Swiss Fun Facts about cheese

Swiss cuisine mirrors the diversity of local history. The Swiss treasure the distinct taste of their regional specialties. Thinking of Swiss cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is Swiss cheese. Famous Swiss cheese products are Gruyere, Emmental and Appenzeller.

Fondue and Raclette are the most popular Swiss cheese dishes.

Fondue is a dish made of melted cheese adding a bit of wine and garlic. Diners dip bits of bread into it using a fork. Should you drop the piece of bread into the pot you either pay the next bottle of wine OR kiss your table neighbours.

Did you know that the real Swiss eat Fondue only during the winter?

Did you know that people in Switzerland raise their eyebrows when they see Americans eating fondue with fries and Coke?

Did you know that many Swiss have a class of Kirsch – cherry schnapps – with the fondue. The more adventures ones dunk their piece of bread in it before they load it with cheese?

Did you know that “fondue” is French and means “melted”. Even though it’s a French word, it’s called fondue in all four official languages of Switzerland?

Did you know the other very popular Swiss cheese dish, called Raclette, where cheese is melted and scrapped directly from the wheel of cheese?

Raclette originated in the canton Valais. It is heated and then scraped onto the plates. Served with new potatoes, pearl onions and baby pickles and sprinkled with Paprika.

Did you know that – while Switzerland is very famous for its cheese – it’s also the home of the first wine growing area in the world that has been made a UNESCO world heritage site? It’s the area called Lavaux between Montreux and Vevey on Lake Geneva.

Did you know that Gruyere is not just the name of the world famous cheese, but also the name of a wonderful town and a beautiful region close to the mountains and on the border of the French- and German-speaking parts of Switzerland. They also produce Gruyère Double cream, a sort of smooth creamy-rich butterfat from mountain cream which they serve with their other speciality: delicate, thin, sweet meringues.

Did you know that Switzerland doesn’t just have holes in its famous cheeses? It also has holes in its mountains, among them the world’s longest train tunnel through a mountain: the 35-mile (57 km) Gotthard Base Tunnel.