Once a month, we meet with English-speaking Ladies, for breakfast. Our meeting place is usually small bakery, in Vornbach am Inn, but this time Gudrun had organized special place to meet. It is good to do new things sometimes and meet new people!

We drove to Antiesenhofen, which is about 15 km away, from where I live. Drought the fields, and forests, up the hill, till we reached beautiful,old farm-house and garden nursery.

We were greeted, by Bärber Ranseder, who is Master Gardener herself, and specialized on herbs, and how to use them in cooking or as healing herbs.Bärbel has some really interesting and rare herbs in her greenhouse.She has traveled around Europe to collect them.About some of them, I haven’t heard about at all..

Our breakfast included: Coffee with cardamom and tee from fresh herbs. Herb smoothie which had in it “all that grows in the fields” plus apple 😀

Our wonderful breakfast buffet table, set in greenhouse, middle of the herbs.

Different kind of cold cuts and sausages, accompanied by various wild herbs.Don’t ask me which because I were too busy taking pictures to listen 😉

Quail eggs and thyme-leaved sandwort.Bärbel told us, that this common herb fits very well with all egg dishes. She was right.I will  definitely try it again.Our garden is full of it!

Cucumbers and basil.. Salmon rolls filled with herb quark.

Cheeses and fern leafed lavender..

Forget-me-not’s… Do you know the story where this flower got its name? No..Here it is:

In 15th-century Germany, it was supposed that the wearers of the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers. Legend has it that in medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked a posy of flowers, but because of the weight of his armor he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the posy to his loved one and shouted “Forget-me-not.” It was often worn by ladies as a sign of faithfulness and enduring love.

  

All products were organic and locally produced.

 

Cooper the dog came to check us out (I think he had high hopes of getting something to eat)

 

Bärbel had made mozzarella spiced with herbs, which was preserved in olive oil.She gave us instructions, how we could do it, by ourselves. Dead easy. Mini mozzarella,put them in jar,add herbs of your own choise,top it with olive oil or what ever other oil you prefer.Close the jar and let it stand at least one night in the fridge. Enjoy as appetizer or as tapas..

I don’t remember which rosemary this was, but it had something to do with fruits..

Off to field we went! Hands on information what can we do with all those “weeds” growing in garden.

Thank you Bärbel,for the wonderful and very interesting morning! I will return to your place, because Ranseder plant nursery, had some rare old-fashioned plants, which I have been looking for a very long time.  

Here are Bärbel’s home pages, if you want to know more about her. Pages are in german. She makes herb themed walks around Attersee. Bärbel speaks very good english so having english group is not a problem!

http://www.kraeuterraritaeten.com/