Despite its French-sounding name, fondue Bourguignonne is Swiss in origin. It all started with field workers who didn't have time to go back home for a meal. They started bringing pots of oil to the field and came to cook pieces of meat (beef that was imported from Burgundy, France, hence the name) during their break.
Today, beef is the most traditional option for this fondue, but mixed meat fondues are also quite popular, utilizing meats such as pork, chicken, and liver, while various vegetables can also be added to the pot. It is important to use a stable fondue pot in order to prevent hot oil-related accidents.
Cordon bleu is a very popular international dish with Swiss origins. In its most basic form, it consists of a meat cutlet that is filled with a thin slice of ham and cheese (usually Gruyère), breaded, and either deep-fried in hot oil, shallow fried in a pan, or baked in an oven.
The dish is usually prepared with two meat scallops, one on top of the other with the ham and cheese sandwiched in between. The first mention of cordon bleu is found in a cookbook from 1949. Today, there are numerous varieties of the dish such as veal cordon bleu, chicken cordon bleu, and cordon bleu served with mushroom sauce.
MOST ICONIC Cordon Bleu
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Traditionally prepared with sliced veal strips, cream, beef stock, white wine, and often with the addition of mushrooms, Zürich-style veal – popularly known as Zürcher geschnetzeltes – first appeared in cookbooks in 1947, but nowadays it is considered one of the classic dishes with origins in the Zürich region.
The dish is typically seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and lemon juice. Although potato rösti is the most common accompaniment, it can also be served with rice, mashed potatoes, or tagliatelle pasta on the side.
MOST ICONIC Zürcher Geschnetzeltes
Capuns is a traditional dish originating from the canton of Graubünden. It is so popular that there is no fixed way of preparing it, and almost every family in the region has their own recipe, but it is usually made with a combination of dried meat and spätzle dough wrapped in chard leaves.
The combination is cooked in butter, then slowly simmered in stock and cream. Once prepared, the dish is typically topped with fried bacon pieces and grated cheese.
MOST ICONIC Capuns
Berner platte is a traditional celebratory dish originating from Bern. It consists of a large plate that's filled with a variety of sauerkraut, meat, offal, potatoes, and green beans. The meat, vegetables, and side dishes are all prepared separately, then served on the same plate – the meat is often boiled with onions and bay leaves, the green beans are sautéed in butter, the potatoes are boiled and fried with butter and chives, and the sauerkraut is typically cooked in white wine with currants and bacon.
In some cases, Berner platte is served as an open buffet, so each person can choose the ingredients for their (regular) plate.
MOST ICONIC Berner Platte
Lummelbraten is a traditional dish originating from Basel. The dish is made with a combination of beef, butter or cream, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, white wine, mustard, and red wine. The meat is lightly fried, and the other ingredients are deglazed with wine and shortly boiled.
Once done, the meat is cut into slices, topped with the sauce, and traditionally served with the vegetables (carrots, celery) and fried potatoes on the side. Although it's not traditional, some people like to serve lummelbraten with rice and peas as accompaniments.
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