International Food: Swiss food

Basic food items:

Food, ingredients and the way to prepare it varies greatly all over the country. Generally speaking, basic food items include a huge selection of bread (white, whole wheat etc.), dairy products such as milk, yogurt, butter and - of course - a great variety of the world famous Swiss cheese. Also important are vegetables including beans, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, spinach etc. Sausages and meat - mainly veal, beef, pork, chicken or turkey - are served in many different ways: grilled, cooked, sliced or cut. Side dishes include French fries, rice, potatoes and different types of pasta. Fruits are available from all over the world, locally grown fruits include apples, pears, grapes and different types of berries, such as black berries, blueberries, raspberries, red currants and strawberries. Finally, there are a lot of sweets, including the second type of food that Switzerland is world famous for: Swiss chocolate.

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What do people eat and drink:

In Switzerland, breakfast typically includes bread, butter or margarine, marmalade or honey, maybe some cheese or cereals, plus milk, cold or hot chocolate, tea or coffee.
Lunch may be as simple as a sandwich or a birchermüesli or it could be a complete meal.
Depending on what people had for lunch, dinner can be a full main course or just some bread, cheese, maybe some dried meat or any other light meal.
Drinks range from plain water, over different types of soft drinks including most internationally well known brands plus some local products, to a great variety of beers and wines. Hot drinks include many different flavors of tea and coffee.
Create the right ambience

Swiss people do not only love good food, they also appreciate a beautiful decorated table, like the table shown on the left, decorated for a Christmas dinner.

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Bürli (small bread)

Bürli are small breads served for breakfast or at BBQ parties.

Recipe

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Dreikönigskuchen (Epiphanies cake)

Dreikönigskuchen (Epiphanies cake) is a special cake served on January 6 ("Dreikönigstag", Epiphanies day)

Recipe

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Zopf (bread)

There are dozens of types of bread in Switzerland. However Zopf is a very special bread, typically served on Sunday for breakfast.

Recipe

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Birchermüesli

"Birchermüesli" was invented around 1900 by Dr. Bircher, a pioneer of the biological health medicine and an early promoter of unprocessed food that retains its full nutritional value ("Vollwertkost").

Recipe and history

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Fondue

This is probably the most famous swiss menu. Fondue is made out of molten cheese. We eat it by dipping small pieces of bread in the molten cheese. The secret lies in the right mixture of different flavors of cheese. Typically, fondue is served on cold winter days, but many restaurants serve it all your round.

Recipe

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Pastetli (Meat pie)

Pastetli usually come in a round shape. The picture on the left shows a very special shape, perfectly suited for a romantic dinner for two. There are different styles of fillings, it may include mushrooms and meat on a creamy sauce. They are usually served with rice and peas.

Recipe (with mushrooms)

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Rippli (Rips)

Rippli means, rips taken from pork. In the region of Bern, it is served with bacon, beans and potatoes.

Recipe

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Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is a very traditional menu. There are dozens of different recipes for Sauerkraut, some include potatoes or meat.

Recipe

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Teigwaren (Pasta), Vegetarian menu

Pasta tri colori (three colors) in the colors of the italian flag red, white and green with vegetables.

Recipe

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Wurstsalat (Sausage Salad)

This is a perfect meal on a hot summer day. Often, it is served with bread and ice tea or beer.

Recipe

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Zürcher Eintopf (Hot-pot Zürich style)

Meat and vegetables are all served in the same pot.

Recipe

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Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (cut meat Zürich style)

While it is possible to use any type of meat to prepare this menu, the real Zürcher Geschnetzeltes is made with cut veal. Traditionally, it comes with hashed potatoes, but it could also be served with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes.

Recipe

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Apfelküchlein (Deep fried apple cookie)

"Apfelküchlein" (deep fried apple cookie) taste great either warm or cold, with or without vanilla sauce.

Recipe

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Basler Leckerli (Basel cookies)

These are very special cookies made with lots of honey - very sweet, they taste just wonderful ...

Recipe

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Brunsli (Swiss brownies, Christmas treat)

"Brunsli" (Swiss brownies) also a traditional Swiss Christmas treat.

Recipe

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Chräbeli (Anise cookies, Christmas treat)

"Chräbeli" (Anise cookies) also a traditional Swiss Christmas treat.

Recipe

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Fasnachtsküchlein (Carnival cookies)

"Fasnachtsküchlein" (Carnival cookies) - also known as "Chnüblätz" ("knee cookies") - are traditional cookies served during carnival season. Carnival festivities usually take place in February throughout Switzerland. Some towns are very famous for their carnival parades, the most famous takes place in Basel city. Carnival in Switzerland is similar to Mardi Gras in the USA.

Recipe

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Mailänderli (Milano cookies, Christmas treat)

There are many different Christmas treats in Switzerland, "Mailänderli" (Milano cookies) are amongst the most famous.

Recipe

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Nusstorte (Nut cake)

There are different recipes for "Nusstorte" (nut cake), the most famous is probably the one from the Engadina (a well known valley in the canton Graubünden).

Recipe

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Rüebli Kuchen (Carrot cake)

In the opinion of our kids, this is the best way to serve carrots. It could be made as a cake - as shown here - or even more often as a pie. Often, it is decorated with little carrots made out of marzipan.

Recipe

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Schokolade Kuchen (Chocolate cake)

This is my personal favorite - a real dream come true when prepared by my wife. We call it "spider web pie" ...

Recipe

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Schwabenbrötli (Swabia cookies)

"Schwabenbrötli" (Swabia cookies) are another traditional Christmas treat.

Recipe

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Zimtsterne (Cinnamon cookies, Christmas treat)

"Zimtsterne" (Cinnamon cookies) are another traditional, very delicious Christmas treat.

Recipe

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Magenbrot (sweet pieces of bread)

"Magenbrot" sweet pieces of bread, often sold at street faires ("Chilbi") etc.

Recipe