Birnbrot

Birnbrot and dryed are a traditional pastry from the Swiss Alps and the foothills of the Alps with a filling of dried pears. Known forms are the Grisons Birnbrot (Romansh Paun cun paira ), the Glarus Birnbrot, the Toggenburg Birnbrot and the Lucerne dryed.

In addition to pears the filling contains raisins, walnuts, and often parched figs and apple slices. Is flavored with orange peel, lemon peel, coriander, cinnamon, star anise, anise and cloves, as well as with marc, cherry or wine.

Birnbrot and dryed differ in the composition and the geographical distribution: When Birnbrot the pear filling is mixed with bread dough from Ruchmehl and a thin layer of dough enclosed as it is deleted when dryed on the thinly rolled dough and then rolled up like a roulade. Are dryed in Central Switzerland widespread Birnbrot contrast, in the eastern Swiss Alps and the Alpine foothills.

Originally Birnbrot bread was a variant of poor people who stretched the expensive bread grain from the lowlands with dried fruits in the main living from livestock Alpine and pre-Alpine area. In Graubünden there are still such local varieties of pear bread with a greater proportion of bread dough that are baked without dough envelope.

In the Toggenburg and Glarus variant of Birnbrot the pears are cooked and happens before they are mixed with the other ingredients in the Grisons variant they are soaked overnight in pear pomace or rose water and does not happen, what the Bünder Birnbrot a coarser structure, and a stronger pear flavor is.

Traditionally, Birnbrot and dryed a pastry Advent and Christmas season, in the Grisons particularly of the year. In Scuol in the Lower Engadine there is the custom that girls give the dearest classmates on 26 December a Birnbrot and then invited him to a sleigh ride.

Today Birnbrot is available throughout the year in German Switzerland. Is eaten thinly buttered coffee or combined with rezentem cheese, very popular, it is also a picnic for hikers and skiers.