Chocolate, Cheese and Stereotypes

Friday, 11 January 2008 | posted by Stefan_BC

Dear all,

Armin explained the Swiss political system, Asania prepared you for the trip to Guildford and Matt has got next week's programme under control so what could I possibly add that might be worthwile reading? Well, while you're all at home packing and probably in deep thought already about what will happen next week at the forum, I thought you might like to take your minds off Guildford for a while and let your minds wander away from London and across the Channel to a small snow-covered country in the centre of Europe called Switzerland, where trains are never late and everyone knows how to yodel. Or do they?

 Those of you who will be going to Davos will find that their time in the highest mountain town of Europe won't bring them much closer to deciphering the ingredients to 'real 'Swissness'. When in the mid-19th century the healing powers of the Davos air were discovered, Davos quickly transformed from a small mountain village to the most prominent health resort for lung patients in Europe, and already then Davos developed some of the international feel it prides itself for today. And when, more by chance than anything else, Davos became the host town for the World Economic Forum in 1971, this was the final step on its way of becoming the multinational hub it is today, a place where the powerful mingle with the rich and beautiful - at least for one week in January. Not a good place to learn something about the Swiss - or to meet one, for that matter.

Maybe it's easier, then, to take a close look at the two foundation stones of Swiss cuisine - chocolate and cheese.

Chocolate goes with everything, really. A light variety seasoned with chili before a meal to get your appetite going, dark chocolate with a good book, or a rich chocolate mousse after dinner. There is no end, either, to the variety of reasons we come up with for eating a bar of this most delicious of all sweets: in front of the TV, after a good meal, after a bad meal, to get through the afternoon, to get through heartbreak... This is probably why every Swiss eats 10 kilos of chocolate every year on average, compared to just one kilo in Japan. We pride ourselves that no chocolate is as creamy, as rich and as chocolatey as Swiss chocolate, but even there, there are huge differences between the different brands, some say. There is Cailler, Frey, Lindt, Tobler, Camille Bloch.. In 2004, by the way, 148'270 tons of chocolate were produced in Switzerland.

Cheese is really versatile too - as a snack with a glass of fresh milk, grated over salad and, of course, in the form of fondue. This is how you'll impress all of your friends with an original Swiss fondue:

300 grams of grated Gruyère cheese, 150 g Raclette cheese and 150 g Vacherin cheese, a bit of garlic, 3 dl of white wine, a bit of nutmeg. Heat the wine in a caquelon, which is basically a pan made from ceramic, and make the alcohol evaporate. Melt the cheese and don't stop stirring. Put chunks of white bread on a long fork, dip in the melted cheese - enjoy!

In a very creative moment, the Swiss also invented the chocolate fondue - I'll let you imagine for yourselves how this might work..

I'm sure you have come across similarly clichéd perceptions of your national cuisine, or indeed culture? Care to share some good recipes? Or do you think the whole national stereotype discussion is lame and should best be left aside? 

 By the way - I am still waiting to meet a single Swiss person who can actually yodel..

But enough distraction - let's focus on Guildford again and the busy week you have ahead of you.

I hope you all have a good trip and I will see you all in London next week!

Best wishes,

Stefan 

who loves to cook spicy Thai food..