Styrian Treasure

I was recommended Pichler Schober three years ago by an elderly couple, as a result of my attempt to shift the conversation away from the refugee crisis of that time (“We understand why they are coming, but why do they drop all their garbage on the ground while they walk instead of using garbage bins?” – the opinion that I still fully share and support). Today it was going to become my second Brettljause, which was a bit unfortunate, but alas, the number of my holidays is not unlimited and renting a bicycle in November was difficult enough not to take full advantage of the extra flexibility it provided.

One should always trust the recommendations of knowledgeable people, and I am glad that I put this Heurige on my to-do list in order not to forget about it. Despite eating an exceptionally good Brettljause just a couple of hours earlier and struggling even to try all the ingredients of the second one, I can confirm that the Jause of Pichler Schober was the best one I have tried for a very long time.

Three types of meat – Speck, Schweinsbraten (simply called “Gebratenes” on the menu) and Geselchtes – were cut thickly. All of them tasted excellent, but the Schweinsbraten excelled in particular by sporting a delicious crunchy skin. Both types of cheese, including a soft kind, had a welcome strong taste, and the salty Hauswurst was easy to chew, which made my poor old teeth very happy. Three spreads completed the picture: the Verhackertes was pleasantly smoke-y, the purely white Schmalz shone in its tantalizing unhealthiness, and the greenish pumpkin spread paid tribute to the masterpiece’s Styrian origins. The final touch was the alcohol-conserved plums, which contained enough spirit to replace a Schnapps.

Still full with the previous Brettljause, I could not finish the one of Pichler Schober, especially feeling the time pressure of having to return my e-bike in less than two hours (it was a huge and a bit dangerous challenge, but I managed at the last minute). Now I am already building plans for coming back next year. If you need a single good reason to visit South Styria, Pichler Schober’s Heurger is a perfectly good one.