The best part about Switzerland, though, was definitely the food. Because the Swiss culture is heavily influenced by the neighboring countries of France, Germany, and Italy, it’s no surprise that Swiss foods are also characterized by diversity. Just imagine the scent of freshly baked, crusty baguette topped with melted sweet cream butter, and you’ll automatically be transported to any boulangerie in Geneva. Here were some of my other favorites:
1. Fondue
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One of the most famous dishes in Switzerland, fondue is essentially melted cheese served in a communal pot. Fondue can be made with different combinations of cheese, but the Swiss always serve this with bread and red wine (never white wine, because according to tradition, it can cause indigestion).
2. Gruyère
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Gruyère cheese was named after the historical town of Gruyères, where it was originally produced. Gruyère is known for its sharp yet sweet taste, and it can take anywhere from 6-24 months to mature.
3. Rösti
Think of rösti as a Swiss version of a hash brown. While we tend to think of hash brown as a breakfast dish, rösti is more commonly served anytime of the day in Switzerland.
4. Chocolate
The Swiss are arguably the masters at chocolate-making. In fact, did you know that Nestlé, Teuscher, Lindt and Toblerone were all originally made in Switzerland?
5. Hot Chocolate
Considering that Switzerland produces some of the best chocolate, it shouldn’t be surprising that their hot chocolate is also rich and decadent in flavor.
6. Wine
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Very few people would associate Switzerland with wine-making, but surprisingly, some of the best wines come directly from Swiss vineyards.
7. Gelato
Because at the end of the day, nothing beats a sweaty afternoon hike in the mountains than a creamy scoop of gelato.
8. Pastries
Many of the pâtisseries in Switzerland sell French-style baked goods and pastries, including quiches, fruit tarts, éclairs and macarons.
If you're planning on traveling to Switzerland soon, be sure to try out all these foods. You might even see me there, because I'm low-key about to drop out of school and become a Swiss alphorn player.