Today I violated the main rule of Brettljause-eating: do not order a Brettljause unless you are ready to eat one. I did not realize that not enough time had passed since my sausage-and-cheese breakfast at the hotel, and the slight cold I had been fighting with for the last couple of days also affected my appetite (at least, today my nose started running like on many occasions before, firmly proving to me that it was just a cold and not COVID). Anyway, I had started to have doubts about my ability to finish the Jause even before it arrived at my table. When it came, my first reaction was that of a relief – it’s not too big! – followed by the realization that it looked smallish only because the Brettl it came on was huge.
The three thick slices of Speck were the killer, of course; even cutting the fat off them did not make them more manageable. The second type of Speck, a fattier one, came already pre-cut in bite-sized slices, as did a salty sausage, easily recognizable as Landjäger from the Tyrolean mass-producer Handl. The cheeses were a thinly cut Emmentaler-type and a much stronger tasting Bergkäse (possibly, of two different sorts), cut into small cubes. Like two days ago, there was plenty of butter – and a very good one. I am starting to think that the Stubai valley is an unexpected butter capital of Tyrol.
I suppose, had I been hungry, I would have appreciated the Brettljause much more, and the scores below reflect my estimates in that regard. I am still unable to rate the Jause too highly, however, because all the ingredients, though good quality-wise, had a supermarket-y taste. I would not be surprised if not only the Landjäger, but also the Specks were the produce of Handl, while I have certainly bought similar “mountain cheeses” from the grocery next to my home. They were not cheap, and the Handl’s sausages are not cheap either, so this may explain the Brettljause’s extraorbitant price of almost 15 euros.
I could not finish it, and even the owners’ little dog, having sniffed the Speck, refused to help me. At the time I simply wanted the waitress to take the dish away from my sight as quickly as possible. Now, thinking back, I don’t miss it much either.
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