National cuisine of Switzerland. Swiss cuisine - features of national dishes National dish of Switzerland

Switzerland is a country that combines several cultures at once: Italian, German, French. This significantly influenced the traditions of cooking. Residents of Switzerland eat various dairy products in large quantities - cottage cheese, butter, milk, cheese. Their diet consists of meat, various fish, grains and legumes. Depending on the area, preference is given to certain products. Today we want to introduce you to the most popular national dishes of Switzerland.

A bit about Swiss cuisine

The local cuisine is famous for its diversity. This is associated with the ethnic composition of the population living in this territory, and the influence of the countries bordering it: France, Austria, Italy, Germany. In addition, a large assortment of dishes is associated with the fact that agriculture is traditionally practiced here.

It should be noted that all products produced in the country are of high quality, natural taste without harmful additives. In Switzerland, there is a special organization that issues certificates for the best products. This category of goods is awarded the prestigious quality mark - AOC or IGP.

In the first place among the traditional ones is fondue: this is the name for melted cheese (necessarily hard varieties) with wine and seasonings. A piece of bread is released into this mass on a long fork. Fondue is prepared directly during a meal, while the container with cheese is constantly warming up. This is done so that the cheese does not freeze. During the meal, all participants in the feast sit around the fondue pot (kakelon).

Pleasure bowler

The Swiss are distinguished by their great love for cheese. Today we will talk about how to cook cheese fondue with wine. To prepare it, we need:

• 30 ml of cherry vodka;
• 200 g of Emmental and Gruyère cheese (gouda can be replaced);
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 200 ml white wine (dry);
• salt pepper;
• nutmeg.

We place the cheese mass in a fondue pot on a minimum fire for 5 minutes, do not forget to stir with a whisk. The ideal option for serving fondue in a caquelon, but a ceramic bowl or a cast-iron cauldron is also suitable for this. You can dip anything into the melted cheese mass: fried shrimp, small cubes of bread, slices of baked potatoes.

Today Swiss fondue has a wider meaning. Many types of this dish have been created, which are prepared using other technologies and recipes:

• rustic fondue - the dish is fried meat with potatoes, which is poured with melted cheese;
• Burgundy fondue - boiled meat with spices and cheese;
• chicken fondue - chicken fillet stewed in a creamy sauce;
• chocolate fondue - melted chocolate with almonds and honey, in which various fruits, waffles, bread, cookies are dipped.

There are also not quite ordinary fondue options - from ice cream and blueberries.

Cheese dishes

Due to the fact that cheese is perhaps the most favorite product in Switzerland, national dishes with the inclusion of this product in them are deservedly popular. These include:

• raclette;
• Swiss meat;
• reshti;
• swiss cheese soup

Raclette

Another national dish of Switzerland, which is made from melted cheese, is called raclette. The main ingredient is boiled potatoes (often in uniform), as well as pickled cucumbers and melted cheese. The peculiarity of its preparation is that the cheese is placed next to a heat source, and then the molten mass is scraped off the surface, served with gherkins, potatoes, onions.

Reshti

Swiss potato rashti in appearance and taste resemble our pancakes or potato pancakes, but sprinkled with grated cheese. Very often in Switzerland they are served for breakfast. In order to prepare this unusually tasty dish, we need:

• 800 g potatoes (raw);
• salt pepper;
• 80 g cl. butter (melted).

For fish paste:

• 150 g cream cheese;
• 200 g smoked salmon;
• 4 chives.

Coarsely grate raw potatoes, add salt and pepper, knead. In a saucepan with plums. Butter spread small and fry for four to five minutes on each side.

Serve ready-made reshti with fish paste prepared as follows: combine all the listed components, beat well into a homogeneous mass. This dish, which has an exquisite combination, will be a great addition to a family breakfast.

First meal

Quite interesting options for first courses can be seen among the national dishes in Switzerland. All of them have a refined taste and can be included in the menu of a social event. Among them are:

• Ticinese busecco soup with giblets;
• vegetable minestrone soup;
• barley soup from Grisons;
• flour stew from Basel.

barley soup

Interestingly, barley is considered one of the first cultivated crops. In addition, the grain is well stored and does not deteriorate for a long time. That is why this grain crop has a strong position in the food industry. All over the world there are a huge number of variations of soups with barley. We offer you a recipe for Swiss barley soup. The dish turns out to be very rich, thick, at home it is considered winter, because it helps to quickly warm up after a long winter walk. For work we need:

• 300 g beef (smoked);
• 2.5 liters of beef broth;
• ¾ st. barley (barley);
• 3 celery stalks with leaves;
• one medium carrot;
• 15 cm leek (white part);
• 1 medium onion;
• 2 potatoes;
• 200 g cabbage (white);
• 1 tbsp sl. oils;
• 30 g olive. oil;
• peppercorns;
• salt;
• carnation;
• lavrushka.

We wash the barley well, soak for 4-5 hours in water. Then we wash again and cook until tender, on average it will take half an hour. Let's start cooking vegetables: chop celery and leeks, chop carrots and onions not too large, chop potatoes into cubes, traditionally cabbage into strips. In a saucepan, fry the carrots and onions in a mixture of oils for no more than 2 minutes. Add leek, celery and potatoes to them and fry for the same amount of time. Add cabbage and fry for a couple more minutes.

According to the original Swiss recipe, raw veal leg, barley, water in the amount of 2 liters are added to vegetables, everything is boiled for an hour and a half. If you do not want to boil vegetables for so long, the broth can be cooked in advance. Add smoked meat (thinly sliced) to the finished soup.

Main courses

Among the national dishes of Switzerland, they stand in a special place. They are prepared from beef, pork, chicken. The Swiss pay due attention to fish products. What dishes of national cuisine should be tasted? We recommend:

• Burns Platter - fried pieces of pork with sauerkraut or beans;
• knakerli - spicy sausages with spices and sauce;
• geschnetzeltes - this is the name of narrow strips of fried veal meat with herbs, mushrooms and sauce;
• leberwurst - smoked sausages made from liver and lard;
• bundenfleisch - beef jerky with onions (salted).

Geschnetzeltes

Let's say right away that the classic version of this dish includes veal. But in the modern world, they cook it from chicken, pork and even beef. For this recipe, the veal must be fried very quickly over high heat: this is necessary so that it cannot release the juice. Let's take:

• 600 g of veal (fillet);
• 200 ml of dry wine (preferably white);
• 50 g of onion;
• 200 ml cream;
• 15 g flour;
• parsley;
• lemon zest from ¼ tsp;
• pepper, salt;
• 2 tbsp. l. sl. oils.

Fry the meat very quickly over high heat and keep it warm. In the same oil, fry the finely chopped onion, add flour to it, mix, pour in the wine and evaporate by half. Add cream, zest, parsley, salt and pepper. We put warm meat, boil a little, but do not let it boil. Serve with potato rashti. Mushrooms can be added to the recipe if desired.

Meringue: what is it?

I would like to note that confectionery products are presented in a huge assortment in Swiss cuisine. In the first place, of course, is the well-known one. By the way, it is estimated that on average each Swiss eats more than 12 kg of this product per year. A little later, we will present you with Swiss meringues and a recipe for preparation. But first, let's talk about the most popular desserts:

• Leckerli - gingerbread from Basel, honey gingerbread;
• brunsli - the so-called chocolate chip cookies, with the addition of almonds;
• kyukhli - any sweet pies;
• muesli - with apples, nuts, raisins (it is believed that this dish was invented in Switzerland).

What is meringue? This is the name of the protein custard. If it is prepared in compliance with technological requirements, then it turns out to be airy, shiny, delicate, smooth, able to keep its shape well and be easily deposited using a confectionery syringe or bag.

Finished confectionery products made from this mass turn out to be unusually beautiful, embossed. After some time, a light and very thin crust appears, it dries up, and a soft airy cream remains inside.

They are used to decorate cupcakes and muffins, in addition, they are used to layer biscuit cakes and to decorate products. When baked in the oven over low heat, a magnificent meringue cake is obtained. Swiss meringues are made by steeping egg whites in a fairly hot sugar syrup. As a result, the egg white is disinfected, and the structure of the cream becomes denser.

The national cuisine of Switzerland has absorbed the best culinary traditions of Italian, French and German cuisines. After all, these countries are the closest neighbors. The main components of the local cuisine are cheese, milk, meat, eggs, butter, flour and spices. It is worth noting that all these products are of the highest quality, natural, fresh and without harmful additives. There is even a special organization in the country that issues certificates for the best Swiss products, which are awarded the prestigious quality mark - IGP or AOC. Such genuinely folk products include Grisons jerky, cheesy raclette, Welsh rye bread, bratwurst fried pork sausages, Vaud sausages and many others.

The main business card of Swiss cuisine , considered cheese and sour-milk products. There are over 150 types of cheese in this small country. The most famous - " Emmental, Gruyère, Appenzellern, Piora, Vascherin, Schabziger« and others. And the most famous Swiss dish is fondue. Several types of cheese are melted in boiling white wine and various spices are added. This dish is served hot with small pieces of white bread, which are dipped in a mixture and washed down with white wine. This is a classic version of fondue. Sometimes they cook right on the table, in one pot for the whole company.

In recent years, Swiss fondue has taken on a broader meaning. There are many types of this dish, which are prepared according to completely different technologies and recipes. For example:

• “chicken fondue” - chicken fillet stewed in a creamy sauce;
• « rustic fondue"- fried meat with potatoes, filled with melted cheese;
• « burgundy fondue» — boiled meat with cheese and spices;
• « chocolate fondue"- melted chocolate with honey and almonds, in which fruits, waffles, cookies, bread are dipped.

And even such unusual options - "blueberry fondue" and " ice cream fondue".

There are also other cheese dishes that are well-deservedly popular. Be sure to try:

• "raclette" - boiled potatoes (sometimes in uniform) with melted cheese and crispy pickled cucumbers;
• « swiss cheese soup» with fried crackers;
• Swiss meat, generously sprinkled with grated cheese; scrambled eggs in a water bath with cheese;
• Röshti - fried flatbread made from boiled potatoes (reminiscent of our pancakes), sprinkled with cheese.

As a first course, Swiss cuisine will offer you:

• minestrone vegetable soup
• « Graubünden barley soup,
• Ticinese soup "Busecco" with giblets,
• "Flour stew from Basel".

For the second, you should try:

• “geshnetzeltes” - narrow strips of fried veal with mushrooms, herbs and sauce;
• "Bernes Platter" - fried pork with beans, or sauerkraut;
• Bundenfleisch - beef jerky with salted onions;
• knakerli - spicy sausages with sauce and spices;
• Leberwurst - smoked liver and lard sausage;
• "Krepfli" - puff pastry with various fillings.

Did not ignore Swiss cuisine, sweet tooth. First of all, it is the famous Swiss chocolate. Every Swiss eats over 12 kilos of chocolate a year. Also, try:

• Lekerli - honey gingerbread; gingerbread from Basel;
• "kyukhli" - sweet pies;
• brunsli - chocolate chip cookies with almonds;
• "zuger-kirshtorte" - puff pastry with a sweet filling;
• "muesli" with nuts, apples and raisins (by the way, this dish was invented in Switzerland).

From soft drinks, the Swiss prefer coffee, milk, fruit juices, hot chocolate. Beer "Samichlaus" is popular, with a strength of up to 14%. Swiss wines are great too. Ferdan, Lavu, Coron, Dol, Johanniober, Lamey and others. Of the stronger drinks - " kirsch" (cherry vodka), "pflumli" (plum brandy), "williams" (pear brandy).
Welcome to hospitable Switzerland and bon appetit to all!

Lyubov and Maxim Kushtuev answered 10 of our questions about culinary and national cuisine of Switzerland.

Lyuba, Max, hello. How long have you been cooking? Where did this hobby begin?

MK: My path to the kitchen was paved by my mother, grandmothers and aunts in early childhood. Being raised on homemade delights and delicacies, I simply had to someday start cooking on my own. How can you walk past the kitchen when the smells of baking come from there or the mixer hums enticingly? In addition, if you don’t go into the kitchen, you won’t get something tasty before the rest!

OK: I have a completely opposite situation. I am a catering kid. Up until my last year of university, my main food outlets were canteens and buffets. By the way, I don’t see anything wrong with them - this is also a whole culture and often excellent chefs work there. My mother cooks very well, but categorically does not like to do this. It is not surprising that cooking seemed to me hard work, something forced and certainly not creative. A kind of "obligation", which I avoided with all my might. But one day I decided that I still needed to learn basic cooking skills, bought the simplest cookbook and started cooking from it. The fascination of the process exceeded all expectations and gradually cooking became a kind of meditation, a break from work, paradoxically as it may seem. So, gradually, step by step, the first recipes came out of the usual cooking “for myself”, which I was not ashamed to show. First we opened our website, then we started offering recipes to magazines.

How did your interest in cooking turn into a passion for Swiss cuisine?

OK: Well, firstly, Swiss cuisine is far from the only thing that interests us in cooking. But, indeed, this topic is one of the most beloved. First of all, because we live in this country. Its atmosphere, culture and traditions surround us every day. The more we dive into them, the wider, deeper and richer Switzerland itself seems to us. Personally, I do not really understand people who move to live abroad, but at the same time refuse to assimilate in a new environment, do not want to learn the language, and are not interested in the traditions of the country. When life gives you the opportunity to expand your horizons and touch the culture of another state, it is foolish not to use it. And it does not matter whether we are talking about Switzerland, Mongolia, Cameroon or some other corner of the world.

MK: Despite the fact that Geneva has practically become our second home, we have always been and remain Russian people. We love our country very much and especially Moscow, our hometown. From this point of view, it is even more interesting for us to study Swiss cuisine, to find common features with Russian, to compare the habits of our peoples, to find out how Russians and Swiss perceive the same ingredient in different ways. For example, in Russia, carrots are put in soups, salads and stews. And here it is often used in sweet pastries. But pears and apples - on the contrary, are frequent guests in hot savory dishes.

« Swiss cuisine. Not only recipes» - your first book. Tell us more about it: how did you get the idea to write a book on this topic?

MK: And the main reason was that the cuisine of Switzerland is very poorly covered in the Russian book industry, there are also not so many good, correct and truly Swiss recipes in Runet. Often there are frank "blunders". For example, it is recommended to add water to cheese fondue, and one of the books generally calls fondue "a kind of omelette." We recently heard on television that there are four (or even six) cantons in Switzerland that speak Italian. Such disinformation is taken at face value by most and wanders from one source to another, multiplies and takes root. After looking at all this, we decided that it was time to put an end to such injustice.

What is the most unusual thing about Swiss cuisine?

OK: From the point of view of our man, there is practically nothing unusual in Swiss culinary traditions. All products are familiar to us, and most are truly loved and familiar from childhood. By comparison, the same Chinese or Japanese cuisine is much more exotic for our tastes. True, the Swiss sometimes have very interesting combinations of products. A few years ago, we had a culture shock when they brought us warm coffee with milk along with fried potatoes "reshti". First thought: “Maybe the waiter mixed something up?” It turned out that no. We ventured to try and were amazed at how harmonious this combination is! And then, having taken up a deeper study of traditions, we found out that reshti or maluns with coffee is the most classic combination. I was also surprised at first that in Swiss cookbooks, soups are recommended to be served with wine, cider or beer as a drink. It would seem, why drink a drink at all? But the answer to many "whys" in Swiss cooking is simple: "That's the way it is."

MK: And it is not customary in Switzerland to drink tea or coffee with desserts. Here is such an oddity: a drink is needed for soup, but not for dessert. If the restaurant does not ask to bring dessert and coffee at the same time, the waiter will never do it. By the way, I have seen such a tradition in many European countries, and it suits me perfectly. But Lyuba cannot eat sweets without tea, she says that it is tasteless separately.

OK: Yes, and tea without sweets is also somehow not very good.

What basic ingredient do you think should always be in the kitchen?

OK: Hmm, it's hard to say something original... Water, of course. Without it, everything else is meaningless. And then, probably, it is most logical to have a constant supply of what you most often use in cooking. Love baking - keep flour, sugar, vanillin. Often fry - stock up on vegetable oil. Our most important consumables are seasonings: dry garlic, nutmeg, a mixture of peppers, etc. We prefer to buy the rest as needed, so that everything is fresh.

MK: And it’s easier for me to translate the question into a slightly different direction - what kind of equipment you can’t do without in the kitchen. Here the list looms very clear - a set of good knives, a measuring cup, and even better, accurate scales, a saucepan and a frying pan. This is the bare minimum we can never do without. Moreover, it is not worth saving on these elements. Almost all the cheap dishes we once bought have already been thrown away. But expensive, high-quality things have been serving for more than one year, and it’s more pleasant to take them in your hands.

Do you have to be a semi-professional chef to cook Swiss Cuisine?

MK: No you! You can also be professional.))) In fact, this book is designed both for a well-versed reader in culinary terms, and for those who are taking their first steps in the kitchen. There are a number of recipes that almost everyone can cook - you just need to carefully read about the cooking process and listen to our recommendations. When we collected materials for the book and prepared dishes, we specifically noted and separately recorded points that could cause difficulties, so that we could then put them in the recipes on a separate line. Sometimes they even adjusted the recipes a little to the conditions of the “average cuisine” in order to remove all the difficulties.

Swiss cuisine is associated with dense food, how true is that?

MK: For the most part, this is true. Swiss cuisine only confirms the well-known rule that any national cuisine originated not in the hands of chefs of expensive restaurants, but in the kitchens of ordinary housewives. So to speak, the path from the peasant table to the feasts of the nobles. Look at Switzerland - a mountainous country with snowy winters, the peasants had to work decently in the summer to provide themselves with supplies, all this determines the nature of the cuisine - hearty, simple and from products available all year round. Here the main products are cheeses, cereals, potatoes, pasta, cured meats, wines and so on. But still, I would not say that the cuisine of this country is quite so harsh - remember at least airy meringues or delicate cream sabayon, dishes from lake or river fish. As in any cuisine, there is also a certain balance.

Soon the New Year, this book will help in preparing the festive table?

OK: Undoubtedly. Among the recipes there are many dishes that are perfect for a solemn family feast. Here are just a few examples: Genevan chicken fricassee with porcini mushrooms, Ticinese veal rolls, carrot cake, gingerbread leckerli and, of course, mulled wine. And if you plan to celebrate the New Year in the country in a friendly company, then it is impossible to come up with a better dish than fondue. All it requires is white wine, cheese and bread. Just imagine: there is snow outside the window, and at home you have a big pot of boiling cheese!

MK: If you are planning to cook fondue, please read our recommendations carefully. Our experience shows that there are a lot of misconceptions about this dish in the world. That is why in our book fondue and raclette are devoted a little more pages than other specialties, from the basics to little tricks.

Is this book fundamentally different from other publications? If yes, why?

MK: A hint of the unusualness of the book is contained in its subtitle: "not only recipes", it really goes beyond a simple collection of recipes, as it also contains a lot of useful or useless, but always entertaining information about the country. Each chapter begins with a story about a particular region of Switzerland. The purpose of this country study part is to create an alpine mood for the reader, to help understand why this or that dish is prepared in the way it is, what story is behind the recipe. We also tried to fit in the book as many photos of the country's natural beauties, cities, villages, mountains, lakes, waterfalls as possible. After all, after a long and intense walk, the appetite is even better!

Have you been able to convey everything in this edition or should we expect a new book?

OK: Does anyone seriously think that Swiss cuisine is limited to seventy-odd recipes? With this book, we only lifted the veil of some delicious mystery, so to speak, opened the door to the whole culinary universe. Today, there are more than one and a half thousand recipes of Swiss cuisine in our piggy bank, and stocks are only replenished every day. So there are a lot of plans and ideas for the continuation, and we have already started working on their implementation. Rest only in our dreams!

We offer you to join the real Swiss cuisine right now. Try to cook chicken fricassee according to the recipe of the authors.

Chicken fricassee in Geneva

The inhabitants of Geneva have always loved deliciously cooked poultry. Of course, this predilection is due to the direct proximity of the canton to France, namely, to the main center of French poultry farming, the city of Bresse, the birthplace of the famous Bresse chickens. Chicken fricassee, or, more simply, a type of stew, is another vivid example of the influence of French culinary traditions on Swiss cuisine.

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1.3 kg
• Dry white wine - 200 ml
• Onion - 300 g
• Potato - 700 g
• White mushrooms - 150 g
• Chicken broth - 100 ml
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Butter - 150 g
• Fresh basil, rosemary, parsley
• Salt, freshly ground black pepper.

Cooking:

Melt 60 g of butter in a deep (preferably cast-iron) pan and fry finely chopped onion on it until transparent. Cut the chicken into portions and place on top of the onion. Add basil and two crushed garlic cloves. Pour in the white wine and broth, cover and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.

Cut the potatoes into cubes with a 2 cm edge. In the meantime, melt another 60 g of butter in a separate pan, put the potatoes in the pan with rosemary, salt, pepper and fry until half cooked for 10 minutes.

Saute the mushrooms with the remaining garlic, butter and parsley in a small skillet over high heat for 10 minutes. Season to taste.

Transfer the fried chicken to a spacious baking dish, put the potatoes around and spread the mushrooms on top. Cook in the oven at 190°C for about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes.

Quantity: 7 portions.

Swiss cuisine combines the best culinary traditions of France, Italy and Germany, as well as simple and hearty local dishes, the recipes of which have existed in the valleys and mountains for several centuries.

The cuisines of these three nations influenced the culinary habits of the most neutral country.

Each canton has its own specialties of the region. In recent years, many young talented chefs have appeared in Switzerland, thanks to which the country is confidently occupying a prominent place on the culinary map of the world.

Swiss cuisine is considered the finest in the world. For the people of Switzerland, food, cuisine, desserts, cheeses and wines are a way of life. Although the most common national dishes are borrowed from the cuisines of other nations, the Swiss consider them their own. Apparently, because they bring their own, very piquant elements to these dishes.

Culinary traditions of Switzerland are inextricably linked with the geographical position of the country.

Since most of the territory is occupied by mountains, simple but hearty dishes of rural cuisine are very popular.

The main dishes of Swiss cuisine are simple and hearty.

Swiss cuisine enjoys well-deserved recognition among gourmets all over the world, and the Swiss themselves do not shy away from luculla delights at home. So, the favorite pastime of the inhabitants of Zurich is a walk through restaurants and cafes, and if they praise you any of the eateries, you can safely go there. The local cuisine has been strongly influenced by its neighbors, primarily the "older French cousin" and Italian cuisine, as well as a purely Swabian table, but still it has enough of its own delicacies that have become widespread in other countries.

A quintessentially Swiss dish, the famous fondue is best enjoyed when it's cold outside and it's raining or snowing. This is perhaps the most common dish in all of Switzerland. Swiss fondue is melted cheese with garlic and light white wine. Fondue came from Alpine shepherds, who were the first to think of throwing leftover cheese and garlic into the cauldron, and then dipping pieces of white bread into the mixture. Shepherds were very pleased with this hearty dish. The French claim that they invented fondue. The Swiss argue with them. Whatever it was, but it has become one of the national symbols of Switzerland, along with banks and watches. Now fondue is prepared in the best restaurants from various types of cheese. A bowler hat is served on the table, and very long forks are attached to it. Visitors strung pieces of white bread on them, dipped in a cheese-wine-garlic mixture. Fondue is considered a winter dish. "Shepherds' food" is also very popular with numerous tourists. That is why fondue is on the menu of almost all Swiss restaurants. There is such an interesting fact that it is not recommended to drink fondue with wine, although many people in Switzerland do this. It is best to drink this delicacy with tea.

Another well-known cheese dish that has become widespread is the Vallis raclette. The very name of the dish ("raclette" (fr.) - a coarse grater) gives out the principle of its preparation. The cheese is rubbed on a coarse grater or broken into small pieces, heated and served with potatoes.

However, in order to enjoy the taste and aroma of cheese, it is not at all necessary to warm it up. The best examples are the Emmental (more often called Swiss) and Appenzell cheeses, which enjoy well-deserved recognition among gourmets, as well as Greyerz cheese. Exquisite taste and aroma distinguish "Vasheren", which is prepared only in winter, and "Schabziger" - cheese with herbs from Glernerland.

Among the Ticinese delicacies, first of all, it is necessary to name small soft formagini cheeses, which are cooked from cottage cheese, as well as various varieties of mountain cheese, the most famous of which is Piora. Another famous Swiss delicacy is the Zurich schnitzel (veal in a creamy sauce). Those who like to eat hearty prefer the Bernese appetizer (Berner Platte) - a dish of sauerkraut with beans and fried potatoes. Bern is also considered the birthplace of the famous Rosti - thinly sliced ​​fried potatoes with cracklings.

And now it's time to think about soups, for example, Basel flour broth, barley soup from Bünden or Busekka - Ticinese tripe soup. The national dish of sunny southern Switzerland is, of course, polenta, a dish of corn grits with cream and pieces of fruit. To the south of St. Gotthard, risotto is very popular - a rice dish prepared in Milanese (with saffron), mushrooms or peasant style (with vegetables).

The main meat product here is pork, but veal, beef, poultry, and game are also consumed.

They like dishes from fish, vegetables, potatoes, lactic acid products, eggs. Food is richly flavored with spices: pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, mustard.

The menu of Swiss cuisine also includes fish dishes: rudd, trout, pike and egli (freshwater perch), which are prepared differently everywhere. In late autumn and winter, many restaurants offer game delicacies such as roe deer back. And another delicacy, famous on both sides of the Swiss border, is Bünden meat, beef jerky cut into very thin slices. Those who first tasted it in Valais, and not in Graubünden, call this dish “Welsh meat”.

Alpine pasta is a somewhat unusual combination of pasta and potatoes, seasoned with sour cream and grated cheese, and topped with crispy fried onions.

In Switzerland, there is the concept of "reshti graben" - this is the border to which the Germans live and the German language is widespread. The term comes from the name of a typical German alpine dish - reshti, very common in German-speaking Switzerland. "Reshti graben" - the territory where this dish is eaten. Simplified, it is a boiled potato, fried to the state of "fries" (with a crust). In fact, deciding to cook is quite difficult. Reshti is best served with white Munich sausage - bratwurst.

If we are talking about sausage, it should be noted that this typically German invention, like sausages, is very popular in German-speaking cantons. Sausages from the cantons of St. Gallen and Bern are especially famous. And in Zurich, tourists, like local residents, are treated to huge two-meter sausages. Sausages are served in huge troughs with sweet mustard, and a full meal in a restaurant with beer costs no more than 12-15 Swiss francs.

Swiss cuisine is regionally specific - the products, climate and traditional way of life of each region have a decisive influence on local culinary traditions.

Each city has its own "signature" dish: Bern is famous for sausages, Zurich - for sweet delicacies "huhli" and "krepli", in Basel they prepare very tasty cookies "lotus petals".

It remains only to say a few words about all kinds of sweets served for dessert, afternoon tea, and evening coffee. These are fruit pies, and Zug cherry cake, and carrot cake, and Engadine walnut cake, and, of course, the famous Swiss chocolate. As for chocolate, it is enough to say in any corner of the world that it is Swiss, so that the interlocutor immediately imagines its quality. Cherry cake "Zuger Kirstort" is made of puff pastry and delicate butter cream, soaked in cherry liqueur and sprinkled with nuts.

In Switzerland, as in France, lobsters, lobsters, black granular caviar, salmon, cold roast pork, sausage are especially popular as snacks.

At first, the Swiss prefer mashed soups seasoned with cheese, broths, fish soup; for the second - fried meat in large portions with a side dish of vegetables. Lunch ends with black coffee.

The Swiss, like the Austrians, drink coffee with milk and a bun with jam in the early morning. The second, more hearty breakfast consists of cheese, ham, sausage, oatmeal, fish or meat hot dishes, buns, confiture or honey.

Lunch and dinner is the same as the Austrians. For dessert, the Swiss love chocolate, creams, whipped cream, cakes, and other sweet treats.

From drinks for evening meals, the Swiss prefer beer, red and white wines, cherry liqueur, and during the day - mineral water, juices, coffee with milk.

Swiss cuisine has been formed over many centuries under the influence of the culinary traditions of neighboring countries - Italy, Germany, France. As a result, the gastronomic preferences of the Swiss are multifaceted and diverse, however, as well as the culture and traditions of the country. Each region has unique culinary preferences. For example, in the Italian cantons located in the southern part of the country, pasta is skillfully cooked. The French part of the state is famous for its luxurious fondue and raclette. The German peoples gave Swiss cuisine numerous sausages and rösti. In the eastern regions, dried beef and fish are excellently prepared.

The national cuisine of Switzerland is one of the most traditional and conservative, the locals revere centuries-old traditions, many dishes are prepared according to old recipes that have not changed for centuries.

Traditional Swiss menu

Swiss cuisine can be safely called ordinary, as a rule, simple products are used. However, in some cases, quite original and bold combinations of ingredients are encountered.

It is important! Certification of products and quality control is carried out by a state organization.

Dishes that have been awarded the Swiss quality label:

Cheese raclette

• cheese raclette;
• Welsh bread made from rye flour;
• jerky from Graubünden;
• bratwurst sausages.

The Swiss make sure that the national food is not only tasty, but also healthy, for this they carefully select products for each dish.

Interesting fact! A traditional Swiss breakfast is a pastry with cheese and a cup of coffee with milk, lunch is also as simple as possible, but the locals have a hearty and satisfying dinner.

Each region of the country is famous for certain treats.

Rosti

The national treat is traditional for Zurich, the German-speaking part of the country. The main ingredient is potatoes. There are several ways to prepare the dish - with the addition of bacon, vegetables or Appenzell cheese.

Traditional Christmas dessert. It is baked in the form of figurines. After baking, one side remains white and the other turns golden. In addition to honey, spices are included in the cookie recipe.

The recipe for the national dessert has spread throughout Europe, however, the old, original cooking method has been preserved in Zurich. According to legend, the wife poisoned her husband with the help of honey treats.

Interesting fact! The first mention of cookies dates back to the middle of the 15th century.

The dessert is traditionally baked for Christmas, so the figurines symbolize the biblical theme. The recipe for the treat is as simple as possible - flour, water, sugar and water, spices are added to taste. The dessert is baked at a temperature of +400 degrees, which is what gives the treat a typical brownish tint.

In addition to cookies and rösti, the cuisine of the Zurich region is famous for its champignon dish with cream and muesli sauce, which was invented by the physician Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner at the end of the last century.

Mehlsuppe flour soup

Wheat or rye flour is used as the main component, if the soup is prepared in the French-speaking part of the state, corn flour is added. Previously, the national dish was considered traditional for poor families. Today it is eaten on fasting days. In addition to flour, the recipe involves the addition of milk, salt, favorite spices, bacon, various herbs, and meat broth.

Good to know! To give the soup a more pronounced taste, the flour is fried.

Delicious dessert made from wheat flour, honey, candied fruits and almonds. Gingerbread was invented by traders more than seven centuries ago. They were first served in the 14th century at the Church Cathedral.

Basler Lackerli

Good to know! The official name - Basler Läckerli - appeared at the beginning of the 18th century.

Fasnachtskiechli is a kind of dessert, it is an ordinary brushwood, in translation it means a knee patch. In different regions, Swiss cuisine is served under the appropriate name:

Chilbiblätz

• in Bern they call it Chilbiblätz;
• in the French-speaking part of the country - Merveilles.

In Basel, brushwood is prepared during carnival days; in other regions, treats are baked when it is necessary to consecrate the church.

When traveling through Northwestern Switzerland, indulge in the pleasure of trying onion cheese pie.

Fondue

The basis of the national Swiss treat is cheese, the Gruyere and Vacheron varieties are most often used. The recipe also includes white wine and your favorite combination of spices. One portion of the dish is designed for 2-4 people. You need to eat it with bread, dipping a piece in the cheese mixture.

In each region, fondue is made from a specific combination of cheeses. Also in Swiss cuisine there are varieties of fondue:

• tomato - where tomatoes are used instead of wine;
• spicy - with chili peppers;
• mushroom - with champignons.

Good to know! Dessert option - chocolate fondue - melt chocolate, add cognac, cream and spices. Fresh fruits are dipped into the sweet mixture.

Raclette

In Swiss cuisine, there are two types of dishes - classic and restaurant.

In accordance with the traditional recipe, a piece of cheese is melted, then the cheese mixture is mixed with vegetables directly on the plate.

The restaurant serves potatoes in a bag and a plate of vegetables. They also bring an apparatus consisting of a brazier where pieces of meat are prepared, and a tray where cheese is placed and melted. The guest then mixes vegetables, meat slices and melted cheese on their own.

Good to know! Fondue and raclette are prepared in every city, but the canton of Vaud is considered the Swiss homeland of the first treat, and the second is Vallis. In addition, once in Vallis, try an exquisite national pie made from potatoes, cheese and apples. Fish is best eaten in regions where there are lakes - Geneva, Zurich, Biel.

In translation, the name of the dish means a thick soup from the Vaud region. It is prepared from a mixture of potatoes and leeks, which are stewed in cream. However, the main ingredient is a special kind of minced pork sausage with cabbage in a natural casing.

Interesting fact! Sausage is the property of the canton of Vaud, each product is accompanied by a certificate with a unique number and seal. At the beginning of October, the region celebrates Pape Vodua Day.

Alplermagronen

In translation, the name means - pasta of the Alpine shepherds. It is believed that it was prepared from everything that was at hand - pasta, potatoes, bacon and, of course, melted cheese. Served with apple sauce.

The recipe for alplermagronen varies depending on your geographic location - the canton of Uri does not use potatoes, and some other regions do not add bacon.

The canton of Zug produces the best cherry cake, the original recipe uses kirsch. The peculiarity of the national pie is cherries, it is believed that the most delicious berries are grown in the canton of Zug. The famous cherry trees were already known in 1627.

Interesting fact! Berries are used to make vodka, as well as a variety of desserts.

The traditional cherry cake is a biscuit, nut meringue, which are smeared with butter cream with the addition of cherry syrup.

Also traditional for the cuisine of Central Switzerland is a meat pie with a creamy filling. It is served in a bowl for first courses.

Polenta

This is a porridge that is cooked from crushed corn grits with the addition of cheese. Serve as a main course or side dish. For centuries, only poor families ate polenta. For the first time, corn was grown in Switzerland (Canton of Ticino) in the 17th century. However, only two centuries later, the national dish began to be cooked exclusively from corn flour, initially porridge was prepared from a mixture of different types of flour.

In accordance with the traditional recipe, cornmeal is kneaded with water, stirred with a wooden spoon and boiled for 30-40 minutes until thickened. After that, the mixture is laid out in a tray, cooled and cut into portioned pieces. Polenta is served with mushrooms, anchovies or pieces of meat.

Interesting fact! In Switzerland, polenta is sold in the form of a semi-finished product, it can be boiled, fried or baked, served sweet or salty.

The canton of Ticino is also popular for roasted chestnuts, they are sold on city streets, and sweet vermicelli is made from chestnut puree.

Jerky

In the canton of Graubünden, going to a restaurant requires the guest to know the local cuisine. Local dishes have such intricate names that it is quite difficult to figure it out without outside help. However, all treats are simple and tasty. Perhaps the most popular is Bundnerfleisch - dried meat. The national treat is prepared from different types of meat, the traditional recipe is from beef, the more expensive option is from game, and venison is in special demand.

Meat for several months is felled under the scorching sun on the street, it is first rubbed with spices, salt and herbs. Before serving, the treat is cut into thin slices, which are best tasted with red wine.

Interesting fact! The unique characteristics of Swiss cuisine come to the fore in Grisons cuisine. For several centuries, the canton lost touch with civilization during the winter, so the locals know a lot about food preparation, and each recipe is a real culinary art bordering on magic.

Cheese

Emmental

Many people associate Switzerland with cheeses; there are hundreds of varieties of this treat in the country, which has become national. Each region has unique cheeses prepared according to unique recipes. Emmental is considered the most "Swiss", it has a slightly sweet aftertaste, seasoned with a mixture of spices. Gruyère is another famous cheese, it does not have holes, and the taste has savory nutty notes. The oldest cheese is Appenzellern. The recipe for this treat is over seven hundred years old. The secret lies in a special mixture of herbs and white wine that is soaked in the cheese. Kirschwasser

Too strong drinks in the country are not in demand, local residents prefer beer and wine.

If you want to try Swiss strong alcohol, pay attention to the traditional national drink - cherry vodka. The taste is more like brandy. Experienced tourists also recommend trying plum and pear brandy.

Officially, there is no ban on the use of pets (cats and dogs) in the country. Materials periodically appear in the press confirming that cats are eaten in Switzerland. Defenders of wildlife demand a ban on such egregious facts. However, there is still no corresponding legislative act in the country. Why? Apparently because such exotic culinary traditions remain rather exceptional and extremely rare.

Disputes on the subject of bans on the use of cat meat are intensified after interviews with peasants appear in the press, who admit that they sometimes allow themselves to cook cutlets from cats. The villagers do not see anything reprehensible in this.

It is important! Some peasants are cunning and serve cooked dog meat or cat meat under the guise of beef meat dishes.

Veterinarians believe that more than 99% of Swiss people will refuse to eat a cat. However, animal advocates have an absolutely opposite opinion on this issue - 3% of the country's inhabitants regularly eat the meat of domestic animals - dogs and cats. Representatives of government agencies believe that it is impossible to regulate people's culinary preferences through laws. The debate about banning the eating of dog and cat meat ended with some cantons banning the sale of pet (cat and dog) meat in restaurants and retail outlets.

In any case, in Switzerland there are much more original and tasty dishes worthy of the attention of tourists. Swiss cuisine is original and colorful, combining the best traditions of Italy, France and Germany. It is this fact that gives the national cuisine versatility and multinationality.

Informative video not only about food in Switzerland from Kasho Gasanov.

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