Basler Mehlsuppe
Another dish to celebrate Fasnacht, here is the warm and bready Basler Mehlsuppe.
Hi, I'm Andie.
I live near the Swiss Alps, in Bern, and I love not only melting cheese, but all kinds of Swiss cooking.
Hi, I'm Andie.
I live near the Swiss Alps, in Bern, and I love not only melting cheese, but all kinds of Swiss cooking.
Another dish to celebrate Fasnacht, here is the warm and bready Basler Mehlsuppe.
These luscious little breads, typically sprinkled with caraway seeds, have always been associated with Fastenzeit, Lent.
In honour of Luzern’s carnival, this giant puff pastry dome is filled with creamy meats and raisins.
This recipe is endlessly adaptable. Any kind of bread will work, preferably stale. You could use any kind of melty cheese. If you don't have mushrooms, throw in some ham, or bacon, or leftover cooked chicken. If you have fresh herbs, throw in some of those in too. If you want to make this sweet, just omit the cheese and add some raisins or other dried fruit.
The Griessköpfli is akin to rice pudding (creamy, raisiny), but firmer, and therefore sliceable. It is dazzlingly toppable—pour over anything from boozy sauces to fruit compotes or caramels, or eat it plain and revel in its comforting simplicity.
The classic early 80s Betty Bossi cookbook Aus Mutters Kochtopf provides the perfect recipe for when you're craving a whack of potatoes—the Kartoffelberg, or Potato Mountain.
When I first moved to Switzerland, I did a short stage at a lovely bakery in the mountains. With a 4:30 am start, by the time z'Nuni rolled around I was ravenous. I was offered my choice from the display case and I took a little pot of pink, berry Birchermüesli. Two bites and I was sold.
How could it possibly be so creamy?
"It's weird," was Sam's consensus on the original Birchermüesli recipe.
If you are familiar with the creamy variety sold in bakeries and cafes around Switzerland and the world, this is very much a departure, but it is the original version from Swiss physician and nutritionist, Dr. Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner.
The cheesy Swiss classic.
The white wine version of traditional red Glühwein, heavy on the citrus.
Chocolatey Swiss farmhouses.
Sam's favourite Christmas cookies—buttery and stuffed with raisins.
The jewel of the Swiss Christmas cookie tray is surely the Spitzbuben, with its elegant dusting of powdered sugar and bright ruby centre.
Switzerland’s favourite chocolate Christmas cookie.
Switzerland’s favourite Christmas cookie, made by every bakery and every family.
(But none are as good as my mom's.)
The supermarkets in Switzerland are currently filled with these packages of Pfeffer, or marinated game. Often you can get them for a very good price, and pie is an exceedingly easy way to take advantage, especially if you don't have time to make all the parts of the Wild plate. Decorate the lid with some forest animals and you have a Jäger's, or Hunter's pie.
This onion tart is one of the traditional foods served at Bern's famous onion market.
Sii is a little like bread pudding, only with wine instead of milk. You soak the bread and dried fruit in wine overnight, then mix it together and warm it in some butter. I made two versions: one with Walliser white wine and apricots, and the traditional with red wine and raisins.
Appenzeller Toast (also known as Toast Williams) follows in the quick and easy 'Toast' tradition and features bacon and pears.
There is intense debate over where the cheese should be placed in the lineup. Some object to the cheese under the fruit and prefer a blanket of cheese covering the entire toast. Others argue that the juicy pineapple slice and appetizing red of the cherry should not be hidden under a mantel of cheese.
