2023-09-16 08:47:50
Who else knows Privy Councilor von Breuhan and who knows the Countess of Paris? These are historical fruit varieties, the former a type of apple, the latter an old winter pear variety. Throughout Germany, the Rhön is an area in which there are comparatively many stands of ancient fruit varieties that have been forgotten elsewhere. In autumn, during the fruit harvest, a trip to the Rhön is particularly worthwhile.
In the past, almost every village there had its own varieties. Apples, pears and quinces grew in orchards, which are meadows with slightly spaced fruit trees, under which cattle often grazed. For centuries, this locally harvested fruit served the population as a supply of table fruit, for cider and as a source of vitamins.
After the war, shopping behavior changed across Germany; fruit was no longer a regional seasonal product but was available in stores all year round. Orchards with their own typical varieties were no longer needed or wanted. It is not only a loss of variety and taste, but also the irretrievable loss of the gene reserve.
In the Rhön, where people value traditions, orchards still exist. Especially around the town of Hausen in the Bavarian Rhön. There is an aromatic scent in the autumn air these days, fruit trees stand here in autumnal regalia, full of abundance and variety. Horses graze under apple and pear trees, cows graze under plum and walnut trees, just like they used to. Many of Hausen’s own varieties thrive in Hausen’s orchards: Roter Ausbacher or Münnerstädter, for example.
A garden with 200 types of fruit
Creating and maintaining such a collection of historic apple varieties requires a lot of work – that’s what you hear again and again from fruit growers while walking along the paths through Hausen’s orchards. If you want to find out more, you can also take the almost two kilometer long Hausen orchard educational trail, which runs in two loops through the picturesque landscape and begins below the church.
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And what do the old types of fruit taste like? “You can try our apples and pears at stalls at the Hausen apple market on the third Sunday in October,” says Adam Zentgraf, who is the main initiator of the orchard project in Hausen. “Only if we use our fruit and bring it to the people can the stocks of orchard fruit be maintained permanently.” Fruit fans could definitely stock up on the apple market: “Apples and pears from the Rhön, when fully ripe, not only have a rich aroma, but also good storage stability,” says Zentgraf.
There are numerous tree species along the orchard nature trail in Hausen
Quelle: picture alliance/dpa/Nicolas Armer
Hausen is famous for a large number of old varieties. “In 2001, we planted around 500 trees on five hectares. “They came from a variety determination in 1996 that took place across the entire Rhön,” Adam Zentgraf continues, “almost 500 varieties were identified. Around 200 varieties that were threatened with extinction were planted in a fruit variety conservation garden in Hausen, i.e. saved.”
In total there are now around 70 hectares of orchards around Hausen. “In terms of size and variety, this is something special in the Rhön,” says Zentgraf, shouldering his ladder to harvest apples from the next tree. Red kites circle in the sky, the wind blows the sound of church bells past.
Nutty or with a sherry note
It smells of hay and smells rich and juicy of ripe apples. Zentgraf now stands in the crown of a tree and places apple after apple in a picking cloth. He hands a fruit, it tastes sweet, delicious, refreshing. “The Blenheim golden reinette is my favorite variety. It has a nutty taste, can be stored until February and is also good for baking.” Other varieties have well-sounding names such as purple cousinut, pineapple reinnet or gray French fall reindeer.
In the Rhön, the old fruit treasures are not only eaten directly, but also further processed. For example by Jürgen H. Krenzer from Ehrenberg-Seiferts. In his orchard he produces a special apple sherry from Rhön apples.
In spring the trees bloom, now in autumn it is harvest time
Quelle: picture alliance/Klaus Nowottnick
It leads into one of the cellars under the farm’s own inn, where there are barrels in which sherry once matured. Krenzer stores wine made from apples in it, which absorbs the sherry aromas over the years.
In another cellar there are barrels that contained rum from Jamaica or whiskey from Scotland. Krenzer combines the strong, peaty and smoky notes of an Islay malt with the tart, fruity sweetness of a wild pear. Or a cuvée made from Boskop, pear and quince matures in a bourbon barrel.
Apple refines the lamb dish
The theme of apples can also be found in the inn’s kitchen, combined with regional products such as lamb from the Rhön sheep, which graze on the wide, open areas typical of the Rhön. “Our Rhönlammtiegel is the classic example of ‘species protection on the menu’,” says Krenzler. “It combines the preservation of an almost extinct breed of sheep with the small-scale cultural heritage of the orchard and its historic apple varieties.”
The lamb matures for a few days in a dressing made from apple cider and, of course, honey from our own orchard, and is then slowly refined with thyme and the apple pepper we created ourselves to create a sweet and sour ragout. With a lot of time and a lot of leisure, just as enjoyment is possible in the Rhön.
Early morning idyll in the Rhön near Hausen
Quelle: picture alliance/Nicolas Armer/dpa
In the Rhön, historical varieties are also processed into fine fruit brandies. Claus Vorndran from the “Distillery Gasthaus Dickas” in Bischofsheim does this masterfully. In the fall he collects tons of apples, pears and other fruit from his own stock and from friends and acquaintances. He mashes the fruit, lets the mixture ferment in peace for weeks and finally, with just as much leisure, makes a fruit brandy.
The system is located in the basement of the historic inn, the centerpiece is the copper still, which heats with wood. The distillate soon flows out of the condenser and there is a fine, fruity aroma in the air. Tours of the distillery are possible upon registration. The literal highlight is of course the subsequent tasting of the high-proof fruit specialties. Anyone who tastes Rhön apple brandy, plum brandy and pear brandy will literally get to know the spirit of the Rhön region.
Source: Infographic WELT
Tips and information
Background information about the orchard nature trail in Hausen biosphaerenreservat-rhoen.de/wissen/lehr-und-naturpfade/streuobstlehrpfad-hausen.
Appointments at the “Gasthaus Dickas” show distillery in Bischofsheim are available on tel. 09772/456. The company also has a small guesthouse, where a double room with breakfast costs from 85 euros (rhoener-schaubrennerei.de).
Krenzers Rhön in Ehrenberg-Seiferts offers accommodation in rooms and shepherd’s wagons, tavern and apple specialties, double rooms with half board from 179 euros (rhoenerlebnis.de).
Information: Below rhoen.info You can find general tourist information about the travel destination Rhön, which is part of the federal states of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia.
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