Hiking in the Swiss Alps- from Mt. Moleson to Les Mosses

I have to admit that Switzerland has some of the most incredible scenery in the world.  The backdrop always seems surreal.  Although considered a "little" mountain, Mt. Moleson in Gruyere is one of those "best kept secrets" (ok that's totally my own opinion) of Switzerland.  I had previously blogged about going up to Mt. Moleson for the Lever Du Soleil in early fall.  That time it had been raining for days so the nice fluffy cumulous clouds really helped to give some depth to the rising sun but also blocked the "real" view.  I had some friends visiting from out of town in the summer time and we decided to head up Mt. Moleson to see what we could get on a crystal clear day.  I think the picture below says it all. 

My friend taking in the fresh air (finally! doesn't smell like cow poo)

We saw that some people were actually hiking all the way back down, not using the funicular and thought they were crazy.  As we were not that courageous (or crazy) we instead took a leisurely drive through the Alpes to Les Mosses in Ozzelfart (that's a mix of opel and ausfart, exit in German). Les Mosses is a tiny mountain village just up the hill from Chateau D'Oex (famous for their hot air balloon festival). Les Mosses is very rustic in comparison to the overwhelming bling bling culture of Gstaad (and home to Johnny Halladay who is from what I understand a big deal around these parts).  For those of you who can't afford a private guide to take you up to the slopes and prefer a bit of rustic-ness, Les Mosses is the place to go. 

Behind the camping centre of Les Mosses, a small road leads you about .25 of the way up a hill. There you will find a dairy farmer and his really cute cows.  As you keep on climbing up (and warning it really is quite steep), at the very end of the 30 minute hike, is a great little surprise.  A small restaurant nestled around a lake awaits hikers needing a break (like us). The lake is a good little stroll around as well with small trails breaking off of it.  I have gone back here a few times and meandered off to find Lamas?? during the spring time.  

Les Mosses is a great weekend getaway and a great chance to really discover the Swiss countryside. 

If you are looking for what the locals do versus what the glitzy tourists do, these are two places you definitely need to hit up!

Space Invaders Blvd. de Perolles

One of the things that I enjoyed the most about living in Fribourg is the number of Space Invaders available to me.  I once researched that there were 6 Space Invaders in town but unfortunately, I have only been able to locate seven of them and of course, I'm missing a photo of two of the five...

On the Corner of Rue des Alpes and Rue de Lausanne

no location directions needed :

At the bottom of the Funiculaire de Fribourg

Stickers that no longer exist on Blvd. de Perolles

At the end of Blvd. de Perolles

My buddy who use to greets me every morning on my way to the train station (location self explanatory)

And sorry for the poopie picture! the Space Invader at the entrance to the Funicular

Le Perolles P.A. Ayer

Starter: Pumkin soup, creme fraiche, bacon, foie gras gele and foie gras feuillantine (delicious)

Yes yes, It's just another tease... but it takes time to write these things ok? I gotta pour over my notes, remember what I ate.. yada yada yada. Hayley and I got to go to this INCREDIBLE one michelin star in Fribourg, the next town over. Le Perolles is one of the two michelin restaurants in Fribourg Simple decor- very modern and very reasonably priced. The food was fabulous.. which will be discussed in further blogs.. in the mean time. Just a little teaser.




and of course the cheese trolley. Ok So I said that Steireck has a pretty crazy cheese trolley.. but this one.. was AMAZING. really. I would go back just for the cheese....

Le Perolles
BD de Perolles 18a
1700 Fribourg
Tel:41.026.347.40.30
ayeramey@leperolles.ch
Ferme le dimanche et lundi

Jaune, Rouge, Orange et Vert

One thing that San Diego doesn't have that this wonderful little Swiss village does is- SEASONS! Since I do not have a car (thank god to that!), taking public transport through the lush, green fields now spotted with yellows, reds, and oranges (yes along with the black and white of bessies) is always a soothing site.


My runs in the forest have become that much more enjoyable as the flutter of leaves surround me as the find their new home on the forest floor. There's something graceful and magical about the way a leaf twirls, pirouetting it's way, floating softly to the awaiting bed of leaves below.
The crisp crunch of leaves below my shoes, the occasional mud pile that you sink into. It's Autumn- it's here.. and it's wonderful. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Le Perolles- 1 Michelin Star, Fribourg

So.. I guess this blog is a dual post. The first thing I should do is apologize for not writing sooner. With all the traveling, school work and turning into an asian popsicle as the weather has take a turn for the worst, I haven't gone to think about what to do next.
Haley and I decided to take a mini Vacay - to Fribourg- yes it's only 30 minutes away and I already go there at least once a week but.. after starving a whole week on dorm food, blowing our entire week's budget on what would have been dorm food on a Michelin experience seemed quite fitting.
The second part of my post is to introduce a new series of photos that I will be taking- food art- the art of what's left on the plate after someone has consumed what they like, dislike and don't want to consume any more of.

Keep posted.. I promise ill get around to all those michelin reviews sooner or later...

Lever Du Soleil

Cutting my trip to London short one day, I came back to watch the sunrise over Moléson Summit for the last time this year. We drove up to Moléson village and took the Funicular halfway up, then the cable car the rest of the way up. It had been pouring the previous days before- but I was excited knowing that the cumulous clouds would help give depth to this spectacular event.

Much like in Canton de Vaud - in Cully (studying in style post), there is a triangular view point indicator on the Sommet de Moléson. It's a bit of a hike from the cable car and main lodge but worth the view!
I somehow convinced my roomate to wake up at an ungodly hour after having to pick me up from Lausanne the night before (seriously, I got in at 8:30- the next available train to Fribourg was at midnight, then I would have to take the bus and get back at 2am) and wake up at 5 am to accompany me to see the sunrise in the freezing cold mountain top. I also need to thank her for being so tall and thus making such a slender, beautiful model for my photographs of the sunrise.

From my understanding, they only do this a few times a year starting in Spring/ Summer and extending through Autumn. You can check with the Moléson website to see what's going in the town and the summit. They post dates, hours and prices for the lever du soleil- so check back in the spring when the mountain isn't so cold and more feasible to watch the sunrise.

Swiss Cheese: Gruyère

Ok ok ok. I know that I have been procrastinating on this post for ages. Yes, I live in the Canton de Fribourg. Yes, I see the Gruyères Castle everyday on my morning jaunts through the forest. Why have I not blogged about Le Gruyères fromage? I have to admit, I am beginning to take it for granted.. BIG TIME. Having said that, let's get this done and over with shall we?
Gruyères Fromage is the only cheese in the world to win the best cheese in the world distinction 3 times. It was given the distinction of AOC or Appelation D'origine Controlee in 2001. History first recorded the cheese in 1655 but dates back as far as 1249. For my first Gruyère cheese purchase, I opted to go polar opposites with an Alpage and a Doux to really taste the difference between the two. I am a stinky cheese girl so yes, the Alpage is much better with a creamier more pungent flavor then the bland Doux version.
Here are some more bits and bobs about the cheese:
Origin: Canton de Fribourg,Neuchatel, Jury
Made from: Cow milk
Special Distinctions: AOC
Special Visual Characteristics: Hard cheese, shape of a millstone and brushed, grainy, uniformly brownish. Heel is slightly convex. Usually about 25-40kg
Aging Period: 5-12 months, 5 months is milk, 8 months for semi salty, 10 months for salthy and 12 months for prime quality.
Fat Content: 32%
Production: heated for 35-40 minutes until curdling at 55 C. pressed for 20 hours and immersed in a 20% salt bath. Kept in a climatized celler at 13-14 C. Turned and rubbed with salt water daily for the first 10 days then twice a week for 3 months and again once a week.
Taste profile: sale, mi sale, doux or alpage smooth, creamy, slightly damp to touch. Firm but not crumbly.
Served with: Fondue , used to make gourgères or croque monsieurs, on top of French onion soup, good melting cheese and good with figs and dates.

It is a great cheese but in my opinion, does not have the same pizzaz and creaminess that Tête de Moine posses. It is still a staple in my dorm fridge especiallz since fig season just commenced for those late night cheeky snacks...

Gruyeres Double Cream, Berries & Meringues

One of the things that Gruyeres is most famous for is (of course the dairy) Double Creme! The traditional way to consume this rich, creamy thick creme is with meringues and berries. Mix in just a bit of sugar and it really is THAT good. rich flavorful creme balances the tartness of the berries the the sugary light meringue. Beware that most restaurants will charge you an arm and a leg for his tasty dessert.

I went down to our local Fromagerie and picked up FRESH double creme.. a huge pot with a big ol ladle that the cheese lady ladles in right when you tell her how much you want. local meringues can also be bought.. We finished the whole tup of double creme that evening.. a little sinning every once in awhile can be forgiven right?

Christophe Gremaud

Route de Riaz 34

1630 Bulle, Switzerland

Tel: 0269193311

The Spot

One of my favorite things to do is run in the forest next to our village. Near the end of my run, there is my hideout spot where I can sit for hours at the incredible view that is Gruyere Castle and the Swiss Alps. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Pear Shaped

At the Alimentarium in Vevey ( the Nestle museum), they have a section on your "digestion" or what is "healthy eating". I was diagnosed as " pear type". At least its a lot more polite then the time the life guard at the Atlantis Hotel and Casino said " Damn girl, you LOOK like a pear"...

Gorging myself with Cailler Chocolates

One of the advantages of living in Bulle is that there are so many dairy based gastronomic delights nearby. My friend Xy and I decided to take a stroll through the Bouleyres Forest to get to Broc, home of Nestle's La Maison de Cailler. One of the most pleasant surprises was peeking into someone's farm to find Gruyeres Castle and parachuters!

Louis Cailler first brought back chocolate from Italy with the purpose of wanting to make it accessible for the everyday person. in 1898, the Cailler chocolate factory opened in Broc- chosen for its dairy rich location.

Cailler is one of the only chocolatiers in Switzerland that uses real milk as opposed to powdered milk which gives its smooth (and calorie rich) taste and texture.

The factory, now commercialized for tourism is highly interactive with videos, displays, raw product tastings and chocolate scents. It was very informative and great if you have children (or still a kid at heart like I am).

The best part of the tour is.. the chocolate tasting. Here is your warning: DO NOT EAT EVERY PIECE OF CHOCOLATE THEY PUT IN FRONT OF YOU. There- I said it. Somehow I lost all self control in the presence of all that chocolate (At least I admit it!).
They start you off nice and slow with their basic chocolates that can be found in every grocery store... then move into some other more basic- every day chocolates..
Then they move you into their medium end chocolates.
Lastly, they move you into their petite fours and fancier chocolates. I couldn't help myself to all the dark chocolate.. it really was delicious.. but by the last time the last piece went down.. reality of what I just did to myself set in.. and the tummy ache ensued.

If ever in the Fribourg region, La Maison Cailler is a must. Not only do you get to see super cool vintage chocolate molds, vintage factory photos, original machinery and much much more, you also get free chocolate! Just don't be like me and forget your self restraint at home...

La Maison Cailler

Rue Jules Belelt 7

1636 Broc

Tel: 41 (0)269215151

Hours:9:30am - 4Pm January through October 31st

Lake Geneva Regional Food: Raclette

Burnt Cheese. For those of you who have worked in the kitchen.. Burnt Cheese really does sound delicious.. and this is exactly what this dish is.

The dish originated in the Valais region of Switzerland where herders use to heat up their cheese over a campfire along with potatoes and pickles (well it was potatoes or bread.. it gets cold here OK?)

History has it that the dish is well over 800 years old!
Raclette cheese usually comes in a huge round.. somewhere around 15 pounds.
There are special Raclette heat lamps that melt and brown the top layer of the cheese.

The melty goodness is scraped off and served piping hot with some potatoes, pickles and plenty of raclette powder.

It is quite a heavy dish- one for the winter time. Simple. Filling. and helps you bulk up for the winter.

Swiss Fondue!

When in the land of moo cows, cheese is ALWAYS in abundance. For the swiss national holiday, my girlfriends and I headed down to Lausanne to enjoy the festivities.

One of the must haves when in Switzerland is.. Fondue!

Fondue is based off the french word Fondre or melt.. and yes that is exactly what Fondue is.. a big melty pot of... CHEESE!!

Typically, fondue is a combination of Gruyere and another cheese. This ranges from region to region ie- Vacherin in the Fribourg region to the "Traditional" Emmenthaler cheese. This is typically done to try to balance out the flavors of the cheese. White wine or Kirsch (in addition to a variety of other flavors) can be added to add flavors and keep the cheese from directly frying over the heat.

Fondue is also typically eaten with a dry white wine to cut the heaviness of the cheese and a variety of local cured sausages (talk about calorie count eh?)
My girlfriends and I were lucky enough to meet some very hospitable Swiss boys from Zurich- Jurg on the right and Martin on the left who invited us to have some of this calorie rich, but very delicious traditional dish with them. They also explained to us the premise of the crazy festivities that were happening around us... some boat race thing that is in San Diego every year (crazy how I lived there for 10 years with NO clue about it). It was a great way to finish up our day in Lausanne- Great weather, great food and very very friendly people who opened a little bit more about their amazing culture to us!