can make your own giant wafer, and for a unique stop for kids during a vacation otherwise filled with hiking, I think it could be fun.
To share the hotels, because everyone asks for honest recommendations, and I am nothing but honest.
In Bolzano, the Stadt Hotel Città, which I mentioned is right off the square. It’s modern and bright, very much a city-hotel. A great option if you are in the area for a few days, but not as rustic or mountain-forward as I personally would like in the Dolomites.
We then moved to Austria, and the Grand Hotel Lienz. Swanky swankyyyy, and I would absolutely stay here again. The rooms are older but incredibly nice, and an indoor/outdoor heated pool where I can swim while it snows? Sure, if I MUST.
If it were me planning the trip, I’d opt to stay at some of the joint restaurant/inns (some that I’ll mention below) for a more integrated feel. It won’t be as luxe and will have a heavier lift in terms of travel, but the views will be fantastic.
Dürrensteinhütte - which had to be my favorite stop on the trip. We stopped in after finishing the hike to Picco di Vallandro. We did it via snowshoeing, which is incredibly fun and I can’t wait to book another snowshoe tour.
Jora Mountain Dining - this restaurant is up another snow-covered road, but wow it was a phenomenal experience. It was a coursed dinner, but not overly stuffy and incredibly true to South Tyrolean roots. Plus, it’s a full family operation, and we got to meet all three generations.
I came back just a bit jet-lagged, but while on the trip I was able to post a few things, and when I was home I was able to immediately make some good vegetable-forward comfort food.
Spiced Carrot Soup - I’m really working on making titles do the recipe justice, because this silky, smoky soup has enough spice to stand up to the inherent sweetness of carrots, but it still keeps enough texture and layers to keep it interesting. Of all my soups, this one I crave the most.
Paid subscribers can access the ad-free recipe here.
Daikon Radish Slaw - UGH I LOVE THIS ONE. If you also frequent Lani’s Farm stand at the market, you know they have daikons for days this time of year. This slaw is a quick way to make them craveable. You squeeze out any excess water, mix them with a creamy kimchi dressing, and then they are ready to pair with any protein + rice combo.
Paid subscribers can access the ad-free recipe here.
Regrettably, Love is Blind. I float in and out of this show but WOW, CHRIS. HI. DID YOU NOT KNOW THEY WERE FILMING ALL OF THIS? HOW DID YOU THINK THIS WOULD PLAY? He did wipe his Instagram, which is wise.
And if you have thoughts on the ANTM documentary, please let me know. Until next time, let’s enjoy these not-frigid winter days. See you next weekend <3
Xoxo,
Justine
I need to know more about the pinecone dessert. What’s the green stuff?
glad to know you’ve enjoyed my hometown and our delicacies 🧡