Mushroom season in the Surselva: culinary autumn in Brigels
From the forest to the kitchen at La Val
After the first cooler nights, the forest in Breil/Brigels transforms. Amongst the spruce needles and moss, the caps of porcini mushrooms emerge, while in the sparse larch woods, chanterelles gleam like little suns in the twilight. In the Surselva region, September belongs to the foragers, who set off before first light and return to the village with full baskets.
What the forest has to offer during these weeks also sets the tone for our cuisine. A porcini mushroom soup is accented with a drop of nut oil, whilst a chanterelle risotto achieves its creaminess through patient stirring, whilst retaining the earthy depth of the forest in its flavour. These days, the same forest also brings game to the menu, as the Grisons hunting season opens in early September. Venison and roe deer from the Surselva hunting grounds are braised with juniper and chestnuts until the sauce develops a depth that provides a counterbalance to the lighter mushroom dishes.
To accompany this, our sommelier will tell you about the vineyards near Malans and Jenins, whose wines lend a crisp freshness to the autumnal flavours. The bottles are stored in the Arc de Brigels, a walk-in wine cellar right in the heart of the restaurant, which turns the choice of wine into a highlight of the evening in its own right. Around 70 per cent of the wines on offer are from Switzerland, complemented by selected bottles from beyond the Alps.
Mushroom dishes and game courses are served in our two restaurants, the Ustria Miracla and the Ustria Da Rubi. The ingredients are sourced locally, as our partners are all based in our village, from the Cascharia village dairy to the Gabriel bakery. Our meat specialities come from Mazlaria Schmed, and the honey from beehives in Breil/Brigels. This is what a delightful autumn holiday at La Val Hotel & Spa in Graubünden is all about.
