Say Cheese, Drink Hay
What you must have in Switzerland -from hay soup and roesti to
saltimbocca and fondue
Eating and drinking in Switzerland is a journey through four
different cultures -not surprising for a coun try that borders France in the
west, Germany in the north, Austria and the principality of Liechtenstein in
the east and Italy in the south. Wander into one of the farmer's markets to
sample some of the 450 types of Swiss cheese fresh from the mountains, along
with the local cervelat sausage. Switzerland also has over 200 types of bread,
including varieties from each of the 22 cantons. Try the braided zopf, a soft
bread served with jams, or bündner birnenbrot, a pastry-like loaf loaded with
raisins, nuts and dried fruits. From gooey cheese and velvety chocolates to
wines, air-dried meats, succulent Olma bratwurst sausages, traditional
specialties like chäschüechli (savoury cheese tarts) and biber (a thick
gingerbread cookie filled with marzipan and glazed with honey), the land is a
foodie's delight.
Here are the must-haves >>
Fondue
If there's one dish that celebrates Switzerland, it's the cheese
fondue. For centuries, the Swiss living in the mountains relied on fondue to
satiate their hunger pangs in colder months. Even today, they are quite
traditional with their fondue, sticking to home favourites like Emmental,
Gruyère and Vacherin rather than mixing it up with the foreign cheddar. Dunk
rustic bread and boiled potatoes into melted cheese, which is infused with wine
and garlic and bubbling over an open flame. Pair fondue with wine, schnapps or
tea; it will help in digesting the melted cheese. And don't forget to relish
the crust of cheese that forms at the bottom of the caquelon (fondue pot),
although the Swiss would call it la religieuse, which means “for the nun“.
TIP: Never ask for chocolate fondue. It isn't a traditional
Swiss dish, but a New York invention.
Puff Pastry Pie
Central Switzerland, particularly the city of Lucerne, is famous
for Luzerner chügelipastete -a puff pastry filled with sausage meat balls
doused in white creamy sauce.Dating back to the 18th century, it is one of the
city's specialties and is served as the highlight of the Safran Guild's
(Society of Grocers) annual Bärteli Meal on January 2.The pie is also called
Fritschipastete, after Lucerne's famous carnival figure Fritschi.
Raclette
It is another favourite of cheese lovers. Half a block of cheese
is grilled slowly over a fire until it melts and has a crispy edge. The melted
cheese is scraped off layer by layer onto a pre-warmed plate and served with
gschwellti (jacket potatoes), cocktail gherkins and onions as well as pickled
fruit.
Saltimbocca
with Risotto
The dish, which comes from the Italian-speaking Ticino, is a
quintessential northern Italian dish. It is made from thinly sliced veal
scallopine, sage leaves and Parma ham, and the risotto is made with veal stock,
red wine, saffron and a good amount of butter. Other Ticino favourites are
polenta, marroni (sweet chestnuts), amaretti (small macarons) and gazosa (fizzy
lemonade).
Hay Soup
Hay isn't for cattle. The dried grass is used to prepare a
rather unique soup. While different versions come from the mountainous cantons
of Valais and Graubunden, it is generally prepared with vegetable stock, cream
and butter, with the hay boiled for 30 minutes and strained, just like tea
leaves. Don't be surprised if the soup is presented on a bed of hay and
garnished with meadow flowers.
Roesti
A flat, hot cake made of grated potatoes and panfried until
crisp and golden, roesti is one of Switzerland's iconic dishes and a must-have
if you are visiting the German-speaking part. The dish is bound by nothing
other than the starch in the potatoes and is served in many variations. The
most popular combination is with bratwurst (German sausage) and onion gravy.
Engadine Nut
Tart
It is a must-try dessert made from buttery pastry with a filling
of cream, caramel, honey and walnuts. An absolute classic.
Shikha Shah
ETM 2JUL17
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