PICTURES...

So that you have an idea of how certain mentionned places look like, I've decided to edit a few pictures on my blog... Hope you'll like them!

Appenzell, northeastern Switzerland.
(Appenzell -Pic by Albrecht Bijvank www.trekearth.com)

Geneva lake-side, western Switzerland.
(Geneva -Pic by Michel Bobiller www.trekearth.com)

( View on the Château de Chillon by the Leman lake, Vaud, western Switzerland)
(Vaud -Pic by Francesco Leto www.trekearth.com)

(View on Vetroz and the valley, Valais, western Switzerland)
(Valais -Pic by Isabelle Louy www.trekearth.com)

CHINESE WHITE SUGAR SPONGE

As I love Asian sweets, I decided to make my own "Chinese White Sugar Sponge". In Cantonese it is known under the name of "Pak Tong Koh". It's quite an easy and botherless recipe which brings an exotic touch to your home cooking. This sponge has a really special yeasty taste of rice. In consistency, it is somewhere between "wet" bread and rubber!
I really loved this Chinese dessert and I really recommend it. It would be the ideal accompaniment to Chinese Oolong tea, Chinese green tea or Jasmine tea. If you feel tempted, try adding vanilla sugar to the mixture or replacing the white sugar by brown sugar. I even found it delicious when eaten warm with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled over!!!!......

For the recipe, please refer yourself to the following blog: www.wlteef.blogspot.com

(White Sugar Sponge -Pic 1&2 by Rosa @Rosa's Yummy Yums)

SWISS SPECIALITIES PART II

"RACLETTE“

"Raclette“ is the name of a semi-hard cheese made from unpasturised cow’s milk and of a traditional melted cheeese dish from Valais (West Switzerland). The name of this cheese/dish comes from the French word “racler” which means “to scrape”, because the cheese is melted and then scraped into the plate. This speciality is also eaten in France. Traditionally, we eat it with boiled potatoes, dry meat or smoked bacon , pickled onions, pickled baby corn, cornichons and a special raclette condiment. But, it is also a great cheese to use in any cooked dish.“Raclette” cheese has a distinctive nutty flavour, it’s very fragrant and has a creamy texture.

(Raclette -Pic by www.lousanna.ch)

“TOMME VAUDOISE”

This small round soft cheese with a comestible and delicate rind is a speciality from Vaud (west Switzerland). It has a strong flavour if matured for a week and is generally eaten with bread (breaded). “Tomme vaudoise” can be sautéed or deep-fried when dipped into a special beer batter.
It is made with pasturized cow’s milk and can also be bought with caraway seeds (“Tomme vaudoise au cumin”). "Tomme vaudoise" ages within a week after it has been made.

(Tomme vaudoise -Pic by www.terroir-vaudois.ch)

"LA RAISINÉE"

This is an old recipe and tradition from Vaud (west Switzerland). It is very fine when used in cakes, tarts (“gâteau à la raisinée”), yoghurts, müeslis or savoury sauces. It tends to be quite sickly if used in too big quantities, but it’s unique taste makes it the ideal ally when cooking or baking.
It is made from the juice of pressed pears and apples which is then cooked and stirred for around 30 hours (!!!) over a wood fire, in a big copper cauldron. The final mixture has too be quite thick like molasses.

(Raisinée -Pic by www.terroir-vaudois.ch)

"AOC APPENZELLER“

This full-fat semi-hard cow’s milk cheese comes from the Appenzell region (northeast Switzerland) and was mentioned, for the very first time, in a document around 700 years ago. “Appenzeller” has medium-sized holes and a unique flavour which results from it’s careful brushing with a secret blend of herbal ingredients; it is also the reason for it's pronounced spiciness.
It’s texture is smooth and very pleasant. This cheese can also be used to cook.

(AOC Appenzeller -Pic by www.appenzeller.ch)

“BÜNDNER BIRNBROT / PAUN CUN PAIRA GRISCHUN“

This is again a hyper nourishing speciality from Graubünden! “Birnbrot” (“Pear Bread”) is absolutely delicious when cut in slices and buttered.
It is made with dry pears and figs, sultanines, milk, pear juice, hazelnuts, orange and lemon peel, malt, special spices and sourdough.

(Bündner birnbrot -Pic by wwwmeierbeck.ch)

"BÜNDNER NUSSTORTE/TUORTA DA NUSCH"

This special walnut tart originates from Graubünden (southeastern Switzerland) and especially from the Rumantsch (Engadin) part of this beautiful mountain region. “Bündner Nusstorte” is a very fine and caramelly tasting tart that can only be eaten with moderation due to it’s highly nourishing factor!!!

It is made with flour, honey, cream, butter and a lot of walnuts.

(Bündner Nusstorte -Pic by www.spruengli.ch)

A FEW SWISS SPECIALITIES...

Here are a few Swiss specialities we'll be discussing in a while. For the moment, you can maybe discover what makes Switzerland's originality food-wise...

Enjoy your journey through the mountains and valleys of Switzerland!!!

"BÜNDNER MEAT"

This variety of dried meat comes from Graubünden and is appreciated by most Swiss people as an apetizer or a main dish.

It is a natural pruduct made out of fatless beef meat (thighs) and is seasoned with a mixture of spices, then it is dried in pure air from the mountains.

(Bündner dry meat -Pic by www.grischuna.ch)

"BUTTERZOPF"

This popular breakfast plaited loaf originates from the Emmental region where it is called "ZUPFE".

It is an enriched bread which is made with butter, milk and is perfumed with Kirsch

(Zopf -Pic by wwwbauernkueche.blog.de)

"AOC GRUYÈRE"

This semi-hard cheese is produced in the Swiss-French speaking part of the pre-Alps.

It is made with non-pasturized cow's milk and there are no additives or conservatives added. "Gruyère" is fine eaten with bread, ideal if served as an apetizer or simply used as a component in a cooked dish.

Gruyère -Pic by www.gruyere.com)

"SAUCISSE AU CHOUX"

This smoked white cabbage sausage from Vaud is always eaten cooked and never raw.

It is made from pork meat and spiced with salt, pepper, garlic, coriander, nutmeg, aniseed and ground cloves.

A similar version is "SAUCISSE AU FOIE" which is made with liver.

Saucisse -Pic by www.charcuterie-vaudoise.ch)

"SAUCISSON VAUDOIS"

This smoked sausage from Vaud can be eaten raw when dried or cooked. It is made with pork meat and spiced with salt, pepper, garlic, coriander and white wine.

(Saucisson vaudois -Pic by www.charcuterie-vaudoise.ch)

PROMISE...

I have many Swiss traditional recipes that I wish to share with you. There are so many varied dishes in this country as every region has it's own speciality. Even old countryside recipes have their own magic and gourmet interest...

So be a little patient and you'll be rewarded with some specialities that only insiders know about!

(Swiss cow -Pic by www.trekearth.com)

FUNNY FOOD CARTOONS

Some names are heavy to carry when you're dealing with food!!!

What a hot dog really looks like.

No comment...

(All cartoons by www.getfunnypictures.com)

GREEK TZATZIKI

(Athens and the Acropolis -Pic by www.trekearth.com)

"Tzatziki" is a light and tasty Greek/Mediterranean cucumber and yoghurt dip which is often served with " SOUVLAKI" and "PITA". It is a very fresh and pleasant apetizer sauce. When eating it you feel like if you were on holiday in beautiful Greece!...

Ingredients:
500g Plain strained yoghurt or Greek-style yoghurt
3/4 Of a biggish cucumber
3 Cloves garlic, crushed
5 Tbs Virgin olive oil
1 Tsp White vinegar
A pinch of cumin powder
A pinch of paprika powder
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Method:
1. Peel and grate the cucumber.
2. Squeeze the cucumber in order to let go as much water as possible.
3. Mix all ingredients together.
4. Refregerate for about an our in order to let the flavors mingle and develop.

Remarks:
If you wish to leave the skin on the cucumber, that's also ok.
Don't grate the cucumber too thinly. You should use the medium grating disk if you use a mixer.

Serving suggestions:
Serve this dip with "GYROS", "SOUVLAKI", "PITA" bread, just simply as a dip or with fish, fried potatoes and any salad.

(Tzatziki -Pic by www.greekrecipe.com)

PLUMS!!!

Yippee!!! The plum/quetsche season has started and since this is one of my favorite dessert fruits, I feel a compulsive need to make my weekly (yes!) "Plum Tart"... I also love "Plum Clafoutis"; that's heavenly!

It's only a pity that the period during which you can buy fresh plums is sooooo short!....



(Plums -Pic by www.alsapresse.com)

MOQUECA DA PEIXE

Tomorrow I'll test a new fish recipe from Bahia, Brazil. I've just bought fresh cod for this dish which will be full of other fragrant gooddies! There'll be coconut milk, coriander, lime juice, peppers, tomatoes and many more interesting ingredients... Sounds interesting to me!

By the way, the "SPICY MEATBALLS WITH ORANGE AND GINGER SAUCE" were fine, but I guess that I'll have to "invent" a better sauce; it was not very tasty as I found that the stockspoiled the fine aromas of the orange. So maybe next time, I'll perhaps only use orange juice, ginger and zest for the sauce.... I'll see.