Tirol is one of an increasingly rare number of places where you can simply turn on the tap and enjoy natural drinking water of outstanding quality. While out and about in the mountains, there are plenty of rushing rivers, streams and springs where you can re-fill your bottle. Refreshing!
While around the globe water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource, Tirol is lucky enough to be blessed with plenty of the stuff. Most of the drinking water in the region comes from natural springs, bubbling up from deep underground through the rocks to the surface. These rocks give Tirol's spring water many of its most valued properties, including high levels of minerals. The fact that the water spends so much time underground, and the introduction of nature park status in many areas of Tirol, mean bacteria and other pathogens are much less likely to come into contact.
The perfect combination for healthy eating
Water doesn't need to be drunk with anything: it tastes just perfect on its own. It is also the only drink with zero calories. In fact, some studies have shown that drinking water actually burns calories, though other studies have not been able to reproduce this result. One thing, however, is for sure: water is healthy and an essential part of life on our planet.
Serving recommendation
"Infused water" is a trend to add various different things to water in order to give it a particular taste. Tirol is home to many edible wild plants which can be added to water, including elederflowrs, deadnettles and wild berries.
Recipes
1. Water with wild herbs and berries
- 1 litre of Tirolean tapwater
- 1 small handfull of wild herbs, e.g. elderflower, meadowsweet, wild carrot, deadnettles, fresh buds on pine trees (can be found in spring), dandilion and malva sylvestris.
- 1 small hanfull of wild berries, e.g. raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, forest strawberries.
- Wash the herbs and berries and place into the water for 1 hour with a lid on top.
2. Water with Tirolean pinewood
- 1 litre of Tirolean tapwater
- 1 sphere or board made from pinewood
- Put the water in a jug and then use the ball or board as a lid. After around 2 hours the water will begin to taste of pinewood.
- If you want, you can also add herbs and berries.
