I am about to eat Michelin-starred food in a humble mountain hut 2,000 metres above sea level. Im still in my ski boots and salopettes but the smiling Alpine waitress doesnt seem to care as she brings over locally sourced suckling pig with potato foam, truffles and sour cream.
The Mesoles Hut, which looks down on the picturesque Italian village of Colfosco, is known for the good quality of its meat, but it has never offered the discerning skier anything like this before.
The ski resort of AltaBadia is made up of a chain of six pretty villages in this region ofnorthern Italy"s Dolomites. South Tyrol can boast 16 Michelin stars impressive considering its area is about the size of Devon but with apopulation half the size.
Open season: Alta Badia has an extensive array of un-crowded runs for novice and advanced skiers
But for the first time, incrediblytasty and sophisticated dishes created by the areas Michelin-ratedchefs are being served up in Alta Badias huts.
They have teamed up with 12 restaurants this seasonto offer cuisine far beyond the usual limp schnitzel and French fryfare offered at your average ski eatery.
The concept is called "a taste for skiing" but it could work the other way round just as well - skiing for taste. But by gosh does it work well.
I like to ski and I like to eat, but Ive never quite found the resort that offers the perfect balance. Yes, you can get high-class cuisine in the mountains in St Moritz and Val dIsere too, but theres something a little flashy and well-trodden about what they have to offer. In Alta Badia something fresh and inspiring is afoot.
From The Mesoles Hut I take a red run under beautiful blue skies to Jimmys Hut at the foot of the Sas Ciampic mountain for some pudding. Chef Anna Matscher from Restaurant Zum Lowen has devised the most delectable of desserts for this homely refuge which Im quick to request.
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Taking a seat on the panoramic terrace I am served Schupfnudel (long potato dumpling) with caramelised apples, vanilla foam, chocolate whirls and apple distillate.
It is utterly delicious. Friendly owner Jimmi (who enjoys a linguistic elasticity to the spelling of his name) Schrott bounds over to see if I liked it. Its a resounding yes from me. Jimmi tells me more about the food to be found in Alta Badia.
Jimmi Schrott, owner of the Jimmy"s Hut and the exquisite schupfnudel dessert
Its a combination of Austrian and Italian cuisine, with local Ladin influences to boot. Ladin people are indigenous to Alta Badia and, although only 8,000 define themselves as such, the influence on the food is strong.
The huts and restaurants offer panicia - a tasty barley soup - and turtres, traditional pancakes filled with spinach and ricotta. It gives the local cuisine a real individuality.
Jimmi, who has a Germanic heritage which is common to this area, says: ;We are proud and passionate about our food. We love that talented chefs are helping us to produce really great dishes for our customers."
Alta Badia ski resort has over 130km of ski runs
Over the course of four days I managed to navigate most of the 130km of ski runs that Alta Badia offers, visiting huts offering an incredibly high standard of cooking. The immediate area around the Santa Croce mountain still in Alta Badia is a gourmet ski tour in itself.
Here eight ski huts two of which are on the Michelin tour serve up local delicacies to die for, including the not-to-be-missed Kaiserschmarren, which is a sweet and fluffy pancake served with cranberry jam and powdered sugar.
In skiing terms Alta Badia suits beginner and intermediate skiers down to the ground with its equal spread of blue and red runs, with just a couple of really challenging black runs thrown in to the bargain.
The beautiful Santa Croce church, built in 1484, is set next to the La Crusc Hut
Queues for the smart and modern system of ski and chair-lifts are almost non-existent meaning you can whip around the slopes covering lots of ground and visiting as many mountain huts as your heart or stomach desires.
Of the six villages in Alta Badia, Colfosco offers the best in accommodation with a decent array of three and four-starred hotels, while Corvara is the apr�s ski heartbeat of the resort dont miss out on the cocktails at the LMurin Bar.
I barely heard a British accent in my time in Alta Badia - its dominated by Italians and Germans - but us Brits really should wake up to what this resort has to offer, which is more than just skiing.
This is a place that offers an unforgettable experience for all those who love winter sports - and fine food, of course.
Travel FactsThe cost of a 7-night stay at Hotel Capella, for a standard room at half board, is priced per person as follows: Shoulder season (until 6 February 2010): €155 p/w; high season (7-13 February 2010): €191 p/p; Carneval period (14-20 February 2010): €195 p/p.
Car hire costs around €60 per day (€420 for the week). A 7-day adult ski pass during the high season costs €239.
The same pass for the shoulder season costs €210. For a full list of prices visit www.dolomitisuperski.com
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