Hungry, Anyone? Cuisine of the Week

Since this week's country profile was about Switzerland, here is a taste of the cuisine.

What to eat:

Switzerland was historically a country of farmers, so their specialties often incorporated potatoes and cheese, and desserts with chocolate. When everyone thinks Switzerland, the first thought to come across the mind is swiss cheese! The most popular cheese dishes are fondue and Raclette, which is hot cheese dribbled over potatoes, served with small gherkins, pickled onions etc. Both these dishes were originally regional dishes, but were popularized by the Swiss Cheese Union to boost sales of cheese. Rösti is a popular potato dish that is eaten all over Switzerland. This simple dish, similar to hash browns, is traditionally regarded as a Swiss German favorite. It has given its name to the "Rösti ditch", the imaginary line of cultural demarcation between the German and French regions of Switzerland. However, it is also eaten by the French-speaking Swiss.

Where to eat:

A Grotto

In the Italian speaking part of Switzerland, the Ticino area, one will find a type of restaurant unique to the region. The Grotto is a rustic eatery, offering traditional food ranging from pasta to home made meat specialties. Popular dishes are Luganighe and Luganighetta, a type of artisan sausages. Authentic grottoes are old wine caves re-functioned into restaurants. Due to their nature they are mostly found in or around forests and built against a rocky background. Typically, the facade is built from granite blocks and the outside tables and benches are made of the same stone as well. Grottoes are popular with locals and tourists.