On the way from flour to bread or elaborately decorated tortes, craftsmanship and creativity are required. At the Erlachmühle, the mill in the town of Mondsee, the young miller and pastry chef Antonia Wieneroither makes cakes from wheat flour, while her brother August uses fine rye flour for the bread he bakes in a wood-fired oven.
Baking brings joy! The Wieneroither family agrees about this. The 83-year-old grandmother still gets up at four in the morning to help the family make the natural sourdough starter, which is mixed with flour from their own mill, salt, and water and makes the bread so wonderfully moist.
The rye comes from the fields of Austria's Mühlviertel and Waldviertel regions. While he is kneading the dough, August Wieneroither has time to think about how he could improve the workflow in the production, before he slides the loaves into the wood-fired oven, which burns local spruce. “I’m the thinker and optimiser of the family, which doesn’t always make me popular, at least initially,” he says with a grin.
His younger sister Antonia, on the other hand, prefers to lose herself in the world of tortes and cakes in the farm kitchen. She worked in the confectionary at Hotel Sacher in Salzburg, where she completed her training as a master pastry chef, and dipped the famous Mozartkugeln in chocolate at Konditorei Fürst. “I especially enjoy decorating display tortes. I’m inspired by seasonal fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, colours, and forms. I can try out things, make models myself, and also make mistakes,” she laughs.
She makes cakes for festive occasions, while the snack bar at the Erlachmühle offers classic Austrian sweets ranging from apricot cake, plum cake, and apple strudel to Gugelhupf and Sachertorte—all homemade, of course. “At our snack bar, I can see exactly what is popular with the guests. I never run out of ideas. I would soon like to make ice cream and offer baking classes as well.”
“My father convinced me to follow in his footsteps and become a miller. I was not that thrilled about it at the beginning because I was not at all interested in the whole technical aspect and the machines. All of the theory in the books would have driven me to despair if my father hadn’t shown me exactly how the work is done in the mill.”
“The challenge with milling flour and baking is maintaining a constant level of quality. I mill my own flour for my cakes and tortes. In the future, I could even imagine grinding cocoa beans to make chocolate.”
“The mill rattles by the rushing stream”, which it has been doing by the Zeller Ache in Mondseeland for 600 years. From the town of Mondsee, it is an easy half-hour hike along the Zeller Ache through the Helenental to the Erlachmühle.
It is one of Austria’s oldest mills still in operation, and today, three generations live there. Antonia, her brother August, or their father August Wieneroither take visitors through the demonstration mill and explain how the grain is milled into fine flour and fresh bread is baked in a wood-fired stove.
After the tour, the crisp, moist bread is served with a “Brettljause”, a snack of cold meats and cheeses, in the mill's parlour or the garden. In the display case are Antonia’s cakes and tortes, ready to be enjoyed—accompanied by the peaceful splashing of the millstream and the crisp, tangy air. The Erlachmühle is a place to kick back and relax.
These three restaurants feature regional dishes of the highest quality, and the exact sources of the products are listed on their menus.
Gasthof Drachenwand is 500 years old and has been lovingly restored in Salzkammergut style. It is located right by the Drachenwand cliffs with views of the Mondsee.
The Achingerwirt has been operating since 1854. It is popular with its guests for its contemporary take on traditional dishes.
Restaurant Krone features a garden for outdoor dining and room for celebrations in the historic town of Mondsee, right near the lake promenade.
Love at first sight: anyone visiting the Salzkammergut is fascinated by its bewitching scenic beauty. Lush pastures, dense forests, and crystal-clear lakes alternate before an imposing mountain backdrop. And in between are placid towns and villages with traditional handcrafts.
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