Food in Switzerland
More About the Food in Switzerland…
Switzerland is bordered by Austria, Italy, Germany and France and the culinary specialties from each of these countries have been absorbed into the Swiss kitchen. There is a wide range of local cuisine to choose from besides the national staples. Regional dishes that rely on local ingredients and interesting preparation styles and technique will be sure to delight and there are all kinds of restaurants to choose from, ranging from the Michelin-starred exclusive dining places to mountain hurts that offer simple and hearty dishes.
Swiss cooking is firmly rooted in dairy products and most dishes contain either cheese, cream, butter, milk and/or yoghurt. Swiss specialities include fondue and raclette melted cheese dishes and of course the rosti, the crispy, fried shredded potatoes served with sausages or the like. The Swiss-Germans cook it in butter or lard, while the Swiss-French use oil to fry the potatoes. Cheese fondue is French Switzerland’s star dish where a cast-iron pot is used to heat the cheese and small pieces of meat, bread, vegetables and fruits among other things, are dipped into the melted cheese. The classic style found in Fribourg and the Vaud countryside uses Gruyere and Emmental cheeses while other regions use different alpine cheeses. A winter dish designed to be shared with friends and family, the Swiss also have a ritual to be followed when consuming the fondue which involves using a special long fork to spear the item of choice and twirling it through the cheese. However dropping your bread in the fondue usually means that the drinks are on you so try to not be too vigorous with the dipping!
Other Swiss specialities include the bratwurst, delicious plump grilled veal Swiss hot dogs smothered in onions, topped by mustard and accompanied by fried potatoes. Down this with a glass of cold beer for a memorable meal. Bundnerfleisch is a delicacy in the Grisons area in southeastern Switzerland and is an air-dried beef or ham cut into wafer-thin slices. Veal or Geschnetzlets is also very popular in Switzerland, and perhaps the most famous and delicious method of preparing it is cooking small pieces in white wine sauce with mushrooms. Friture de perchettes, found on most summer menus in the Lake Geneva area is also a tasty gourmet delight with small fillets of fresh perch deep fried in oil. The French-speaking regions have their rotisserie which specializes in grilled food and the brasseries which serves buffet meals at lunchtime. German Switzerland has the Stubli, the rustic dining place that usually specializes in one type of dish.
In Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton south of the Alps, the cuisine is quite different from the rest of Switzerland. Here, the Swiss kitchen is heavily influenced by the northern Italian regions with dinner being an appetizer followed by a first-course that is usually a pasta dish, a second course, often a meat dish, cheese and then a dessert, finally ending with a grappa. The restaurant choices in Ticino range from the classic pizzeria to the trattoria and osteria which offers a smaller choice of dishes. A grotto is where you can dine outdoors or indoors in a cosy rustic tavern.
Wine is one of Switzerland’s best-kept secres as the country consumes 95 per cent of the wine it produces. The best vineyards are those in the cantons of Valais and Vaud, particularly on the sheltered hillsides around Lake Geneva. Valais produces a third of the country’s output and has a diverse range of grapes with the red Dole and the white Fendant being the most popular. From around Lake Geneva come the balanced wines of the Lavaux region, the aromatic wines of the Chablais and the refreshing wines of the La Cote, all excellent white wines that are traditionally served with fondue or drunk as an aperitif. Besides the Dole, other famous reds include the Syrah from the Geneva region, the Merlot from Ticino and Zurich’s Pinot Noir.
