Every year, when the snow melts and the thick woollen jumpers disappear into the wardrobe, a strange ritual takes place: the women of the Schnalstal resort to methods that send the men running for the hills. “Rabbit food”, “weeds”, “gruesome greens”, they mutter, then retreat sulkily to the pantry to fetch a slice of bacon.
It’s been going on like this for decades. Actually, for centuries: With spring comes the green stuff and a craving for light fare for some, and a downright defiant attitude for others. But one thing is new: since the advent of the internet and influencers, all manner of exotic greens have found their way into the Schnalstal. Matcha powder from Japan. Spirulina capsules from who knows where. Seaweed in little tins, labelled in languages that hardly anyone up here at 1,400 metres understands. I’m not saying anything. I’m just watching and thinking of my meadows, where the dandelions will soon stretch their first yellow heads towards the sun. And of the larch forest, where wild garlic sends its unmistakable scent through the fresh air. Of the corner just behind me, where the stinging nettle, that old unloved plant, pushes its way quietly and persistently out of the ground and thrives to such an extent that it’s a joy to behold.
What spring provides for free and simply does you good
Wild garlic is the first to make its presence felt, even before you see it. Its scent wafts through the damp forest air like a promise. The people of Schnols know it well. It purifies the blood, stimulates the circulation and tastes excellent on bread, in soup, in pesto. If you go out to gather it, please do look very carefully. It must not be confused with the highly poisonous lily of the valley leaves!
Then there is the dandelion, which English lawn gardeners fight tooth and nail. Yet its young leaves in spring are tender, slightly bitter and full of vitality. The bitter compounds are good for the liver and its bright yellow colour lifts the spirits.
The stinging nettle grows everywhere, asks for nothing and gives so much. Rich in iron, full of vitamins, a true all-rounder. Admittedly, it often makes a prickly first impression. But anyone who has ever blanched it knows: it is gentler than it seems.
And finally, yarrow, the unassuming one. It has stood in the Schnols meadows for centuries, asks for no recognition, and yet does its job: as an anti-inflammatory, a digestive aid, and an aromatic flavouring. Anyone who has tasted it once understands why the women of Schnols have known what they’re doing for centuries.
The very best detox recipe for spring
And now I’ll let you in on a recipe that isn’t really a recipe at all: all you need is a handful of spring greens, a little olive oil, a few dashes of lemon juice and coarse salt. And if you then enjoy the whole thing right here with me in the spring sunshine, you’ve done everything right.
