The mountain hotel, Weisses Kreuz, in Abländschen belongs to the couple Geraldine and Patrik Rolle, who are still looking for a tenant. However, a business idea from the two creative brains, Hanspeter Reust and Thomas Frei, could make the search a whole lot easier. Their business idea is aimed at boosting the economy in the small village of Abländschen and encouraging people to stay there. “We want to develop agrotourism in Abländschen in partnership with the Weisses Kreuz,” explains Reust.

3000 kilograms of potatoes
Potato growing is part of this project. Hanspeter Dänzer, a dairy farmer from Abländschen, currently has 20 cows on Alpine pastures and, in the summer, he produces cheese. Since the spring, he’s also taken up potato farming. Although he doesn’t have much experience with potatoes, he really enjoys the project. “We wouldn’t have got involved otherwise,” he emphasises and adds: “You have to take a little risk sometimes.”

He’s ploughed eight ares (1 are is equal to an area of exactly 10m by 10m, or 100m2) of hay meadow and pasture land for the potato project and seeded around 400kg of potatoes at the beginning of June. So far, there’s been little damage to the crop and he’s only had to sprinkle a few slug pellets. If this continues, he expects to harvest about three tons of potatoes. The harvest will begin on Monday 9th September at 9am.

Bratwurst and a cooking contest
“At the same time, Buure Metzg produces a sausage to accompany the potatoes,” says Reust. The recipe comes from the 19-point chef André Jäger. “This is a special sausage to go with this special potato – something from the region for the region,” says Reust, explaining the business model. The dish is served by Frei in the Bernerhof.

Just like two years ago, this year, young chefs and apprentices will create the daily menu for the bi-annual trade fair Gstaader Messe as part of a competition. They’ll be using the potatoes from Abländschen. The dishes will be judged by a jury of experts – Peter Wyss and Hugo Weibel, as well as Robert Speth. The winner's menu will then be served at the Gstaader Messe as a main course.

Based on AvS/Anita Moser
Translated by Justine Hewson