Meisi’s journey – Alp herb smoothie

With the e-bike Alexandra Meissnitzer climbs her way to the second shooting at Bürgl-Alm, located in the Hochkönig holiday region. During “Meisi’s journey through SalzburgerLand” the former Salzburg ski racer explores her hometown’s most beautiful places, gets to know interesting people, and discovers the region’s culinary specialties. At the foot of Hochkönig there are around a dozen herb hill farms that have specialized in the processing of alp and garden herbs. Under the supervision of mountain farmers Gabi and Toni Bürgler Alexandra Meissnitzer learns how to easily mix an alp herb smoothie and how medicinal herbs can help relieve physical discomforts.

Recipes with alp herbs:

“Get the glow” green Bürgl-Alm smoothie:

Mix 1 apple, 1 banana, 1 handfull of young nettle shoots, herbs (1 mint leaf, 1 borage leaf, 1 ribwort leaf, 1 yarrow leaf, 1 leaf of lady’s mantle, 1 sorrel leaf, chickweed or ground elder) and the juice of half a lemon with 100 ml of water or buttermilk. Sweeten the smoothie to taste with self-made syrup (nettle, yarrow, peppermint, dandelion, fir shoot syrup).

Bürgl-Alm “sore muscle remover” (for external application):

To prevent muscle ache you should provide for a good blood circulation before and after physical effort. The “sore muscle remover” after a recipe by Gabi Bürgler contains olive oil, arnica, marigolds, lavender flowers and thyme. Make sure to pick the herbs in sunshine, cut them unwashed, mix them with the olive oil and fill it into a glass jar. Let it steep in the dark for four weeks and shake it daily. Then strain it, fill it into dark bottles and keep in a cool place. That’s how you fight sore muscles with herbs.

© SalzburgerLand Tourismus, Michael Größinger, The sore muscle remover

More tips on how to use self-collected medicinal herbs

• St John’s wort helps sooth minor burns and sunburns; it makes the skin photosensitive though, which is why the skin shouldn’t be exposed to sun after application.
• Speck removal compresses: arnica compresses help against bruises. Immerse a cotton cloth into arnica-tincture and place it on the affected area. Repeat on occasion.
• After longer hikes you can place a bracken tip into the font of your boots. After 20 minutes of exposure time your feet will stop burning and feel fresh again.
• If you have got blisters, minor burns or insect bites ribwort is your panacea. Rub the leaf between your fingers and apply the plant juice onto the affected skin area. In case of blisters use the leaves as plasters.