Knöpfli (a sort of Spätzli or Spätzle, as they’re called in Germany) are a firm staple in my family, but having grown up with them I have never questioned my tried and tested, traditionally Swiss recipes (either plain, with spinach or with pumpkin). It took an Australian lady who moved to Switzerland and her ingenious […]
Savoury
Zwiebelwähe (Swiss Onion Tart)
Onions are growing easily in Switzerland’s climate and they’ve been an important part of Swiss cuisine for hundreds of years. Every November, the Ziebelemärit (onion market) takes place in Bern’s old town where, amongst other things, more than 50 metric tons of onions in artistically woven braids are being sold. In Basel, onion tart is […]
How To Make The Most Of Aspargus
The aspargus season is a much awaited and celebrated yearly event in Switzerland; the season is short and needs to be enjoyed to the fullest. Growing and harvesting aspargus is a time consuming activity which explains the high price tag, and this is another reason why aspargus is something that’s eaten as a treat, rather […]
Käseschnitte (Grilled Cheese Bread Slice)
The humble Käseschnitte has been a Swiss staple for centuries. It’s not as elaborate as the British Welsh Rarebit, but still delicious and much quicker to make. All you need is a slice of bread (it’s a great recipe to use up old bread), a little white wine and some paprika powder. It’s pretty much […]
Laugengebäck (Soft Pretzel Breads)
Laugengebäck is the broader term for any baked goods containing lye. We Swiss eat a lot of lye products – small soft breads such as pretzels, bread rolls, croissants, Zöpfli (small plaited buns) and the salty, crunchy snacks such as small pretzels, Salzstengeli (pretzel sticks) and the Kambly Fischli (little fish). And as with everything, […]
Knöpfli (Homemade Swiss Pasta)
There are two types of homemade Swiss pasta, they’re called Spätzli and Knöpfli. They’re both made of the same dough and both are used for the same meals. The only difference is that the dough is pressed through a sieve for the Knöpfli, and cut by hand on a chopping board for the Spätzli. Here […]
Käsefondue (Swiss Cheese Fondue)
Besides chocolate, there are not many other foods that are as famously Swiss as Käsefondue (cheese fondue). The official cheese fondue season is during the colder months between October and April, but the very keen eat it throughout the year. Here’s our cheese fondue step to step guide for those who would like to eat […]
Nüsslisalat (Lamb’s Lettuce) Two Ways
Nüsslisalat (English: nut lettuce, lamb’s lettuce, field lettuce, corn salad) is a staple winter salad in Switzerland. Lamb’s lettuce is a pretty sturdy plant when it comes to colder temperatures, as a child we always used to have a big batch of it in our garden and had to free it from the snow for […]
Celery Root And Apple Salad
Being member of a local vegetable cooperative means lots of fun and work in the fields, but it also means being forced to eat seasonal. The harvest share we receive every Friday is so big that we never buy any other vegetables. I absolutely love it though as our meals vary so much with the […]
Pastetli Mit Brätkügeli (Swiss Pasties With Sausage Meat)
From special occasion food to retro food Pastetli are a bit of a retro food in Switzerland these days. When I was a child in the 1980ies, my mum made them regularly, mostly on Sundays or when we had guests over, but these days this is one of the Swiss meals that has been replaced […]