For so long I use to pass the piles of winter squash in the supermarket utterly perplexed by the different shapes, sizes and colors. Other than acorn squash and pumpkin I never knew how to approach the others. With some trial and error, I am now able to add butternut squash to my repertoire. It is …
Swiss Asparagus: Real or Fantasy?
I never understood why there was such a thing as “asparagus season” in Switzerland when every green or white spear in the market announces their origin as the United States, Mexico, Spain and Germany! I am so perturbed to think that all the asparagus we so happily ingest in this country every year and which …
Swiss Tropics Home to Oona Caviar
The Bernese-Oberland region of Switzerland with its high mountains and lush meadows is not the place where one would imagine to find tropical fruit, such as bananas, papayas, and mangos, and certainly not … caviar! Nevertheless, all these delicacies are at the Tropenhaus in Frutigen. Bit of History: The construction of the Lötschberg base tunnel uncovered …
Phusis Delights and Surprises
Living so close to Italy and France, one might wonder why I would drink wine from anywhere else. One reason: I live in a country which has a thriving wine production industry. Even though their exportation appears limited to “close to home”, I have been frequently delighted and surprised by my experiences. So this year, …
Romanced by Les Murettes
When I first made the decision to move to Switzerland in 2002, my greatest concern was not what you might imagine. Yes, of course, I was going to miss family and friends , the beach, the weather , the San Francisco Bay Area in general, but more specifically: the wine! Yes, California wine was something …