Worlds Apart
Woolworths TASTE|December 2019
Switzerland, with its snow-packed mountain peaks and forests, beautiful wooden chalets, and grazing cows and goats, really is as pretty as a chocolate-box image.
Diane Heierli
Worlds Apart

And I think Father Time sets his watch to the Swiss train timetable. In fact, his watch is most probably Swiss-made. There is an orderliness to this society that is hugely attractive – even the woodpiles seem to be stacked with a definite sense of cultural pride.

The country is tiny – its population of less than nine million could fit nicely into the Kruger National Park – and most of it, interspersed with breathtaking lakes, is sandwiched between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. It is also home to an incredible variety of cheeses, many of which are still artisanally made. A few of our favourites: Appenzeller, a hard cheese made in the north; Emmenthal, with its recognisable holes; Gruyère, which is similar in taste but without the holes; and then raclette, which, more than any other cheese, characterises Switzerland.

I have a clear memory of visiting my father-in-law in Switzerland many years ago. We stayed in a pretty little hotel in Brunnen next to the Vierwaldstättersee, and apart from the incredible views from our hotel window and the time with family, it was the fantastic cheese collection at breakfast that made our stay so memorable. Actually, this is where we met a new love, tête de moine, which translates into “monk’s head”. Originally produced by monks, it is served in an unusual way – a tool called a girolle is used to revolve around the pungent, fruity cheese and scrape off ribbons.

Maybe it’s because Switzerland’s peaks reach so high, or that they make such incredible cheese and chocolate, that one could be forgiven for thinking that this is, in fact, heaven.

This story is from the December 2019 edition of Woolworths TASTE.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 2019 edition of Woolworths TASTE.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM WOOLWORTHS TASTEView All
 Award-winning Food: Trending Plates
Woolworths TASTE

Award-winning Food: Trending Plates

Fine-dining takes on both nostalgic and African ingredients - from Cremora and polony (yes!) to okra and beetroot - were food trends singled out by the judges of the 2022 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
Everything you need to know about quinoa
Woolworths TASTE

Everything you need to know about quinoa

If it was good enough to sustain the Incan armies - and NASA's astronauts - you'd better believe this protein-rich seed will see you through your afternoon slump.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
PIGS IN BLANKETS
Woolworths TASTE

PIGS IN BLANKETS

The kids will love these quick-and-easy snacks that won't break the (piggy) bank.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
82 words on...
Woolworths TASTE

82 words on...

THE FROZEN APEROL SPRITZ is the hottest way to keep cool this summer, says Jeanne Calitz.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
MEET ME AT THE RIVER
Woolworths TASTE

MEET ME AT THE RIVER

Plan a visit to the new Mukwa River Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi to experience Zambian food with a twist, courtesy of head cook Aaron Menezes and four passionate members of his kitchen team.

time-read
10 mins  |
January/February 2023
FIRE STARTER
Woolworths TASTE

FIRE STARTER

Celeb TV chef Clem Pedro - of Afternoon Express and Expresso fame takes the art of hosting to pro level and not because he went to hotel school or worked for TASTE, but because he started in his mom's kitchen. We asked him to share his food nerd roots and family braai secrets.

time-read
10 mins  |
January/February 2023
PLANTS IN PARADISE
Woolworths TASTE

PLANTS IN PARADISE

Former Durban creative (and one-time carnivore) Neil Roake and his daughter Jordan's epic travels led them to collaborate on the all veg cookbook Castaway. They shared their meat-free adventures on the Filipino island of Siargao with TASTE.

time-read
10+ mins  |
January/February 2023
ΤΟ MAY-ΤΟ, ΤΟ MAH-ΤΟ
Woolworths TASTE

ΤΟ MAY-ΤΟ, ΤΟ MAH-ΤΟ

Midsummer tomatoes are impossible to resist, we know. So when you find yourself with a bounty of exotic varieties - heirlooms, Italian Romas, ripe Mediterraneans and sweet Rosalinis - Hannah Lewry is here to help.

time-read
6 mins  |
January/February 2023
HOME TRUTHS
Woolworths TASTE

HOME TRUTHS

At her Joburg eatery, established in the iconic former Women's Jail at Constitution Hill, Mpho Phalane has worked to create a space that both honours the historic site and feels like home. She spoke to Khanya Mzongwana about the food journey that brought her here.

time-read
9 mins  |
January/February 2023
Morogo magic
Woolworths TASTE

Morogo magic

Budget-friendly indigenous leafy greens - fresh, sautéed or preserved for later use are on Mokgadi Itsweng's menu at this time of year.

time-read
2 mins  |
January/February 2023