Llanquihue Lake is a colonist area. Each ingredient tells us about the efforts of German immigrants, who already began to arrive in these lands in the mid-19th century mixing their European recipes with the products they were cultivating with great effort. Today it is almost impossible to imagine Llanquihue Lake without associating it with hot chocolate and a freshly baked kuchen. Every family and locality have its own formula to prepare the famous kuchen whose recipes have been passed down from family to family and from generation to generation. The flavors of German confectioneries are mixed with local fruits such as Chilean guavas, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, redcurrants, elderberries, black cherries, cherries, walnuts, poppies, plums, apples, and chestnuts. The list of fruit does not end with those mentioned above, but on the contrary: new ones are constantly being added to find the perfect flavor. Kuchen, cakes, berlines, and freshly baked bread with homemade jams, cold meats, and hams are part of the succulent "onces alemanas" (German tea time) that you can enjoy in any town and even along the Interlagos route (especially between Puerto Varas, Ensenada, and Frutillar, Puerto Octay).
When it comes to dishes and ingredients, the Llanquihue basin has something for everyone: German roast (accompanied by good apple puree and roasted potatoes), boiled red cabbage, wild boar meat and lamb testicles, goose, or duck with the typical klösse (boiled dumplings) or spätzle (noodles), are part of the homemade preparations, which can be found in different food establishments in Puerto Varas, Llanquihue, Frutillar, Puerto Octay, among other places. The production of cured meats and delicatessen is even now one of the stars in the area. It is still possible to buy cold meats made according to old recipes, among which we highlight those of Cecinas Llanquihue and Nueva Braunau. Longanizas, smoked cured meats, chorizo sausages, pâtés, and all kinds of meats, even previously marinated, are some of the products you can find even in small family-owned factories. And how can we forget the beer? The area has a wide variety of traditional producers, who come together to display their delicious beverages at festivals such as the Bierfest in Llanquihue and Prosit Fest in Puerto Varas, events that take place during January.
