Ten Traditional Swiss Dishes to Try Once You have Moved

Anyone undertaking domestic removals to Switzerland will be looking forward to discovering Swiss life and culture – along with the country's food and drink. Traditional Swiss cuisine varies according to where you live, but neighbouring countries such as France, Germany and Italy all have an influence.

Although the food varies from place to place, many dishes can be found on the menu all over the country. Here are some of the most popular, which you are likely to come across after house moves from the UK to Switzerland.

Hamiltons Removals has more than 20 years of experience of carrying out moves to Europe and worldwide, including many domestic removals to Switzerland. Whether you are relocating your business or need shipping for your household possessions, we will make sure the moving process goes smoothly from start to finish.

Hamiltons Removals – Get in touch with Hamiltons now to find out more about how we can help you.

Swiss Delicacies on the Menu

Raclette: Switzerland's famous cheeses are used in many different dishes, including warming winter favourite raclette. The meal is made from melted cheese which is scraped from a block and used to cover a plate of boiled potatoes, together with dried beef or ham, pickled onions and gherkins. This dish is traditionally prepared over an open fire, but nowadays many people use table-top raclette machines. 

Fondue: Melted cheese is also the key ingredient of this traditional meal, which is sometimes described as the Swiss national dish. A cheese sauce, containing white wine and other ingredients such as herbs, is cooked in a fondue pot, and then diners use special forks to dip pieces of bread in the mixture. Variants such as meat fondue and chocolate fondue have been created over recent decades. 

Bircher Muesli: We might have all eaten various brands of muesli from the local supermarket, but real Swiss muesli is another matter. It has a much higher fresh fruit content than modern mass-produced versions, and exactly what is in it will depend on which fruits and berries are in season. The original Bircher Muesli was developed by a Swiss doctor, Maxilimian Bircher-Brenner, as an energy-giving health food, and its fame went on to spread around the world.

Rösti: This popular German Swiss dish is made from grated potatoes, which are made into cakes and fried until they are crunchy and golden. A traditional peasant breakfast, it is now often eaten as a side dish. There are many variants on the basic recipe, including adding onions, herbs or cheese. It is sometimes served together with spinach and fried eggs. 

Pastetli: These meat pies made from puff pastry are especially popular in Zurich, but also eaten all over the country. The pies are usually round, but can also be heart or star-shaped. The classic filling is made from chicken together with white wine, onions, garlic and herbs, but there are also other variants available. Pastetli are usually served with rice and peas.

Alpine Macaroni:  This grand version of macaroni cheese is ideally made with mountain cheeses, together with garlic and herbs. The macaroni is traditionally boiled in milk rather than water. Some variants also include potatoes and bacon. It's traditionally served with apple sauce, and can also be eaten with a green salad on the side.

Zurich Hot Pot: A one-pot casserole, this classic stew is based on pieces of neck of pork, which are cooked up with onions and garlic, then covered with layers of potatoes, carrots and cabbage. Dry white wine is also part of the recipe, and modern versions are often prepared in a pressure cooker.

Nusstorte: The Graubünden canton is the original home of these walnut-filled pastries, which feature a shortcrust pastry and a filling containing chopped nuts, cream and honey. The pastries are available from many different small bakeries, with recipes varying.

Carnival Cookies: Known in German as Fasnachtsküchlein, these cookies are traditionally baked for the famous annual carnival in Basel. Made from eggs, sugar, butter, flour and cream, they are thin rounds of dough which are fried in deep fat, then dusted with sugar before serving.

Zuger Kirschtorte: Despite also being known as a cherry tart, this dessert from the small Swiss city of Zug doesn't actually contain any cherries. It's created from layers of biscuit and buttercream, and flavoured with cherry brandy. The original tart was invented by pastry chef Heinrich Höhn in 1915.

About Hamiltons Removals

Hamiltons has organised many commercial and domestic removals to Switzerland over more than 20 years, and we can provide full or part-load shipping to the country, tailoring our service to your requirements. We can also organise specialist moves for items such as vehicles.

Contact Hamiltons  now to find out more and get a free online quote.