food destinations

Food Destinations #5 roundup is up

maki — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 14:49:20 +0100

Natalia has the roundup for Food Destinations #5 up on her blog now - go and check it out!

A typical Swiss farm shop (Food Destinations #5)

Max Wyss — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 08:39:41 +0100

For Food Destinations No. 5, the theme of which is “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”, our first inclination was to pick a restaurant we go to often. But while we have some favorites, we don’t really go to any one restaurant more than once or twice a month on average, since we like variety when eating out. On the other hand, there are a couple of food stores that we shop in almost every day, where they truly know our names. One of our favorite haunts is our very typically Swiss local farm shop in the suburbs of Zürich.

The Müller family runs a small farm that is typical of the non-rural areas of Switzerland. It’s tucked in the middle of ever-spreading housing construction, and they have had to slowly cut down their farming activities over the years - getting rid of the cows a few years ago, and the egg-laying chickens just recently. They still have the apple orchards and the vegetable and berry garden though.

Their farm shop is housed in a former small abattoir. Like most such farmer-operated stores, it has very limited opening hours: from 9 to 11:30 two mornings a week, and 30 minutes in the evenings every day except Sunday.

The product selection is top notch. Even though they don’t have their own chickens anymore they still sell fresh, organic or Integrierte Produktion (which is a designation for produce that’s almost totally organic) locally produced eggs for a bit less than the equivalent quality at the supermarkets. While the eggs are still expensive by U.S. standards at around 60 Rappen or US 50 cents per egg, they are worth it all the way.

They have their own line of organic apple products: Süssmost (non-alcoholic apple cider), apple preserves, dried apple rings, and a delicious alcoholic bubbly apple wine called Blauacher Chlöpfmoscht.

The Müllers are also part of the Slow Food movement. Following that philosophy, they carry a nice selection of interesting and locally produced products, such as organic spelt, called Dinkel in German and epautre in French, and pasta made from spelt and other flours.

Depending on the time of year, they have all kinds of interesting things like wild garlic pesto, elderberry syrup, and a variety of honeys and jams. During the harvest months they have a small selection of fruits and vegetables. They also sell a delicious Bergkäse - country farm cheese, made from the milk of cows that spend the winters in the meadows in the hills above our village, and the summers up in the Alps near the resort town of Arosa in the Grisons, chomping on alpine flowers and herbs. Imagine a great aged Gruyère with rich, herbal undertones. You will rarely see this kind of cheese sold at regular stores in the city, or even at the open markets, because the production is too small.

And on Saturdays, Frau Müller bakes some delicious bread on the premises. The chubby Knopf (knot) loaves, fragrant with milk and butter, are to die for, and the whole grain Hirtenbrot (shepherd’s bread) is not far behind.

Does this sound special? It is, but yet it’s not. While the Müllers’ store is quite a bit prettier and better stocked than most, small farm stalls and stores selling what the farmer produces exist in many communities around Switzerland, quietly upholding the tradition of fresh, locally produced food. We really hope that the continuing encroachment of large supermarkets and hypermarkets won’t drive these tiny family run operations into extinction.

Müller’s Buurelädeli, Dorfstrasse 56, 8906 Bonstetten
Open Mon-Sat 18:30 - 19:00; Fri & Sat 9 - 11:30

If you live in or are visiting Switzerland and want to find a farm store

The best way to find a farm store near you is to just keep your eyes open as you walk or drive around and look for the signs that say Eier (eggs) and/or Frische Früchte und Gemüse (fresh fruits and vegetables). In the French speaking areas, look for oeufs and legumes et fruits frais. Or, ask your neighbours! Most towns and villages have at least one farmer who sells things like fresh eggs and vegetables directly. Shopping at farm stores is one of the under-appreciated pleasures of living in Switzerland.

This is an entry for Food Destinations No. 5 food blogging event hosted by From Our Kitchen. It’s part of the Food Destinations series originated by Just Hungry. Keep an eye on the host site From Our Kitchen for the roundup!

If you’d like to host a future Food Destinations event and bring fame, fortune (well maybe not that) and visitors to your food blog, please let us know.

(Photos and research by Max, written by Maki.)

Food Destinations #5 is on!

maki — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 21:57:21 +0100

Food Destinations is back for round 5! This time it’s hosted by Natalia of From Our Kitchen, and the theme is Where Everybody Knows Your Name. Details are here! The deadline is March 18th.

Food Destinations #4 roundup is up!

maki — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 10:49:27 +0100

The roundup for Food Destinations #4: My Favorite Gourmet Shopping Spot is now up on Mango and Lime. Be sure to check it out for some great descriptions of mouthwatering stores. Food and shopping, a great combination!

Food Destinations 4: Schweizer Heimatwerk, Zurich

maki — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 20:19:55 +0100

The theme of the fourth round of Food Destinations, hosted by Paula of Mango and Lime, is My Favorite Gourmet Gift Shopping Spot. I've already written about some of my favorite spots to shop for edible goodies in Zürich, not to mention my favorite place to buy chocolate, always an appropriate gift for a food lover. There are times though when you need an extra-special gift. In addition, I often find myself in a situation where I need to get something for someone abroad, and since I'm going there from Switzerland they expect something Authentically Swiss. Those are the times I turn to Schweizer Heimatwerk, or Heimatwerk for short.

Heimatwerk means home craft, or local handcraft or folk art, in German. (I can't think of an equivalent English word for it, but in Japanese it's close to mingei-hin); so, the name of the store translates to Swiss Handcrafts. From this you might assume that the Heimatwerk store carries stereotypical Swiss items like cowbells, music boxes and cuckoo clocks. While it does carry a small and very select selection of the two former things (there are no cuckoo clocks since the cuckoo clock is not really Swiss, it comes from the Black Forest region of Germany), most of the store is dedicated to the works of contemporary Swiss craftspeople and artists.

About one third of the store is devoted to food-related items like dinnerware and various kitchen supplies (there are also toys, fabric and clothing items, and decorative objects). If you want a piece of traditional Swiss folk cart, it is possible to get, for instance, a handpainted fondue set decorated with cows, made in the Appenzell region. But whenever I go there I'm drawn to the more modern design items. For instance: the clean, modern lines of a thick felt bread warmer; beautiful pale ceramic plates or brightly colorful dinnerware; glass-stamped items for the table; candlesticks made from blocks of wood; simple wooden, hand carved bowls and nutcrackers. Swiss people love modern design, natural materials (especially wood), and bright colors, and this is reflected in the selection at Heimatwerk.

There's one drawback to Heimatwerk: the prices are astronomical, even for pricey Switzerland. While they direct a lot of their marketing towards visitors, a lot of casual tourists who wander in there looking for a cheap souvenir get sticker shock and leave without buying anything. For instance, that wonderfully minimalist felt breadwarmer is 90 CHF, about US$73. A hand-hewn wooden bowl, studded with wonderful knots, was on sale at 255 CHF ($210). It's really a shame - but I guess there is a price to pay for top quality craftsmanship. I can't afford to shop for myself there too often, but I do own a few items that I've splurged on over the years; a wooden salt and pepper set, a set of wooden coasters, each coaster made from a different kind of tree, some hand-made St. Gallen lace tablemats, and so on. I've never regretted any of the things I've gotten from there.

The plus side of course is that everything at the stores is of top quality. And there are some inexpensive items if you look closely, such as hand-screen glasses with cute designs on them, kitchen towels that would last you forever, and the original (or so they claim) vegetable peeler. Another bonus: they will wrap even the smallest purchase for you,if you request it, exquisitely.

Perhaps not surprisingly the store is quite popular with Japanese tourists - I always think that modern Japanese and Swiss design sensibilities are quite similar.

If you find yourself in Zürich, be sure to at least stop by a Heimatwerk store, especially if you love modern design. There are 4 in the area, including 2 in the airport, and each has a different selection of items. The location with the best selection of high-end craft and design items is the flagship store on Uraniastrasse on the Limmat, the main river that runs through the city. They also have smaller stores in Basel and Geneva.

Schweizer Heimatwerk
Main store: Uraniastrasse 1, 8001 Zürich (a couple of blocks towards the Limmat from the Bahnhofstrasse. map)
1 other location in the city, 2 in Kloten airport, and 1 each in Basel and Geneva
http://www.heimatwerk.ch

Be sure to check Mango and Lime for the Food Destinations #4 roundup!

Food Destinations #4 is announced!

maki — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 16:31:03 +0100

Food Destinations #4 has been announced. The theme is My Favorite Gourmet Gift Shopping Spot, and the host is Paula of Mango and Lime. Go over to check out the details here. Paula is offering a great prize too!

Food Destinations #3 roundup is up

maki — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:23:28 +0100

Emily of Chocolate in Context has posted her roundup of Food Destinations #3: My Favorite Chocolate Shop [edit: URL corrected now]. Be sure to check out the drool-worthy entries. Mmm, chocolate...

Food Destinations #3: Confiserie Sprüngli, Zürich

maki — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:29:44 +0100

[Update:] Now you can buy Sprüngli chocolates online to be shipped worldwide! See the Shop page for details.

My entry for Food Destinations #3, hosted by Emily of Chocolate in Context, is, rather predictably maybe, the best known confectionery, pastry and chocolate store in Z&;uuml;rich, Confiserie Spr&;uuml;ngli. Even though it has multiple locations throughout the city, including 4 stores at Kloten airport for last-minute gifts to chocolate hungry friends in other countries, the quality is always very high and totally reliable. The blue-and-white Sprüngli packaging has a certain cachet in Zürich as well as much of the rest of Switzerland - it's a guarantee of something delicious within.

Since I've described Sprüringli briefly previously, this time I'll concentrate on the chocolates. Sprüngli specializes in pralines and truffes, hand-dipped chocolates with various fillings. The best known truffes may be the truffe du jour, hand-dipped milk or dark chocolate truffles made of fresh cream with no preservatives. For this reason they have clear signs everywhere telling you that you must eat these truffles the day you purchase them. Most people have no problems with that.

They do sell more sturdy chocolates that will last for a week or so (though it is recommended that you do not hoard them, since chocolate does deteriorate.) Their assorted chocolates come in all sizes, from small boxes called Lilliputs with tiny bite-sized truffles or pralines, to large, multi-tiered boxes. The Lilliputs are very handy as gifts-from-Switzerland since they are small and compact. They will also sell you their chocolates by the piece, and none of the unfailingly polite ladies behind the counter will even blink if you order just one.

A fairly new entry into their truffle lineup is the extraordinary Cru Sauvage, made from wild cacao beans harvested in Bolivia (or so the pamphlet says). Intensely chocolately and creamy, they are about as close to a chocolate orgasm as you can get. The Cru Sauvage is only available for a few months during the year, so if they aren't around, the next best would be the Grand Cru truffles.

Other offerings include kirsch-soaked cherried dipped in chocolate, which many people swear by, and premium chocolate bars made in-house. They also make some adorable molded chocolates, like milk-and-white chocolate cows or teddy bears. (My stepfather is addicted to the cows.) During the Christmas season, they sell a chocolate bar with cinnamon in it, which is quite addictive. They also carry chocolate bars from other companies such as Lindt, but I would avoid those since you can get the same from other places such as supermarkets. They have also started offering chocolate and wine pairings.

About the only thing you can't get at Confiserie Sprüngli are chocolate for cooking, or couveture - for that, I go to Schwarzenbach, which should be your second chocolate destination in Zürich.

Incidentally, Confiserie Sprüngli has no relation to the chocolate manufacturing giant Lindt & Sprüngli; as their web site explains they parted company more than 100 years ago. So the Lindt chocolate shops now invading shopping malls in the U.S. are operated by the latter. As far as I know, Confiserie Spr&uum;ngli, unlike their rivals Teuscher, hasn't opened any stores outside of Switzerland. They do however ship overseas - see the page for details.

Confiserie Sprüngli locations. (The web site erroneously says Sales Outlets, making them sound like discount/remainder places! They are all boutiques with a full lineup of products.) Paradeplatz is the main store, with a restaurant on the upper floor, but many other locations also have places to sit and eat too.

Food Destinations no. 3: All about chocolate!

maki — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 12:52:19 +0200

Food Destinations is back for round 3! This time, it's hosted by Emily of Chocolate in Context, and the theme is My Favorite Chocolate Shop. Mmm, chocolate. Go over to Emily's site and read up on the details! The deadline is October 30th.

Food Destinations #2: My Local (Green)market roundup!

maki — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 12:10:37 +0200

I must confess something. I almost thought about changing the theme for this second round of Food Destinations, after receiving not a few emails saying things along the lines of "Great idea, but I've already talked enough about my local green/food/farmer's market". Of course, many food bloggers are going to be passionate enough about food to frequent, and talk about, markets already. Oops.

I decided to let it be however, because I was still looking forward to reading what people had to say on the subject in a concentrated manner. And as you will see from the bloggers who took up this challenge, the results are terrific. Each article takes you on a mouthwatering visit to a different food/green market. Food and travel, what can beat that combination? I can't think of much.

So, to go on a virtual market tour around the world, as well as to discover some great blogs (some dedicated to food, some to other subjects too) that may be new to you, read on...

Let's start in Europe. When I saw Jul of This Non-American Life's (a blog about being an American expat in Switzerland...I can relate to that) post about the Bürkliplatz market in Zürich, I had an 'ack' moment since this is in fact my most-frequented local green market, though I do roam around the other markets in the city. She describes it wonderfully - it's a really nice, regular homey food market for the residents of Zürich. And yep, berries are in season here!

Since Jul got to Bürkliplatz first, I went for my second-most-frequented market on the Helvetiaplatz. Both are about the same size, and held on the same days year-round, if you happen to be visiting Zürich sometime.

Moving to the west a bit, Pamela of Posie's Place (a Scot living in Switzerland) describes the wonderful daily market on the historical Marktplatz in Basel. This is right in the old town section of Basel so you have no excuse to miss it if you go to that beautiful city. (Three posts from three expats-living-in-Switzerland. I'm not sure what that says...we're all hungry?)

Amanda of Savoury Snark (what a great name), yet another expatriate (an American living in the U.K. this time), talks about her "local", a "produce store of unique caliber" called Bill's Produce Store in Brighton, England. We all should be lucky enough to have such a first-rate store in our neighborhood...

The intrepid Johanna of the passionate cook (expat alert again - Austrian in London!) filed her report on the great Borough Market in London, despite her laptop dying on her over the weekend. This is one of the truly awesome food markets in the world and I'm so glad Johanna was able to get her entry up in spite of her computer problems.

Swinging over to the east again, Zsofi of Chili & Vanilla, a Hungarian living in Belgium, goes back home to Budapest and files a wonderful report about the Budapest Central Market, which she visited with her fellow expatriate Danielle. (What is it about us expats and food? hmm...)

We'll keep heading east, to stop in India. Nandita of Saffron Trail braves potential rain and sure chaos to go to the Vile Parle East Vegetable Market in Mumbai, India, and comes back with some awesome pictures and a report that had me running to my spice cabinet to sniff my Indian spices, just to get a feel for what she was describing. (Okay, I'm weird.)

Going Down Under, Emily of Chocolate in Context (yet another expat...an American in Australia) chooses her favorite out of the markets of Melbourne, the South Melbourne Market. She loves the unpretentiousness and the great prices she can get there. And of course, she finds a purveyor of fine chocolates there too.

Finally we fly over to the United States, from which the rest of the reports are. Starting in New England, Kathy of Start Cooking, a beautiful new site (still in beta?) dedicated to teaching cooking newbies how to cook, describes the Boston Copley Square farmer's market, with helpful tips for getting inspiration for your meals at a market.

Moving down the I-95 to New York City, Virtual Frolic doesn't let the rain stop her as she goes out to the famous Union Square Greenmarket, the centerpiece of what is now probably the top foodie destination neighborhood in the whole of the city. Don't forget to check out her flickr photoset too!

Paula writes from Miami, a city mysteriously under-represented so far (that I know of) in the food blogging world, on the gorgeous new Mango and Lime site. She visits the Coconut Grove Organic Farmers Market in downtown Miami, with beautiful photos and useful tips for market touring in hot weather.

Natalia of From Our Kitchen describes one of her local food markets in Denver, Colorado, the Pearl Street market - a team effort since the photos are taken by her father! Colorado peaches enter my 'to definitely eat one day' list...

If you think of Seattle and food, you might automatically think of the world famous Pike Place Market. Kimberly of Music and Cats (yet another great site name) explains that there are several other markets in town, and proceeds to describe the Ballard Farmers’ Market. With so many wonderful markets, no wonder Seattle is a food lover's paradise. And I've fallen in love with the kitty in the banner.

We move down to the great state of California. Dolores of Culinary Curiosity takes us on a whole week's tour of the great markets in the San Francisco Bay area. With so many choices, no wonder this region is such a culinary hotspot.

Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway (the best way to go) to Lost Angeles, KT of Gastronomy 101's local market is on the real Melrose Place (not the TV show of that name), which is a "a tiny street that runs from La Cienega to Melrose". It may be a small market on a small street but it has all the requirements - fresh local produce, baked goods, and live entertainment.

Staying in Los Angeles, Erin of Erin's Kitchen describes the Wilshire Center Farmers' Market that's just outside her office - how lucky she is! I particularly loved the description of the "clutch of Korean grandmas" who arrive early to get the best produce. They sound just like my late grandmother.

We end our round-the-world tour in southern California, for a report with a difference. Motoko of We Must Eat goes to the South Pasadena Farmers' Market, and find herself a little underwhelmed. I found her post to be perhaps the most thought provoking one, because it reminds us that markets are not always paradises. I think the quality of any given market depends on many factors, but from the consumer's point of view it's what we expect, and demand from it. In the short decade or so I've been visiting or living in Zürich, I've seen the markets evolve to include more variety, more organic/bio-production produce, and above all more 'exotic' foodstuffs from areas other than Europe, because of the demand. I saw similar things happen to the markets in New York too when I lived there. I think this is all a great thing. I'd like to think we can exert the same kind of influence on all our food sources - from the food industry to farms to supermarkets, though our buying habits. That's an issue for another post though...

And receiving the prize is...

I can't say "the winner" because every entry was a winner in my opinion. However I can't give books to everyone unfortunately! In order to pick just one, the Official Taste Tester was given the task of reading all the entries carefully and then picking his favorites. After long discussions that went on until 2am this morning, we finally decided on one that had the best combination of background, personal touch, local flavor, and evocative photography, in our opinion. The Taste Tester's comments: "This was the entry that made me drool the most." (We also decided that next time we host this event ourselves and only have limited prizes, we are going to rope in some other judges - it's just too hard to choose.)

So, the Julia Child autobiography In My Kitchen goes to...Nandita of Saffron Trail for "Food Destinations # 2- Scenes from a Mumbai Marketplace". A packet will be winging its way to India very soon!

Honorable mentions go to Music and Cats for quality reporting, and Mango and Lime for a combination of writing and beautiful photos.

Thank you again to all the participants in this round of Food Destinations for your wonderful words and photography!

Food Destinations #3 will be announced very soon with a brand new theme and a new host - stay tuned!

Also, if you would like to host a future Food Destinations event, please email me at maki at makikoitoh dot_com. September, October and November are already spoken for - December onwards are open. To get a feel for what this event is about, you may want to read the posts linked to below.