Ultner Brot Vinschger Paarl. Organic rye bread with whole grain content and sourdough – two flat loaves, baked on stone and heavily spiced.
Ultner Brot Vinschger Paarl is an organic flatbread made from whole grain rye flour and rye flour with sourdough, seasoned with fennel, caraway, and blue fenugreek. It is baked in St. Walburg in the Ultental Valley, South Tyrol. The package contains two pieces with a total weight of 300 g.
The Vinschger Paarl from Ultner Brot is a classic of South Tyrolean bread culture. "Paarl" means pair, as two flat loaves are baked together. The bread is named after the Vinschgau region; in South Tyrol, many simply call it "Vinschgerl." Ultner Brot bakes it with a high whole grain content: 42% whole grain rye flour, plus Type 1150 rye flour, spring water, crystal salt, yeast, fennel, caraway, and blue fenugreek. According to the manufacturer's catalog, the whole grain rye flour comes from their own mill. Except for water and salt, all ingredients are from certified organic farming. The dough is leavened with sourdough, shaped by hand, and baked on stone.
Taste
The bread has a dark, hearty, and spicy flavor. The whole grain flour provides an earthy, slightly nutty base note, and the sourdough adds a fine acidity. The crust is deeply baked, the crumb dense and moist.
Overlaid is the spice of caraway, fennel, and blue fenugreek. The blue fenugreek makes the difference: it has a spicy, hay-like aroma and gives the Paarl its typical South Tyrolean scent. Fennel brings a subtle sweetness, caraway a savory depth. Those expecting a light, airy bread will find the Paarl too dense. For rye bread lovers, it is precisely this density that makes it worth buying.
Usage
You break a "Paarl" in the middle, as is customary in South Tyrol. For a "Marende" (snack), it is topped with Speck, Kaminwurz (smoked sausage), and mountain cheese, accompanied by pickles and a glass of Vernatsch wine or apple juice. According to the retailer, it is equally good with savory or sweet toppings.
In the morning, it tastes great with butter and honey or jam. Briefly toasted in the oven, the fennel and caraway become especially fragrant. It makes a hearty side dish for goulash, lentil soup, or a wild game ragout. And when cut into cubes and toasted in butter, it creates spicy croutons for salad or soup.
According to the manufacturer's catalog, it has a shelf life of three months. Store in a dry place protected from heat; once opened, it is best kept in a bread crock.
Our tip: Slice the Paarl into thin pieces, spread with butter, and lay wafer-thin slices of Speck on top. That is how simple a South Tyrolean snack tastes at home.
Origin
The fact that the Vinschger Paarl from Ultner Brot contains whole grains stems from a decision made in 1982. At that time, Richard Schwienbacher was running the family bakery in St. Walburg in its third generation. His wife, Gerti, wanted whole grain bread and persuaded him to purchase a grain mill. The large stone mill moved into the bakery, and Richard baked his first organic loaves. This desire for whole grains became the bakery's current motto: "Full steam ahead with whole grains."
Since then, Ultner Brot has milled its own grain. According to the bakery, they purchase organic grain directly from farmers whenever possible or from the nearby mill in Merano. Today, son Hannes Schwienbacher runs the business at an altitude of about 1,200 meters in the Ultental Valley. The organic inspection body is IT-BIO-013.
For whom
The Vinschger Paarl is for anyone looking for a hearty rye bread with whole grain content and South Tyrolean spice. It is perfect for breakfast, snacks, and as a side dish for stews and soups. For those missing the "Vinschgerl" from the bakery after a holiday in South Tyrol, this brings a piece of it home. The Paarl is also a lovely idea as a gift for a snack evening with friends. Smaller and made from pure rye flour are the Vinschger Minis. Made from pure rye flour, also as a double flatbread, is the Original Ultner Brot. You can find all baked goods from the Ultental Valley on our Ultner Brot page. It contains gluten from rye. It is not suitable for those with a gluten intolerance.
Two loaves of rye bread with sourdough and blue fenugreek – the "Vinschgerl" from the Ultental Valley for Speck, cheese, and buttered bread.
