Alex | The herbalist | in love with the taste of wild plants

This interview with Alexandra Klein from Die Kräutermadame is part of a series of interviews with women who feel as connected to nature as I do. I speak to different women and their approach to nature and life.

Alex Klein - the herbal lady

Wild herb cuisine and fermentation | the herbal lady

Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about yourself and your career? Where are you from?

My name is Alexandra Klein and I call myself the herbal lady.

I come from beautiful Salzburg and am a city child, so to speak. However, I spent my holidays every year with my grandparents in Lungau or Pinzgau.
Today I live with my husband and my two children on the outskirts of Salzburg at the foot of the Untersberg. We are lucky to live between mountains, lakes and beautiful forests and meadows.

Alexandra Klein | the herbalist

What job did you learn?

I am a trained cook and have fallen more and more in love with the taste of wild plants. I not only enjoy preparing food and experimenting with herbs, but also collecting and discovering them.

I have been working in top gastronomy for over 13 years and have been able to turn my passion into my profession for the last 3 years. As a so-called wild herb representative, I collect these and then process them in the kitchen, where they are fermented, pickled, dried and much more. For the last 3 years I have been growing so-called microgreens for the Hangar 7 kitchen.

Have you always been interested in nature and herbs?

I learned a lot about wild fruits, mushrooms and old recipes from my grandmother. At the time, I didn't realize that this knowledge was something special. My mom is a real mountain enthusiast and so, even as a little girl, I spent a lot of time in the mountains and in nature.

Alexandra Klein | the herbalist

You work with herbs and wild plants - why do you do that?

My passion is cooking with wild herbs; edible wild plants have always fascinated me. For me, the culinary aspect is even more important than the health aspect. Although the health aspect is not to be underestimated; wild plants are so much healthier than our conventional vegetables and fruit.

As Hippocrates once said: “Let your medicine be your food.”

Fermentation plays an important role in my workshops. I teach herbal cooking at the TEH in Unken and give workshops on the topic of kombucha and water kefir meets wild herbs.

Where does your love for herbs and wild plants come from?

I think the love for herbs and wild plants lies dormant in each of us, we just have to discover it. Once it is awakened, it never leaves us.

Alexandra Klein | the herbalist

Why do you want to pass on your knowledge in workshops and courses?

I have been working specifically on kombucha and water kefir for the past few years. I have read countless books, attended seminars and continued my education. My training at a wellness and gastronomy school made things a lot easier for me. Some of it was already included in the curriculum at the time. I would like to share this knowledge and passion for wild herbs with other people. I would like to infect them with my enthusiasm for ferments and encourage them to brew and enjoy them themselves.

You use wild herbs in the kitchen - why is that important to you?

It is important to me to create a balance between culinary delights and everyday food. Everyone should be able to integrate wild herbs into their everyday life in just a few easy steps. That would be the goal.

Alexandra Klein | the herbalist

What does a “normal” day look like for you?

During the week I take the children to kindergarten and school. Then I go to work in Hangar 7. There I take care of the micro greens and then go and collect wild herbs if necessary.

At lunchtime I pick up the children and cook for them. After that it's family time and we have all sorts of things to do. In the evening, after I've put the children to bed, it's herb time. I experiment, read and am creative.

Do you enjoy being in nature?

Yes, of course, because it is in nature that I can relax, discover and learn new things every day.

Do you also have a special favorite place or place of power - where do you like to be the most?

Hmmm, that's difficult, but if I could choose a place, I would be in Lungau, in the forest where I was as a child. That's where the best places for chanterelles are.

Alexandra Klein | the herbalist

Do you have a recipe for us that we can easily recreate even as “inexperienced” people and that you also like to make for yourself?

Yes gladly…

This recipe can be made with both wild meadow sage and sage from the herb garden.

Fluffy sage butter

Ingredients:

250g butter

A bunch of sage leaves or 2 hands of meadow sage flowers

Salt, pepper, chilli flakes

Temper the butter and beat it with a whisk. Then fold in the finely chopped sage. Season to taste with salt, pepper and chilli.

If you want, you can roll the butter in cling film and freeze it. However, it tastes best when freshly whipped. You can use both the leaves and the flowers. If you want to keep the butter purple, you should only use the flowers.

Ideal for grilling. A fine spicy aroma goes perfectly with dark meat, but also with grilled mushrooms.

Nature, herbs, but also sustainability and organic are very much on trend these days - why do you think that is?

I think it's because we're thinking more and more about the future of our planet. We want our children and grandchildren to be able to experience the world as we did, with all its biodiversity and beautiful nature.

A sustainable and conscious lifestyle can certainly change a lot.