Swiss Bread You love it, you hate it. You should eat it, you shouldn’t eat it. It has too many carbs, it doesn’t have enough carbs. Sometimes it is fluffy, some times it is flat. It makes you bloat. It makes your sorrows disappear. Fancy artesian bread or plain as can be. White, brown, bran, or rye, bread has been a part of the human story since the beginning of time, well since over 30,000 years ago. We humans just can’t seem to escape it, but then again, why would we want to? Of all the cultures in this world, there is one group that seems to love bread more than all the others: the European ..read more

At Alpenwild, we stress the importance of conditioning for our hiking and trekking tours. Physical exercise, namely hiking and trekking, burns calories. Our body needs calories and energy to function. As you train for your Alpenwild hike, be sure to eat right as well. Not eating right can negatively affect physical performance (not to mention mental performance as well). Here is a personal story and some eating tips for hikers as well as my favorite healthy granola recipe.  My experience I picked up running in 8th grade and have loved it ever since. I specifically participated in cross-co ..read more

Who is Felchlin? In 1908, Max Felchlin Sr., a businessman, began to trade honey in Schwyz, Switzerland. Mr. Felchlin later expanded his Felchlin company offerings to include cocoa powder and chocolates. Felchlin Sr. raised his son, Max Felchlin Jr. with good morals, Felchlin Jr. took over the family company when his father passed away. Why Felchlin chocolate? Not only is Felchlin a world-renowned chocolatier, but the word felchlin also means products of the highest quality. Today, the brand preaches passion, flexibility, and stability though maintaining the values of honesty, and optimism ..read more

Ticino Breadcake, Peasant Cake, or Cake of the Poor. During times of war or hardship in Ticino it was especially important to not waste anything on the farm—not even the bread that was stale and hard. According to tradition, farm wives would take their stale bread and soak it in milk overnight. Then they would stir in eggs and any other ingredients they might have in the kitchen—dried fruits, berries, or nuts and bake it until firm. Over time, this “breadcake” or “peasant cake” evolved into the sweet version that is still widely enjoyed today.  Please enjoy this Ticino breadcake recipe an ..read more

We can’t wait for you to try this delicious gnocchi nettles recipe. Prepare to move quickly when you boil your gnocchi. When you lift them out of frying pan, they’re ready to serve. 2 lbs small firm-fleshed potatoes (like Yukon Gold) 2 cups flour 1 egg 8 cups fresh nettles (or baby spinach), cooked and pureed (follow instructions below)* Salt and freshly grated nutmeg Directions Boil the potatoes with the skins on. When tender (about 20 mins), drain the potatoes and place them in a roasting pan on a bed of coarse salt (to dry them out). Put them in the oven for 40 mins at 350 degrees. Remove ..read more

Gnocchi —Puffs of Potato Goodness Everyone loves gnocchi when they’re done right. They’re light and chewy with just enough structure to stand up to any sauce you can dish out. So how do you describe gnocchi’s texture? It’s sturdier than mashed potatoes. Softer than pasta. More delicate than a dumpling. Well, let’s just say this dish is in its own category. Every region wants to claim gnocchi as their original creation—but it definitely has roots in the soil of Northern Italy. And that means it’s right at home in Ticino. There’s a lot of disagreement on what the name “gnocchi” means. “Knuckle ..read more

Open crumb, chewy texture, and a sweet buttery taste—that is the challenge of panettone. It requires a little more time and attention than most baked goods, but the result is delicious. Come and learn how to make our amazing panettone recipe today. Starter–prepare the night before (30 mins) ¼ cup sourdough starter (homemade) or 1 pkt commercially-made sourdough starter ½ cup flour ¼ cup water (bottled water with no chlorine if possible) In a small mixing bowl, combine starter, flour and water. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the mixture stay at room temperature overnight. The lievi ..read more

Panettone Cake—Italian Christmas Bread Panettone An Italian hybrid of cake and bread with a tender brioche-like crumb, shows up in every bakery in Europe at Christmastime.  It’s panettone cake – so springy, light, and delicious that it could single-handedly redeem the concept of “fruitcake” forever. Really. It’s that good. But it’s also one of the most challenging and time-consuming recipes you can try. Classic panettone can take over 24 hours to prepare. And you can easily invest a king’s ransom in dried fruits, candied citrus peel, and roasted nuts. Of course, this explains why most who ..read more

Carac pastry is an amazing chocolate tart Swiss dessert pastry. The only part that is baked is the crust. After the crust cools the creamy chocolate filling is added. Once that sets, you gently add the top layer. When that’s dry, you can top it with a chocolate dot or a drizzle. You can make them tiny, but that means extra labor per bite. Carac pastry is not difficult, it just requires attention to detail. They need to be kept cool until time to serve. Then serve them at room temperature, so the ganache is fully aromatic and creamy. Dark Chocolate Ganache in Pastry Crust PASTRY 1 cup  ..read more

Swiss Bread You love it, you hate it. You should eat it, you shouldn’t eat it. It has too many carbs, it doesn’t have enough carbs. Sometimes it is fluffy, some times it is flat. It makes you bloat. It makes your sorrows disappear. Fancy artesian bread or plain as can be. White, brown, bran, or rye, bread has been a part of the human story since the beginning of time, well since over 30,000 years ago. We humans just can’t seem to escape it, but then again, why would we want to? Of all the cultures in this world, there is one group that seems to love bread more than all the others: the European ..read more