My Food Bucket List in Switzerland

1) Beer Soup: Because everything tastes better with beer, the awesome Swiss not only brew some of the best beer I have tasted in a long time, they go one step further and added it to soup. The cheese, the croutons and the beer… they work together in a heady symphony to give you that high that only a combination of amazing food and great beer can give you.

2) Horse Steak: That’s right! EAT HORSE just got a whole new meaning when I read this entree in a restaurant menu. Since I had never tried horse meat, I simply HAD to stop being a vegetarian for a while and try this, and surprisingly, it was much better tasting than any beef steak I have tried. It was also slightly more tender than buffalo, and served in the golden medium rare cook that is my favourite! Seasoned simply with salt, herbs and some secret concoction that was not revealed to me, this one is a must try.

3) Snails: If the thought of eating snails makes you queasy, just call it by its French name, Escargot, and sample some…simply divine! Mine were butter-poached and not in the shell, so were easier to eat that the non-shell variety, and let me tell you, it was sinfully tasty.

4) Foie Gras: Goose Liver Pate, which sounds much better than liver fat. Honestly it reminded me of the lamb brains I had tasted back home, only not as heavy in the seasoning. Considering the fact that Foie Gras is now illegal in India, I suggest you have a taste when abroad, although I would not try it again. BTDT.

5) Swiss Hand Made Chocolate: Yes, this should have been on the top of the list, but the horses, snails and beer ruled because of the novelty factor, Anyhow, the best Swiss chocolates are the hand-made variety, a must taste in my opinion. I am the exact opposite of a chocoholic. In fact, I do not care much for them, but my dreams are still filled with the ones I tried in Switzerland! It’s true, I experienced chocolate heaven.

6) Fondue: Fondue is fun, fantastically yummy and one of the best dishes for socializing, provided it is done right. Of course, no one does it better that the original creators of fondue… the Swiss!

7) Swiss Cheese: Oh, the cheese, the cheese! I still cannot say “Cheese!” while getting clicked without salivating like Tom when he has Jerry between two slices of bread. I tried the whole array – starting from the soft blu-creme cheese with and without smoked salmon, to the handmade varieties of herb and flavoured cheese to the long aged, hard smelly cheese, the names of which I noted before I took a bite and then regretfully forgot in a haze of flavour induced ecstasy. 8) Gassosa: Admittedly, this local aerated drink was not even on my bucket list till I found a friendly, enthusiastic local who described it with so much passion that I was immediately hooked. It opens with a festive pop and comes in two flavours – lemon and tangerine.

9) Brewed Beer and Wine: Switzerland is known for its amazing beer. Brewed locally and acclaimed globally, this beer hits you with the right notes and intensity to make you happy, very happy. It’s known to have taken down many who challenged it, so chug at your own risk, or enjoy with the yummy Rosti that is a traditional Swiss dish made of shredded potatoes roasted in the form of a thick, yummy pancake. The French speaking part of Switzerland boasts some of the most celebrated vineyards in the world. Legend and stories around the wine here speak of the three suns that make this wine unique: the sun that shines on the vineyards, the sunshine that reflects from the many many lakes and imparts a signature aging glow to the grapes, and the Sun god who brings forth rain and blessings with the water that makes these Wines a must try. My favourite was Rose Wine I bargained for and which, to date, is lying unopened with me, full of promise and beautiful flavour.

10) Bieberli: Dessert completes a meal, and this specialty turned most of us who tried it into complete addicts. I know people who became such Bieberli fans – nay – worshipers, that they could eat half a dozen in a sitting! I loved the ginger variety because of its spicy undertones which perfectly complement this sweet cake.