A ski holiday is not just an opportunity to enjoy the mountains and the fresh air, but also an excuse to indulge in our favourite traditional mountain food. After all, we spend all day burning calories, so we have to make them up somewhere! From apple strudel to tiramisu, the Alps are home to a plethora of delicious dishes that you must try on your next ski holiday. Here are some of our favourites!
This Austrian dish is basically raisin pancakes ripped into shreds and topped with icing sugar, applesauce and fruit compote. Kaiserschmarrn is a popular favourite with young and old, and works just as well for lunch as for breakfast or a sneaky afternoon snack.
If you're going to the Savoie Mont Blanc for your ski holiday - think Les Portes du Soleil or Les Sybelles - then you shouldn't miss the opportunity to order a pie. Tarte aux Myrtilles, or blueberry pie, is the perfect thing to enjoy with a cup of coffee and a view of the mountains.
If you took the first lift up, then by 10am or 11am you're probably hankering for a break and a sweet something. You could make do with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, but this is really better when accompanied by a fresh slice of apple strudel and a side of vanilla sauce or whipped cream. Ideal for warming up those frozen fingers!
This sweet Swiss dish resembles spaghetti and is made with sweet chestnuts mixed with sugar, vanilla, butter and Kirsch. Strictly speaking, it's an autumn dish, but it's become so popular that many places serve it year-roudn.
Chocolate, banana, original or with berries... no matter which topping you choose, this French invention always hits the spot! Wafer-thin pancakes are a specialty of this country, and make the perfect snack in between runs.
In addition to the better-known apple strudel, you'll often see Topfenstrudel on the menu in Austrian ski resorts. If you're a cheesecake fan, then this dish is for you. The outside uses the same dough as apple strudel, but the inside contains a mixture of kwark and raisins. Top it off with vanilla sauce - yum!
A winter sports holiday in Italy is not complete without tiramisu. This dessert is wildly popular all over the world, and for good reason. The perfect way to end a lunch or supper in the Alps.
Kniekiechl is a traditional dish from South Tyrol and one of the lesser-known desserts on this list. It's a little similar to a doughnut and is usually served with whipped cream, icing sugar and jam.
Some say the Germans are the masters at making cake, and who are we to disagree when placed before a scrumptious plate of Black Forest cake? This chocolate cake is spruced up with whipped cream, cherries and Kirsch. It packs a punch, calorie-wise, but it's well worth it.
This might just be one of our favourite French dishes overall. Crème brûlée is a creamy dessert topped with a burnt sugar topping. A must if you're skiing in France!
A successful ski day starts with a hearty breakfast, which is why many Alpine hotels offer Birchermüesli. Rumour has it these 'overnight oats' originated in Switzerland. But never mind where they're from, they're a healthy and filling way to start the day.
Austria serves knödels of every shape and size. Germknödel is the sweet version. These white balls of dough filled with plum compote are the perfect snack or end to your lunch. They're typically served with vanilla sauce and poppy seed sugar.
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
