Tête de moine (lit. monk’s head) is a cylindrical, semi-hard Swiss cheese made from cow’s milk. The cheese is kept on spruce wood boards for at least 2,5 months before consumption. It is believed that the cheese was first made by monks in the Bellelay monastery in the community of Saicourt.

In the past, they used it as a means of payment. Interestingly, tête de moine is not cut, but scraped or shaved with a special tool called a girolle. During the process, the surface of the cheese comes into direct contact with air, which alters the structure of the paste and helps to release the aromas. 

Berner rösti is a traditional variety of rösti originating from Bern. This type of rösti differs from the standard rösti due to the addition of diced bacon, and the potatoes are coarsely grated. It's made with a combination of boiled potatoes, diced bacon, butter, and salt.

The potatoes are coarsely grated, seasoned with salt, and mixed with diced bacon. The mixture is fried in butter over medium heat on both sides. In the end, the bottom of the rösti should have a crispy crust. Once done, this rösti is served hot with the crust side up.

Berner Alpkäse is a traditional cheese originating from the Bernese Oberland. This hard cheese is made during summer from full-fat raw cow's milk that's flavored with Alpine herbs on which the cows graze. It's usually left to age from 6 to 18 months before consumption.

Underneath its washed rind, the texture of this cheese is hard, brittle, and with no eyes (holes) that are typical for Swiss cheeses. The flavors can be mild or strong, depending on the maturation period. The cheese is usually planed into thin rolls or crumbled into smaller pieces because its brittle texture makes it unsuitable for cutting with a knife.

Emmentaler is a semi-hard Swiss cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. It must be matured for a minimum of 4 months, though some varieties can be aged longer. The cheese is characterized by its pale yellow color, smooth texture, and marble-sized holes (eyes), which appear during maturation.

Although the final flavor profile depends on maturation, the cheese is usually nutty and tangy, with aromas that are reminiscent of fresh hay. Emmentaler is traditionally served sliced or cut into cubes, but it also incorporates well into various dishes, and it is one of the most common cheese varieties used in fondue. 

Swiss Tilsit or Royalp Tilsit is a Swiss cheese produced in the Emmental Valley. The cheese is made from pasteurized or raw cow's milk. The pasteurized version is mild, while the raw one has a stronger flavor and it's called Farmhouse Tilsit.

The third version is made from pasteurized milk and the addition of cream. The cheese is aged for 5 months, making the aromas strong and pungent. Underneath the washed rind, the texture is firm, springy, elastic, and full of eyes. The flavors range from mild and creamy to piquant and spicy. 

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.

Produced in Belp, hence the name, Belper Knolle is a unique Swiss hard cheese that's shaped into a small ball. The word Knolle translates to tuber, referring to its shape and style – it's mostly used as a grating cheese.

The cheese is made from raw cow's milk, and it was created in 1993 by Herr Glauser. It's infused with garlic and Himalayan salt, then rolled in ground Oberland black pepper. Belper Knolle is typically aged in caves for about 10 to 15 weeks, the latter one becoming firm, flaky, crumbly, and extremely hard in texture, which is the reason why it's almost impossible to slice it, so use it shaved or grated instead. 

Despite its name, the famous Swiss blue cake, a specialty of the Frutig valley, is not blue, nor is it a cake. It is a simple puff pastry without fillings or toppings, one that has been produced in local bakeries since the 1900s. Its name refers to the phrase blau machen, meaning to take a holiday.

The pastry is commonly consumed as a snack, accompanied by cold cuts, cheese, butter, jam, or coffee.

Meitschibei are finger-thick, horseshoe-shaped Bernese pastries filled with sweetened hazelnuts. Their name directly translates to girl’s legs and it comes from their characteristic shape. The dough is made with white flour, butter, milk, yeast, malt, sugar, salt, and eggs, while the filling is made with ground hazelnuts, orange peel, lemon zest, cinnamon, sugar, and a little water.

Meitschibei can be easily found in bakeries throughout the German-speaking part of Switzerland. In the French-speaking parts of the country, the product is known as croissant viennois – Viennese croissant. The origins of meitschibei are lost to time, but they most likely originated in Bern at the beginning of the 20th century.