Swiss cuisine
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The Swiss cuisine is unique in its many regional influences from its neighbors' cuisine, including Italian, French, and German cuisine.
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[edit] Food
Foods often associated with Switzerland include cheese and chocolate. Swiss cheeses, in particular Emmental cheese, Gruyère, Vacherin, and Appenzeller, are famous Swiss products. The most popular cheese dishes are fondue and Raclette. 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. It was originally a breakfast food, but this has been replaced by the muesli, which is commonly eaten for breakfast and in Switzerland goes by the name of "Birchermüesli" ("Birchermiesli" in some regions). For breakfast and dinner many Swiss enjoy sliced bread with butter and jam. There is a wide variety of bread rolls available in Switzerland. Bread and cheese is a popular dish for dinner.
Tarts and quiches are also traditional Swiss dishes. Tarts in particular are made with all sorts of toppings, from sweet apple to onion.
There are a great number of regional dishes in Switzerland. One example is zürigschnätzlets—thin strips of veal with mushrooms in a cream sauce served with rösti. Italian cuisine is popular in contemporary Switzerland, particularly pasta and pizza.
[edit] Beverages
Apple juice is popular in many areas of Switzerland. It is also produced in the form of cider.
Wine is produced in many regions of Switzerland, particularly the Valais, the Vaud, the Ticino and the canton of Zurich. Riesling is a common wine produced.
Absinthe is brewed again in the Jura region of Switzerland, where it originated; long banned by a specific anti-Absinthe article in the Swiss constitution, it has been re-legalized since 2005. Now once again distilled in its Val-de-Travers birthplace, Swiss absinthe is now also exported to many countries, with Kübler and La Clandestine Absinthe among the first new brands to emerge.
Wine and beer can legally be purchased by youths of 16 or more years of age. Spirits and beverages containing distilled alcohol (including alcopops like bacardi breezer) can be bought at 18. Socialization with alcohol begins early and many have their first taste of alcohol in the family at the age of 14.[citation needed]
The chocolate drink Ovomaltine (known in the USA as "Ovaltine") originates in Switzerland and enjoys ongoing popularity, particularly with young people. Aside from being a beverage it is also used on top of a slice of buttered bread.
