True South Tyroleans eat five meals a day: breakfast, the mid-morning snack “Holbmittog” also called “Nein(d)ern”, lunch, the afternoon snack Marende and dinner. The mountain farmers are in the stables by 5:00 am, so it’s not surprising that they are hungry again at 9:00 o’clock and sit down their Nein(d)ern, their “niner”. The physical work means that another refreshment is needed in the afternoon: the Marende.
The South Tyrolean afternoon snack Marende traditionally consists of South Tyrolean Speck cured ham, Schüttelbrot flat-bread and a glass of wine, preferably
Vernatsch. It also includes a Kaminwurz sausage and South Tyrolean cheese. Today the Marende is still a daily tradition among farmers and is found on the menu in Alpine huts and restaurants.