Wild herbs of the Fichtel Mountains

Wild and tasty

The “Edible Fichtel Mountains” society puts wild herbs on the menu. Through cookery courses and guided walks, guests learn how good wild plants can taste.

Ribwort, pimpernel and cuckoo flower: When the members of the “Edible Fichtel Mountains” society get together for a “wild cooking party”, the scent of forest and meadow permeates the air in the kitchen. What walkers in the Fichtel Mountains perceive as just unidentified grasses, become a delicacy in the hands of the wild herb chefs.

These gastronomic experts take their guests on a journey through the world of aromas. Each month the society puts forward a “wild herb of the month”. Each chef uses it to create individual dishes and put them on the menu. Those who are interested in herbs and have some time can try out all the variations that the herb experts conjure up using the “wild herb of the month”.

Wild herbs: healthy, versatile - and free

Bernhard Raab is a member of the society. In his restaurant “Zum Loisl” in the sleepy rustic village of Mehlmeisel he shoots his own game and serves it to guests with herbs that grow in clearings and natural meadows. Anyone who, like him and his colleagues, knows what to look for will find the forest a veritable pantry of flavours: “From the forest I get fir shoots, beech buds and mushrooms. They all make their way ultimately onto the menu.” Bernhard Raab’s favourite herb is wild thyme. He uses it for fish, meat and even - his pièce de résistance - for an exquisite crème brûlée. With inexhaustible creativity the 38-year-old keeps conjuring up new combinations from the natural treasures of the Fichtel Mountains.

He is helped in this by his solid training: With the support of the “Essbares Fichtelgebirge e.V.” (Edible Fichtel Mountains) society he trained as a certified wild herb cook. “Thanks to the seminar I know the contents of the herbs and how to use them properly.” And that’s a broad field of knowledge, as there are more than 1,000 edible herbs growing in the Fichtel Mountains. “I want to show our guests how versatile and healthy wild herbs are. People used to be aware of that, and for me it’s important that we don’t lose that knowledge”, he says.

Members of the “Edible Fichtel Mountains” society

Edible wild plants in bread, roast meats and schnapps

However, the society does more than train up chefs. Amateurs who are interested in wild herbs can take part in guided wild herb walks and cooking events. Here they learn which plants are edible, where they grow, what substances they contain and how they are best used. The herb experts tap into the traditional knowledge of their grandparents as well as the findings from the latest research.

Chefs, bakers and even a distillery have joined the society. “Sack’s Destille use local herbs in their various forms of schnapps. Try the Bärwurz-Geist (spirit of spignel),” recommends Bernard Raab. At the “Wild Cooking Party” they meet up, cook, experiment and exchange ideas.

Bernhard Raab is one of the members of the society and operates the restaurant “Zum Loisl”.

Forest and nature in the Fichtel Mountains as a source of inspiration

Guests are very welcome to join in!

All members of the society are happy to let interested visitors peer into their pots and pans. “In our cookery courses I show our guests how to debone a saddle of venison, how to prepare a quail or how to create a proper sauce,” explains Bernhard Raab.

In the evening Bernhard Raab is drawn to the raised hide at the foot of the Ochsenkopf mountain. “The forest is my counterpart to the kitchen. Here I drink in the silence and dream up my next creations. When I am able to go hunting I feel a great sense of satisfaction,” says Bernhard Raab, describing his passion for the forest. The ideas just keep coming, helped along by his conversations with like-minded people in the “Edible Fichtel Mountains” society. Above all, however, his greatest source of inspiration is the forest itself.

Personal tips

from Bernhard Raab

In our region around Mehlmeisel the forest is still properly primitive and not overrun with people. Here you can enjoy the peace and quiet without having to jump out of the way of mountain bikers. There are wonderful hiking trails with routes to suit everyone. My favourite walking trail leads to the Weißmainfelsen, some rocks below the Ochsenkopf mountain. This route is also suitable for people who can’t walk very well. Then you can take the cableway up to the Ochsenkopf and walk down the hill a little way.

Our hunting territory is at the foot of the Ochsenkopf. There are some old quarries there, where people used to extract the “greenstone” (proterobas). Most of them are now full of water and on a good day it is so clear that you can see right to the bottom of the pit. In summer this is an idyllic spot to find a real sense of peace and quiet. Apart from the raised hide this is my favourite place on earth.