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Switzerland is home to the greatest mountain range in Europe, and the Alpine lifestyle is reflected in the country's food. Fondue, raclette, pickles, and polenta ticinese are all beloved national classics, but the agricultural terrain is the true architect of the country's gastronomic history. From the best Swiss chocolate that money can buy to the famous Swiss cheese, Switzerland is a food lover’s paradise! The cuisine of Switzerland is a fusion of Northern Italian, French, and Germanic flavours. But there is a lot of variation from one area to another, with the linguistic barriers serving as a broad map of borders.
A lot more goes into Swiss cuisine than (only) cheese, however; the country is home to four cultural regions, five international borders, and several vibrant cities. In addition to a small number of national meals, the menu mostly contains regional delicacies from Switzerland, making it a gourmet paradise that can be discovered fresh wherever you travel.
If you're travelling to Switzerland and want to discover the food beyond Swiss chocolate and Swiss cheese, then keep reading!
Swiss chocolate
Though it may not stand on its own, a chocolate-tasting tour of Switzerland's finest products would be remiss if it didn't include the country's world-famous chocolate. Visit the Lindt Home of Chocolate in Zurich to learn more about the cocoa bean's origins and to taste some of the best Swiss chocolate that money can buy!
Fondue- a staple Swiss cheese dish
Though it may seem cliche, fondue in Switzerland is deeply ingrained in Swiss culture. The highland Swiss have used fondue for millennia as a wintertime meal to make the most of their bread and Swiss cheese. Whether you're a native or just visiting the nation from fall to spring, it is now an absolute must-have. Dip some rustic country bread into a bubbling pot of melted cheeses—try a combination of gruyere and Vacheron—infused with plenty of wine and garlic. Make it a wintertime masterpiece by serving it with white wine and finishing it off with schnapps or tea.
Papet vaudois
The ideal way to describe Papet Vaudois is as a cooked potato and leek mash. This distinctive cantonal sausage, known as saucisson Vaudois, is made with an earthy, onion-tinged combination that serves as the ideal root base. Papet Vaudois has long been a staple in the canton and is almost synonymous with the regional meal; the red sausage that comes from it is famously large and loosely filled.
Emmental
It would be remiss not to include Swiss cheese in this compilation of Swiss cuisine. There is an abundance of delicious Swiss cheeses to sample, but Gruyère is perhaps the best known. However, among the many culinary gems that our country produces, Emmental must stand out on a global scale. The world-renowned holey cheese is from Canton Bern and is perfect for snacking or adding to a variety of desserts, including cheesecakes, flans, fondues, and gratins. Touring a real operating Emmental dairy will teach you everything about its history and recipe.
Delicious rosti
One of Switzerland's most famous national meals, rosti is made with thinly shredded potatoes and cooked in a skillet until golden and crisp. Although its exact origins are a mystery, rosti has long been a morning staple for farmers in the Bern canton. It has now spread throughout the nation and into people's daily meals. Rosti Valaisanne, made in the canton of Valais, is a wonderful choice for a wintertime treat. An irresistible combination of rosti, salty bacon, fried egg, and melting raclette cheese, served hot in a ceramic dish with sour gherkins and pickled pearl onions, Rosti Valaisanne is a deliciously addicting meal.
Raclette
In the autumn and winter, the roadways of Switzerland carry the aroma of pine and wood fires. The aroma of strong melted raclette cheese is another scent that greets you as you go into most hillside haunts. Raclette is a traditional Swiss cheese made in the canton of Valais. It is cooked over an open fire and sliced off in layers to cover boiled potatoes, pickles, and onions. Friends congregate for hours, sipping copious glasses of local Fendant wine while slices of raclette melt on contemporary raclette machines, making grilling widespread in Swiss homes.
Pizokels
You may make these dough-based Graubünden specialities using white flour, buckwheat flour, chestnut flour, or potatoes in an endless variety of shapes. They are usually served with cabbage or spinach, cured meats, and a mountain of cheese after being cooked in broth. These dumplings were originally offered as a method to feed starving farmers during Lent; the dish harkens back to a period of basic, humble cooking. They are real rustic food. The city of Graubünden, Chur, is an excellent spot to discover Romansh customs in Switzerland and have your first bite of pizokels.