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

The Nestle Outlet Factory..

*Warning* I am not responsible for any weight that you may gain after reading this posting. thank you.




At the beginning of the school year, I did the Cailler- Nestle chocolate factory walk. A mere 3 miles from my dorm-- it was a gorgeous jaunt through the forest and into the little town of Broc. I learned my lesson the hard way-- consuming so much chocolate that my stomach.. very angry at me and my head very dizzy from the sugar high taught me to restrain myself the next couple of times that I went.

I also heard a rumor of a "Nestle Factory Store". I researched and researched-- with no address, just a short 4 year old posting on trip advisor about this so called factory store. My friend and I drove aimlessly around Broc trying to find this "unsigned, nondescript white building next to the train station" with no luck.

Then the other day, it dawned on me (I think I was in the shower where my MOST productive thinking comes about). Nestle-- has websites-- Nestle has lots and lots of websites and a million products that I wanted to make a point that Nestle and Kraft are taking over the food world using the same branding techniques and growth strategies).
So, are you ready? I found the Nestle outlet store.. In fact, in Switzerland, there are 15 of them. The one in Broc is-- not next to the regular Broc Station-- it is next to the Broc- Nestle station. As you drive towards the Cailler factory, if you just pass the factory-- the next building after on the left hand side is.. THE OUTLET STORE!

Most everything is cheaper, but not everything. They have certain items that go on sale.. much like my new favorite chocolate bar: Dark Chocolate with Coco Nibs (mmmm)



The best time to go is after a holiday.. when all the holiday chocolates go on sale- if you are just looking for chocolate and do not care if they come in funny shapes of past holidays...

alright. I will be nice... here is the address and website link to other nestle outlet stores. Again I am not responsible for any weight that you may gain from this posting...

NESTLE SUISSE S.A.
Fabrique de Broc / Nestlé Shop
derrière la gare fabrique
1636 Broc

Hours:
Mon-Thursday 10.00 - 17.30
Friday 10.00 - 17.00

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...

It's Marron Time!

After a strenuous two weeks in Financial Accounting, the girls and I couldn't wait to take our road trip to Lugano, located in the Canton of Ticino in the southern, east region on Switzerland. Bordering Italy, Lugano is the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. The weekend coincided with the Autumn festival where chestnut (marron) season is just beginning.

One of the most pleasant surprises was that the headquarters for Münger a Panetteria, Pasticceria, & a Confetteria that has been around since 1923 was around the corner from our hotel in Paradiso. On our morning jaunt down to the lakeside, we stopped in to see what delectable delights the Panetteria ( bread shop), Pasticceria ( Pastry shop) & Confetteria ( Chocolate/ sweet shop) - Yes this one was ALL three combined into one.. had to offer.

It is gooseberry season as well as chestnut season in Switzerland. I was tempted to buy a whole bunch of these chocolate covered gooseberries along with the dark chocolate marron.. but was good and restrained myself.

Münger is really famous for their chestnut based treats around this time. The thing that most people get is the Panettone, a chestnut bread that looks like a giant muffin. The bread only lasts a day or two (well of course!) so I opted for the Marronitorte - something that was gonna last us a day or two for our stay in Praha (prague)

Münger's Marronitorte was a great treat for Cza and I. It wasn't too sweet, with the crust crispy but the torte itself very very moist. The torte had chunks of sweet chestnuts ( not marron glace) that lent texture to the soft moistness of the torte. It was delicious- with Cza and I having to do everything we could not to finish it on the first night.

Some more noteworthy chestnut treats for the season (from Münger as well) are the Vermicelles (chestnut puree of a a cream custard, topped with heavy cream) , Castagne E Panna - or in French Marron Glace- chestnuts macerated in sugar and liquor and lastly the Torta Pane- a chestnut cake with pinenuts- more like a cornbread sort of texture.

Did I mention that I LOVE chestnuts???

Münger

Three locations in Lugano:

Laboratorio Negozio + Tea Room

Via Geretta 7

6900 Paradiso - Lugano

Tel: 091-985-69-40

walk in bakery, pastry shop and chocolate shop

In the heart of Old Town shopping district:

Negozio + Tea Room

Via Luvini 4

6900 Lugano

Tel: 091-985-69-43

Negozio

Lungolago Motto

6815 Melide

Tel: 091-649-74-14

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.

Bratwurst, Bier & Rosti.. How much more Swiss can we get?

On a short excursion day to Bern, we stopped into Bim Grosi for some quick lunch grub. The first must was the Gurten Bier- the local beer of Bern (Wabern). Fruity, light, not quite a heffe, it was just what was needed after a long morning of exploring the old town. Founded in 1864 by Johann Juker from Bollingen.
For my main meal, I had Rösti , a traditional swiss-german glorified spiced hashbrown (sorry Chef Waffler, I know it takes A LOT longer then hashbrowns and it's caramelized throughout the whole thing but.. it is still a hashbrown....) It is traditional to the Canton of Bern as well and considered the national dish of Switzerand (that and Fondue, Moite moite and Raclette. Usually with the glorified hashbrown, Rösti can also have bacons, onions, apples, cheese and a variety of herbs mixed into it.

With the Rösti was an Emmenthaler Bratwurst mit a caramelized onion sauce. I have to admit, the swiss know their charcuterie here. There have been countless times where I have had a bland, unseasoned sausages in the states... so far, the Swiss have not failed to dissapoint in the Bratwurst department.

The restaurant itself is a cute, one off restaurant off the main Martgasse plaza just down the street from the Bundeshaus. On Saturdays, there is a huge farmers market in the Martgasse plaza with regional purveyors displaying a bevy of cheese, meats and veggies. Prices are reasonable- decent local food- nothing fancy but will do!

Bim Grosi

Martgasse 69

3011 Bern, Switzerland

Tel: 0041313050888

Swiss Cheese: Emmentaler

Swiss Cheese- we all know it. Holey cheese that you use to catch those little pesky mice running around the house. In the land of Cheese, Emmentaler is possibly the most boring cheese I now know in my repetoire of Swiss cheeses. I don't mean to diss the cheese but it really is well.. bland and boring.
Alright, so now that I've disclosed how I REALLY feel about the cheese let's get it over with Qui?
Fun Facts on Emmentaler Cheese:
Origin: 180 cheese makers in the Emme valley (around bern)
Made from: Cow milk exclusively fed on natural feed
Special Distinctions: AOC only if given 18 out of 20 rating points
Special Visual Characteristics: Holes!
Aging Period: 120 days
Fat Content: 31g per 100g
Production : Pressed in cheese wheels for about 20 hours then immersed in brine for 2 days. Kept in brine cellar at 12-16C for 20 days then into the fermentation celler at 19-24C for 6-8 weeks. Warmth of cellar starts the fermentation process. Carbon dioxide gas is created and when unable to escape, makes the holes.
Served with: blended with gruyere cheese for fondue, fruit and cheese

Yup, that's all I got for you..Sorry!

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...

Bratwurst!

On a quest for authentic Swiss hole-in-the-wall food, Gie suggested that we go to
Vordere Sternen for some Bratwurst. Something that I have discovered here in Suisse is that there are rarely hole-in-the-walls. So maybe I am spoiled by my Santanas and my Lu Bien Tans in Taiwan.. but seriously- all countries need have to have a quick tasty bite to eat place. Vordere Sternen is exactly that. The Swiss really do make things so simple- A Bratwurst, a piece of bread in the other hand, some spicy mustard and violà street food!
The grill is clean, menu is simple and the guys behind the counter churns the line at lightning speed.
Pre-measured mustards lie off to the side, a hug bin of bread next to that. You order, the guy grabs a Bratwurst off the grill and off you go to one of the standing tables.
I am a big fan of texture and the crispy burnt outside of the sausage but still succulent and well seasoned interior of the sausage made for an enjoyable lunchtime treat- that and the fact that I will drench anything in spicy mustard and think it is delicious..
Why don't they just stick the sausage and bread together? I guess there is something fun about getting crusty bread crumbs everywhere- except for those of us who are OCD and feel the compulsion to wipe the bread crumbs off the tables every 5 seconds...

Vordere Sternen Grill
Theaterstrasse 22
Bellevueplatz
8001 Zurich
Tel:044.251.4949
Horaires: Dimanche- Vendredi: 10:30- 24:00
Vendredi et Samedi: 10:30- 1:00

Is There Anything Better Then Chocolate and Hazelnut?

Anyone who knows me knows that J'adore les pâtisseries. Just around the corner from Gie's place is an adorable bakery called Freytag. On our way to pick up lunch, we stopped into to indulge ourselves on some Schoko Gipfel- literal translation being " Chocolate Bread".
Gie's promise for an amazingly delicious pâtisserie did not fail.
The chopped nuts on the top added a layer of texture to the crisp flakiness of the bread combined with the creamy chocolate hazelnut filling- pas trop sucre was undoubtedly délicieux.

I had to remind myself to CHEW the thing and enjoy it. Before we knew it, we had both devoured our little sin for the morning- Schoko Gipfel.. It's no Stan's Donut but pretty darn good!

Café Freytag
Seefeldstrasse 144
8008 Zurich
Tel: 41-44-383-6267
Horaires: Lundi- Mardi 6:#0- 18:30
Samedi: 6:30- 16:00
Dimanche: Fermé

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

Swiss Cheese: Tête De Moine

Whilst in the land of cows, I have been trying to take advantage of getting all the fromage I can get my little grubby hands on. Before arriving into Suisse, I did a little homework and knew that one of the cheese I needed to try right away was Tete De Moine.

Originally from the monastery of Bellelay with the cheese dating back to 1628. The cheese orginates from the . Jura region- moutier, porrentruy and courtelary and the french speaking region of the Canton of Bern. This region is closer to Lake Neuchatel ( which hopefully i'll make it to soon!)

There are a couple theories as to where the name of the cheese comes from but the most popular was that the store of cheeses in the abbey was counted per monk’s head.

Here are some more interesting facts about the cheese:

Made from: unpasteurized cow milk

Special Distinctions: AOC

Special Visual Characteristics: made into rosettes with a Girolle

Aging Period: 3-4 months

Fat Content: 35% or 51% fat in dry matter

Production: cheese matures on pine boards in the region for at least 3 months.

Color: ivory color to bright light yellow with a firm brown to reddish brown rind.

Taste profile: semi hard cheese with silky body that melts in your mouth. Roasted nuts and wine like aromas. Sweet and tangy with musty wood mold and nuts.

Served with: shaped into rosettes- paring increase amount of air coming in contact with the surface of the cheese allowing full flavor. White wine, and fruits. Make rosettes with a Girolle

Silky and smooth, tart but very full "round".. so far it's my favorite cheese!

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 Ice Cream: Movenpick

After hours of walking around Lausanne and arriving into Geneva in the sweltering heat, we needed something to cool down. After much asking around and searching we finally found a Movenpick stand.. and after much contemplating, I finally settled on a cacao and orange ice cream. I also had their seasonal banana ice cream with chunks of bananas.. It ain't no Ben and Jerry's but I guess it will have to do!!

Anyone who knows me well knows that I can NEVER pass up ice cream. Thankfully here in Switzerland the land of moo cows and thus anything dairy, they are quite famous for their ice cream. The creme de la creme here is Movenpick ( yes as in the hotel chain)

Movenpick first entered the ice cream world through production for their restaurants. In

1968, Movenpick decided to centralize their ice cream production for the entire company- and within a year, Movenpick ice cream became the companies' number one branded item.

By 1982, Movenpick ice cream became it's own branded sector within the company- spinning off from the parent company. In 2003, Movenpick Ice Cream brand was sold to Nestle ( as in the parent company to Cailler.. which hopefully I will be walking to from my dorm this weekend!)

Movenpick has always maintained strict standards with using all natural ingredients and not using any articificial additives in their ice cream- always using the traditional Sabayon base for maximum creaminess and richness. Fruit and vegetable juices are used in lieu of artifical coloring. Fresh, clean , natural = yummy!

When in Switzerland you must try Movenpick ice cream.. at least once. .It is worth every calorie!