Switzerland’sfamous fare
Story by Allyson Angle Photos by Alden Jones
Over a century old, Restaurant Stagerstübli is
a popular gathering spot for locals and tourists in Mürren. During winter the table centers are adorned with baskets full of bread cubes and bright orange pots resting on hot oil canteens. Stagerstübli’s chef of 25 years said that his recipe
incorporates the region’s mountain cheese, which is typical of authentic fondue. Local Nicole Stucki has been a waitress at Stagerstübli for seven years. She said their popular four-cheese fondue is only served in the wintertime. Pascal Cueni, the head chef down the street at
Mürren’s only four-star hotel, said fondue originated in the early 19th century and was designed to be a meal to share with friends. Cueni started working at the Hotel Eiger at the
beginning of the 2010 winter season. T ough he has only been there for 4 months, he has at least 15 years experience making the traditional meal found throughout the Swiss Alps. Cueni learned the recipe from his father when
he was a boy growing up in Lucerne. Mixing white wine and garlic, he uses three types of cheese — one from Bern, one from Austria and a local cheese from a factory in the Nordwand region. “What type of cheese you use is the most
important thing every time,” Cueni said. He gets a shipment of cheese twice a week and
80| ALPINE LIVING 2011
estimated that in the middle of the season, he gets 9-16 pounds a week. T e most popular fondue at the hotel’s
restaurant is chinoise, or meat fondue, and the original cheese fondue follows it in popularity. Cueni explained that people usually eat fondue during the day or early evening. “I think it’s important for tourists to have
it the fi rst time just as much as it’s important for the locals to have it,” Cueni said. “It’s the diff erence between the mountain and lake regions of Switzerland. It’s a warm meal that warms you up aſt er being out in the snow. It’s like a little fi re in the middle of the table.” Cueni said it takes about 15 minutes to cut
two pounds of cheese, and then the cheese mixture melts in 5-6 minutes. Two pounds of cheese can make several pots that can be served throughout the day. A long, two-pronged fork is used to dip and swirl the bread cubes in the hot pool of cheese. “When you taste it, you smell the white
wine and garlic all mixed into the diff erent cheeses,” Cueni said. As many Swiss would say, “Guten appetit!”
Top: Chef Pascal Cueni and the three cheeses used to make fondue at the Hotel Eiger. Right: Restaurant Stagerstübli in Mürren.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124