When I think of the fabulous cuisine of Alsace, I conjure up images of delicious, hearty dishes prepared and/or served in beautiful, colorful, locally-produced pottery. Kugelhopf (yeast-induced, slightly sweet cake baked in turban-shaped forms), onion and apple tarts, sauerkraut left to ferment in specifically-designed pots, terrines, garlicky snails nestled in half circle crevices on round plates, Lammala (sweet […]
Gâteau de Nillon – A Delicious By-Product of Nut Oil Pressing
October 22, 2012 by 2 Comments
One of my favorite weekend activities in Switzerland is attending small, regional food and tradition festivals. The latest one was the Autumn Fair and Cowbell Market, an incredible event held above the charming, tiny village of Romainmôtier in French-speaking Canton Vaud. We made the long trek (four trains and a shuttle bus) on a beautiful, sunny autumn […]
How To Cook Polenta
October 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment
On a recent trip to the renovated 12th century Bruzella Mill in the Muggio Valley of Ticino, Switzerland, I was fortunate enough to learn how to cook polenta by one of the millers. Below is her (time-consuming) method. Small batches (2 to 6 people) can take 30 minutes. Large batches, an hour. Huge vats, I […]
Apple Pressing in Graubunden
September 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
It’s apple season – one of my favorite times of the year. I grew up not far from a huge apple orchard. Every season we would pile into the car and head to the now-closed Bell’s Apple Orchard near our home in Barrington, Illinois. Mom would buy baskets full of apples to make gallons of […]
