# C_2023078EN.01003101.xml

| 2.3.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 78/31 |
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2.3.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78/31

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Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2023/C 78/12)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within 3 months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Lesachtaler Brot’

PGI-AT-02849 - 3.6.2022

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name

‘Lesachtaler Brot’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Austria

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 2.3. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker’s wares

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Lesachtaler Brot’ PGI is a bread with a mixing ratio of two-thirds rye to one-third wheat flour, to which drinking water, table salt (max. 40 g per kg flour), and bread spices (individual or a blend) – such as caraway seeds (max. 10 g per kg flour), coriander (max. 10 g per kg flour), fennel (max. 10 g per kg flour), anise (max. 10 g per kg flour), linseed (max. 20 g per kg flour) and/or pumpkin seeds (max. 30 g per kg flour) – are added. To allow fermentation to take place, a starter dough referred to as ‘Dampfl’ is added as the raising agent for the rye flour, with yeast being added as the raising agent for the wheat flour.

The bread has the following special properties:

| — | Loaf shape |
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Loaf shape

‘Lesachtaler Brot’ is only baked in the form of a round loaf. The loaf weighs between 500 g and 1 200 g, the small size weighing between 500 g and 799 g and the large between 800 g and 1 200 g. The ‘Eye of Providence’ symbol, consisting of a triangle enclosing an eye-shaped oval and traditionally used in the defined area, is scored on the middle of the upper side of the loaf. This symbol, the uneven curvature and the cracks that form on the upper side of the loaf as it bakes are what give ‘Lesachtaler Brot’ its characteristic appearance.

| — | Crust |
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Crust

Crust thickness varies but the minimum is 0,3 cm. It can vary between 0,3 cm and 0,8 cm in the same loaf. It is crisp and crusty, with a tough, inelastic consistency. It has a light sprinkling of flour and its colour ranges from matt light brown to dark chestnut brown.

| — | Crumb |
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Crumb

The crumb is ivory-coloured, with a loose, moist, elastic yet firm texture and a spicy to strongly aromatic taste. The pore structure is uneven and consists of individual pores more than one millimetre wide.

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

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3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The milling of the grain, mixing of the dough and baking must take place in the defined geographical area.

3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

Packaging in paper bags must take place at the production site in the defined geographical area after the bread has cooled down fully. This is necessary to prevent the loaves from drying out quickly in contact with the air and to preserve the loose texture of the crumb, as well as for food hygiene reasons.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

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4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area where ‘Lesachtaler Brot’ is made is the geographical area of the Lesach Valley, a high Alpine valley in the south-west of Carinthia. It is bounded by the Carnic Alps to the south and by the Lienz Dolomites to the north. It comprises the following areas: the municipality of Lesachtal, the municipality of Untertilliach, the municipality of Obertilliach, the village of Äußerst in the municipality of Kartitsch-Ost, and the villages of Podlanig, St. Jakob, Strajach, Gentschach, Kosta, Passau, Aigen, Nischlwitz and Sittmos in the municipality of Kötschach-Mauthen-West.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The history and repute of bread-baking in the Lesach Valley stretch back into the distant past. The earliest evidence in this regard is linked to Maria Luggau being established as a place of pilgrimage in the 16th century. Bread was not just an important source of energy for the rural population; it was also highly significant in the Christian religious context. This is still evident today, in that the top of every loaf of ‘Lesachtaler Brot’ is scored with the ‘Eye of Providence’ before baking. The frame of an old bread oven dating from the 16th century was found in Liesing during excavations conducted at a former inn. To bring things full circle, a new bakery was built on this spot, and the traditional ‘Lesachtaler Brot’ is now baked there by the community on a regular basis.

The Lesach Valley is heavily influenced by the Alpine surroundings due to its location between the Gailtal Alps, the Lienz Dolomites and the Carnic Alps. The River Gail, which flows through the valley, has carved out a canyon up to 200 m deep, which is not the case in the neighbouring Gail Valley. Thanks to its abundant water resources, the Lesach Valley is known as the ‘valley of the hundred mills’ (Tal der 100 Mühlen). The tradition of using millstones to mill grain goes back to the 16th century with the mills along the Trattenbach watercourse in Maria Luggau. In centuries past, the little valley used to be dotted with watermills. Of the almost 200 wooden watermills that existed in the heyday, five are still standing and operational. These mills were not just used to perform many manual agricultural tasks; they were, above all, used to mill grain for bread-making.

Milling grain in the traditional stone mills (in which millstones are ground together) results in less-refined flour for bread-making. This is what gives the crumb its typical loose, elastic texture. The stone mills also ensure a gentle grinding process, which is undoubtedly important in achieving the special quality of this bread. The grinding speed in these mills is slower than in roller mills, which means that the material being milled is exposed to less heat. It is important for the milling temperature to be low, so that the flour only reaches the required temperature when the sourdough is fermented.

Due to its exposed location, marked by deep watercourses and high mountains, the Lesach Valley was practically cut off from the outside world until the middle of the 20th century. There was no access to electricity in the Lesach Valley until 1962. These circumstances left their mark not only on the history of settlement in the area, but also on the concentration and transfer of local expertise, particularly as regards the art of bread-making. This unique setting meant that being as self-sufficient as possible was an absolute necessity in the valley. Barter and occasional transactions were only possible with a few neighbouring municipalities. Even today, ‘Lesachtaler Brot’ continues to play an important role in the self-sufficiency of the valley’s inhabitants. This is particularly the case when the valley is cut off by snowdrifts.

The local know-how and extensive experience of the bakers are crucial in achieving the quality and unique character of ‘Lesachtaler Brot’. Although grain purchases are allowed on account of the limited growing capacity and unstable production conditions (due to the weather), grain cultivation has also increased again in the Lesach Valley, providing the raw material for the traditional ‘Lesachtaler Brot’. Expertise in bread-making has traditionally been passed down from one generation to the next in the Lesach Valley. For example, natural raising agents continue to be used and the flour used in the process is not milled too finely. As well as using traditional stone mills to ensure a gentle milling process, so that the flour is not exposed to very high temperatures before the sourdough fermentation begins, the millers’ expertise in determining the right milling grade is of the utmost importance. In fact, it is not possible for the milling grade to be machine-controlled/automated in stone mills. It is therefore up to the miller alone to gauge when the milling grade is right.

The reason for the traditional mixing ratio of two-thirds rye flour to one-third wheat flour is that rye has been grown more successfully in the defined geographical area (due to the altitude and soil conditions) and that wheat crops have never been very widespread in the area. Experience has shown that ‘Lesachtaler Brot’ has a longer shelf life due to its higher rye flour content. This know-how that has been handed down, regarding the blending of the types of flour and the two different raising agents used, the baking time required, the amount of wood and the length of time needed to fire the traditional ovens, most of which are not equipped with temperature gauges to determine the right temperature, is still essential in the bread-making process. About half of the ‘Lesachtaler Brot’ produced is baked in the existing wood-fired ovens.

The production of ‘Lesachtaler Brot’ has been listed as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO since 2010. In 2018, the product was distinguished with Presidium status by the Slow Food Movement, as a product of particular value in preserving local ecosystems and regional traditions. Every year since 1983, a village and bread festival has been held on the first weekend of September in Liesing in the Lesach Valley. This festival is not just an opportunity for people to taste and buy ‘Lesachtaler Brot’. There is a whole range of activities focusing on this regional speciality.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://www.patentamt.at/herkunftsangaben/lesachtalerbrot/

It can also be accessed directly via the Austrian Patent Office’s website (www.patentamt.at) by navigating to the following: ‘Marken / Marken anmelden / Herkunftsangaben’ [Trademarks / Apply for Trademarks / Geographical indications]. The text appears under the name of the quality designation.

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

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