Alpe Pragas Chutney – Raspberry Mostarda and Balsamic Vinegar

Alpe Pragas Chutney Raspberry Mostarda with Balsamic Vinegar is a fruity and spicy combination of aromatic raspberries and balsamic vinegar from Modena, refined with lime puree and chili. Gently cooked with only a little sugar and lemon juice, the natural color and aroma of the ingredients are preserved in the chutney. It pairs perfectly with cream cheese and panna cotta. A single spoon refines homemade salad dressing.

•     a highlight with cheese and cold cuts
•     not only sweet, but also savory and spicy
•     for refining dishes
•     low in sugar
•     no artificial additives
•     no preservatives
•     free from colorings
•     no artificial flavors
•     gluten-free
•     vegan

Alpe Pragas from South Tyrol has long been known for its excellent fruit spreads, some of which are made with fruits from their own cultivation. In 2001, they decided to delve into exotic flavors and create a line of chutneys that would do justice to both local fruits and the exotic history of chutney. In collaboration with award-winning chef and author of several cookbooks, Gerhard Wieser, sophisticated recipes were developed that have a wide and interesting range of applications.

Stefan Gruber does not produce "Mostarda di frutti" in the classical sense; his mostarde are savory-sweet or sweet-spicy combinations of vegetables, fruits, spices, and mustard powder. His pleasantly spicy mostarde go well with various cheeses, raclette and fondue, cold cuts, or BBQ. They can be used to refine dishes, glaze duck breast or ribs. Thus, they are not only a perfect accompaniment but also an indispensable cooking ingredient. Find your favorite combination, your food pairing match.

Mostarda – a centuries-old Italian tradition

Mustard fruits – Mostarda di frutta are part of Italy's cultural heritage. They were already mentioned in the epic "La Secchia Rapita" (The Stolen Bucket) by A. Tassoni in 1621. At that time, mustard, or "Mostrich" as it was also called, came from France, where it had already become indispensable as a spice in kitchens, to Italy. If you stroll through the shopping streets in Lombardy in Northern Italy today, you will see the colorful mixed fruits hand-layered in huge decorative jars in the display windows of small delicatessens or cheese shops. But they are not just sweet, like candied fruits; no, they are savory, spicy, and hot, which they owe to the mustard powder that is necessary for their production. Mostarda is available in a milder version, as in Cremona or Voghera, but also very spicy, as is traditional in Mantua. All kinds of fruits are used, such as oranges, mandarins, cherries, grapes, apricots, pears, and figs. Probably the best-known manufacturer of mostarda and fig mustard sauce in Germany is the Barbieri company. In terms of consistency, the famous Barbieri sauce, which is served with cheese, is more of a jelly, as the fruits are pureed for it.

But mustard fruits do not only form a dream pairing with cheese; they also belong in the filling of "Tortellini di Zucca," i.e., pasta filled with pumpkin, as well as with Bollito misto. They crown crostini with Parma ham, as well as roast beef or grilled duck breast.

Mostarda Production – a laborious process

First, the ripe fruit is peeled, cored, and cut into small pieces by hand. Then it is mixed with sugar in a 2:1 ratio and left covered for 24 hours. The fruits release juice with the help of the sugar. This juice is then cooked down without the fruits. Afterwards, it is poured back over the fruits to let them steep again, covered, for 24 hours. The next day, the procedure is repeated. On the third day, the fruits are then cooked soft together with the syrup. Only now is the mustard powder or mustard oil added, as it evaporates when heated.