I am faced with the same question every summer, ‘I wish I could find some decent tomatoes here, where do you buy yours?’ To which I answer…and this predictably creates a confused, often contorted facial reaction, ‘The best tomatoes in Switzerland are between March and May!’

Ok, I will admit summer time is the best time for tomatoes – but only if you’re growing your own and live in an area blessed with a lot of summer sunshine. I will also admit the tomatoes I am referring to are not Swiss at all, but in fact they are Italian – and mostly from Sicily or Sardegna where the people know a thing or two about growing (and eating) tasty tomatoes.

Tomatoes need plenty of sunshine to develop their full flavor potential …and I’m not talking about the sugars which usually only account for about 3% of the total weight. No, what makes tomatoes so appealing to many are their high levels of glutamic acid – a savory acid more common to meat than plants. It is precisely this acid which creates the necessary balance of sugars and aromatic compounds. Without glutamic acid tomatoes taste…well, really bland and almost starchy.

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Rhubarb has a flavor somewhere between apples and cherries, which is where I found inspiration to create my own version of rhubarb pie.

I generally avoid spending endless hours scouring the net looking for ideas, inspiration or recipes. Books still seem a better option when I need to research anything food-related, but I do enjoy following several food blogs…and I have noticed a developing theme this spring – rhubarb is in!

David Lebovitz, pastry chef and entertaining author, recently offered his version of rhubarb tart in his popular blog, which relied on a simple compote of rhubarb and strawberries. Meanwhile, Kerrin Rousset wrote about a rhubarb ‘fruit’ roll-up in her award-wining blog MyKugelhopf. Visit some of the other major foodie sites, and I guarantee you will find plenty more how-to-make rhubarb ideas for compote, pies, tarts, fools, crumbles…

So why write about something that is already getting enough attention in the internet food world?

Well…I’ve always enjoyed rhubarb, but somehow it’s been more of an acquaintance to me rather than a true culinary friend. So now I’m taking another look…and I like what I see.     More...

Bärlauch is everywhere in spring. The forest floor becomes an aromatic green carpet, filling the air with a familiar garlic-like scent…and just about every food you can image is enhanced with this lovely herb. Here are ten of our favorite ways to add a boost to some spring recipes.

One of spring’s defining moments in Switzerland is the emergence of bärlauch. Take a casual walk through most forested areas, and you will almost immediately encounter a beautiful green carpet…and a nose full of the unmistakable scent of garlic. You may even notice a few people wandering through this bed of greens pulling up fistfuls of the stuff…and wondering what exactly they may be doing with it.

Well…these foragers know how valuable a bit of bärlauch can be in the kitchen – and, it’s free for the taking.

Bärlauch also appears frequently in just about everything in restaurants, grocery stores and butchers. So, if you’re really not up for the experience of gathering, then simply hunt around and you won’t be far away from something with bärlauch in it.

The experience of bärlauch is at its best, however, when you do a bit of your own foraging...but, be aware – there are a few dangers you should familiarize yourself with before heading out into the wild. Bärlauch is often confused with two similar-looking plants, which are not so nice to your system if you mistakenly consume them. You can have a look at the pictures in the Tages-Anzeiger article from 2008 to get an idea of the similarities, or read a bit more about bärlauch dangers in our website.       More...

It’s easy to chase away drab winter days by unpeeling a ripe blood orange…it can also be a shocking experience – even if you know what to expect!

February in Switzerland tends to linger…

The cold and gray winter days sometimes seem endless as time just hangs in the air. It can’t be long until spring and longer days burst onto the scene with a fresh new look – or so the calendar says! But no, not just yet…it’s still February!

But wait…there is a way to escape the drab days of late winter – eat a blood orange!

I’ll never forget my first encounter with a blood orange. It seemed unnatural as I gazed at the intense deep purple flesh, and I will admit…I was not too excited about putting any of this into my mouth. It just seemed wrong.

But after a few sheepish moments, I decided to give it a go and preserve my reputation (self-created) as an adventurous eater.

I was rewarded.

The flavors erupted instantaneously. There were hints of raspberry and pine…and plenty of natural sweetness. The juices…well, they seemed extreme, leaving me confused and wondering if I was drinking or eating. Then…the acids arrived and all of my hibernating senses woke up at once. It was like feeling the sun as it disintegrates a thick layer of fog…and I smiled.   More...

Potatoes are plentiful, inexpensive, versatile in the kitchen, highly nutritious and simple to prepare – but what variety should you select?

I’m turning into a potato freak – and with good reason too!

Potatoes are plentiful, inexpensive, versatile in the kitchen, highly nutritious and simple to prepare. The only real question with potatoes is deciding on the appropriate type for your recipe…and in Switzerland, that means considering some twenty different varieties.

Most people simply take the potato for granted. It has become a common serf amid more noble vegetables…and very few seem willing to elevate it.

But not me!

Let me bring you into my world of potatoes and introduce you to one of my steadfast culinary friends. More...

There are plenty of bird choices during the fall months in Switzerland. Look for fresh turkeys, Bresse chickens, pheasants, quail, wild duck, geese and much more!

I don’t eat much meat. But, I will make an exception when it comes to fall in Switzerland and gobble down quite a lot of birds.

There are considerable opportunities to find very fresh turkeys, chickens, pheasants, quail, wild duck, and much more. There are also some important practical issues to consider before purchasing a bird, as many newcomers to Switzerland quickly discover.

Selecting a special bird to prepare during the holiday season is not necessarily a choice made based on price or flavor, but rather one of size. Most Swiss ovens are far too small to cook a large bird – especially for the giant turkeys meant to feed copious amounts of friends and relatives during the holidays. Fortunately, there are some available options awaiting those who can think in smaller terms.

One such example is the humble chicken, which is often overshadowed by the more prominent holiday turkey. But a really good chicken can be a revelation. More...