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The entire group

A Culinary Journey to Lake Tegernsee – Here's a slightly different kind of article. Normally, I tell you about places, restaurants, locations, and products you should try. This is essentially the same. However, I'm describing a three-day press and culinary trip I took to Lake Tegernsee. I'll also be sharing tips throughout the article. Read on and discover Lake Tegernsee for yourself. You don't even need to get your feet wet... 😉 Enjoy!.

The Tegernsee Tourism Association invited me and other colleagues on an exciting three-day press and culinary trip to Lake Tegernsee. For three days, I experienced Lake Tegernsee, which I knew from weekend getaways, in a completely new, multifaceted, and vibrant way – and all without ever actually being at the water's edge. Yes, that's right, the reason most Munich residents probably head out to Lake Tegernsee – to relax by the lake – wasn't even part of the culinary trip. Now you might be wondering: "So what did you do the whole time? Sit in the hotel?" – Not at all! The group enjoyed three exciting and varied days filled with game, fish, wine, schnapps, sushi, and much more. Let me tell you all about it.

Culinary tour Tegernsee – the program

The view from the Kaltenbrunn estate

Culinary journey Tegernsee – Stop 1: Gut Kaltenbrunn – The first dinner including a tasting of fine brandies and liqueurs
The first stop on our culinary journey was dinner at the beautifully situated "Gut Kaltenbrunn" restaurant – a Käfer establishment. During our visit, regional cuisine was served. First, lukewarm smoked Luisenthal trout with a mixed green and lamb's lettuce salad, followed by suckling pig with Bavarian sauerkraut, two kinds of dumplings, and dark beer sauce, and for a sweet finish, Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake) with plum compote, vanilla sauce, and applesauce. The meal was quite filling and – I admit – left me feeling rather sluggish after the tiring journey and long day, but it tasted delicious. That's when the subsequent small schnapps tasting came in handy. „"Fischerweber's Fine Brandies & Liqueurs"“ From Tegernsee, it was just right. (More on that later.) After a leisurely dinner with a breathtaking view and sunset over Tegernsee, we headed back to our accommodation for the next two nights. Hotel Bachmair in Weissach. A truly beautiful hotel with a fantastic complex, terrace, and restaurant. Sated, tired, and curious about the days ahead, I went to bed in my separate bedroom – all to myself. How lovely.My tip: You should really take a holiday here. Even if you're from Munich. It's balm for the soul, with beautiful rooms and great restaurants, both in the hotel and in the immediate vicinity!

Genussreise Tegernsee Brot und Kraeuter Likoer

Homemade bread with herbal liqueur

Culinary journey Tegernsee – Stop 2: Herb walk
The next day we set off early. First up was a proper breakfast at the hotel. Wow! A fantastic buffet with a generous selection and truly everything you could wish for in the morning. They even offered gluten-free bread and muesli, lactose-free yogurt, vegan delicacies, hummus, and more. There were also various pastries, cheeses and cold cuts, fruits, and much more. The weather was kind to us, and we were even able to have breakfast outside in the hotel's cozy garden. Fortified, we set off in sturdy shoes for a herb walk along the Weissach River. The extremely interesting walk was led by an experienced herbalist (Claudia Bernhardt). I learned that there are over 30 varieties of edible dandelion, smelled the ribwort plantain, and discovered that a handful of honeysuckle will knock you completely out. Halfway through the walk, we sampled homemade bread and delicious herbal syrup, along with two different kinds of herb butter made on-site. (Did you know that all you have to do is shake the right milk with the desired herbs like crazy – and presto, your own butter with an individual touch is ready.) On the herb walk, we learned a lot about herbs, their healing powers and uses.

A glimpse into the room with numerous cheese wheels.

Culinary journey Tegernsee – Stop 3: NTegernsee cheese dairy
Admittedly, this was one of the stops I was most looking forward to. Firstly, visiting a natural cheese dairy has been a dream of mine for years, and secondly, the Tegernsee natural cheese dairy has a very strong reputation. We arrived at the 10-year-old dairy after our herb walk. We toured the entire dairy, got a glimpse of the production process, and of course, sampled everything imaginable – in the form of a huge cheese board. The cheese is made from Tegernsee milk. At the dairy, you can buy not only cheese, but also milk, yogurt, and other products. The Old Mountain Cheese is especially delicious. If you're ever in the area again, definitely make a detour here. If the sun is shining, you can sit outside or upstairs and enjoy top-quality cheese. I, of course, immediately bought two pieces of cheese to take home and did some serious shopping.My tip: Come by and buy some cheese, or at least taste it. The old mountain cheese is amazing! It's also a great place to hike, so you can really "earn" your cheese. ;-))

Tasting of various fine brandies with Mr. Huber

Culinary journey Tegernsee – Stop 4: Fischerweber Distillery | „Fischerweber’s Fine Brandies & Liqueurs“
Still the same day, full from breakfast – homemade bread with equally homemade herb butter and plenty of natural hay-milk cheese – we continued on to one of my new "favorite Tegernsee hotspots." It was here, if not before, that I realized just how much there is to experience at Lake Tegernsee, and how I had no idea what wonderful spots, delicacies, and in this case, fine brandies and liqueurs there are to discover. We visited the distillery of our host, Anton Huber – you might remember the tasting after dinner on our first evening – and were given another in-depth tour of the still, asked questions, and – of course! – tasted the products. Hardly anyone in the group left the small tasting room and shop without a bag. I personally bought my two absolute favorites from the visit (cocoa nut liqueur | 251% ABV and wild raspberry spirit | 40% ABV). My tip: If you're ever in Rottach-Egern, be sure to stop by. Mr. Huber is incredibly passionate about his work and will explain in detail what makes a good brandy and which one goes best with what. Don't miss it!

Fresh chamois meat in the pan

Culinary tour Tegernsee – Stop 5: Game dishes in the Almgasthaus Café Aibl
As you've probably noticed, everything so far has really revolved around culinary delights. Just the way I like it. And the deliciousness continued well into the early evening. We drove together to the Almgasthof Café Aibl, a mountain inn popular with both locals and tourists. Aside from the fantastic terrace, complete with a musical program (accordion and guitar) just for us, a magnificent game dinner menu awaited us. But before we could tuck into the delicacies, we were given a peek into the kitchen of the owner, Georg Ertl. Steaming pots, sizzling pans, and the occasional stirring and tasting. Just as you'd imagine. Right next to it, the renowned hunter Michael Hermann showed us how the chamois, hunted especially for us, was butchered. I have to admit... not for the faint of heart, but also very interesting and prompted me to reconsider the origins of "meat on the plate." Simply eating without a second thought, perhaps even leaving a large portion on the plate without considering its origin and the preceding work (hunting, skinning, butchering, searing, etc.), is hardly possible afterward. This experience made me appreciate even more what it means – in this case – to be able to enjoy fresh, high-quality game meat on my plate. The meal began with a truly excellent, albeit very hearty, cheese dumpling, followed by venison goulash with dumplings, venison ribbon noodles, and finally, two different types of Kaiserschmarrn. The two Kaiserschmarrn dishes from evening 1 and evening 2 were not really comparable in their preparation or taste, and each had its own advantages and disadvantages. I can recommend it to you But (also because I've since been back to both locations for another tasting) both places were delicious. The whole menu was wonderful, and as you can imagine, it led to another "schnitzel coma" (for those who don't know: a schnitzel coma always occurs when you've simply eaten too much and would love to be carried back home. ;-)). Tired, stuffed, and enriched with new impressions, I fell into bed. The next day it was an early start again….

Ducal Fish Farm Wildbach Kreuth

Culinary journey Tegernsee – Stop 6: Heducal fish farm Wildbach Kreuth
Looking back, the visit to the over 150-year-old (!) fish farm in Kreuth was also one of my favorite stops. Firstly, because – similar to butchering the chamois – I developed a different relationship to the fish on my plate (it was killed, gutted, prepared, etc., just like everyone else), and secondly, because I had never seen anything like it before. Tanks everywhere with countless different-sized fish species (sturgeon, albino trout, rainbow trout…), lots of interesting expertise from the staff, and – of course! – top-notch smoked char – devoured in the cozy seating area between the tanks for the guests. For our group, the highlight was certainly picking up the fish for our subsequent sushi course at the hotel restaurant (more on that later) directly from the Ducal Fish Farm. You really can't get any fresher than that.My tip: Definitely stop by. For example, after a hike and fortify yourself with super-fresh smoked fish. There's nothing else here anyway.)

The Mizu from the inside

Culinary journey Tegernsee – Stop 7: Sushi course in the hotel restaurant „"Mizu Sushi Bar“ (Bachmair Weissach)
Back at the hotel with our fresh fish, we took a short break before heading straight to making sushi. "Bavaria vs. Japan" – the Japanese restaurant opened about a year ago and is already known in the Tegernsee area for its excellent sushi. Under the supervision of the head sushi chef, we were allowed to prepare our own sushi. We made maki, nigiri, and uramaki – all with fish from the Ducal Fish Farm. Cool, right? Again, the aspect of the ingredients' origin and provenance was important. A truly interesting connection for me. We all still need to practice making sushi. A few mishaps didn't detract from the overall experience, and we enjoyed a huge selection of sushi together before moving on to our final stop. Delicious! Anyone who follows my posts knows that I rarely go more than two or three days without sushi. So, the "Mizu" station was perfect for me, and I was able to brush up on my sushi skills a bit.My tip: Next time you're in the area and want to treat yourself, why not take the opportunity to check out both the hotel and the sushi restaurant? The chic restaurant with its open sushi kitchen even has its own terrace.

Tasting at the Liedschreiber family's

Culinary journey Tegernsee – Stop 8: Last but not least – Fine brandies from the Leidschreiber family
As a sweet finale, the charming hostess served us homemade cake and coffee, and of course, a tasting of wonderful brandies. The Liedschreiber farm is far removed from the tourist bustle of Tegernsee, and it's hard to believe that just a few kilometers away, the vibrant life of Tegernsee unfolds. Mr. Liedschreiber focuses on distilling fine brandies, while Mrs. Liedschreiber is dedicated to liqueur production. We sampled our way through the offerings, and I ended up taking a bottle of "hay milk liqueur" home with me. And that's exactly where I headed: home. Laden with fine brandies and many new insights, I left Tegernsee.

On the terrace of the Almgasthaus Café Aibl

In summary, I can say that this press trip was one of the most exciting and comprehensive trips I've taken in a long time, offering a chance to discover new products, regions, and restaurants. Thumbs up to the Tegernsee Tourism Association for this packed yet well-organized program. I hope to join them again next time and that we can stop at one of Tegernsee's fantastic patisseries. 😉

More pictures from the trip: