Specialities

Appenzeller cheese, with its world-renowned and unique spicy flavour, is the most famous gastronomic product from the canton of Appenzell – but it is not the only one. There is Alpenbitter, for example, a digestive liqueur made with 42 different mountain herbs. The Olma-Bratwurst is the pride of the butchers of St. Gallen: a sausage with milky-white flesh and a crispy skin, it was grilled for the first time in 1438, patented 300 years later, and still tastes delicious. Appenzell and St. Gallen Biber, which anyone with a sweet tooth will find hard to resist, are gingerbread specialities with a nut filling, artfully decorated with marzipan or wafers. When it comes to wine, we have Professor Hermann Müller from Thurgau to thank for the Müller-Thurgau grape variety. The mild and fruity cross of Sylvaner and Chasselas is cultivated in the winegrowing areas of canton Thurgau, from the southern shores of Lake Constance all the way to the banks of the Rhine downstream. The adjacent Klettgau region is the realm of the Schaffhauser Blauburgunder (Pinot noir) grape. In the largest connected winegrowing area of Germanspeaking Switzerland, this king among red wines accounts for one third of all grapes grown. Truly aristocratic wines flourish in the vineyards of the Hofkellerei des Fürsten von Liechtenstein, which are warmed by the Föhn winds. These are the court wine cellars of the Prince of Liechtenstein. Outstanding wines, including some great rarities, have given the princely estate an excellent reputation.

Culinary treats

The gastronomic landscape has something to tempt every palate. Of course, the cuisine changes from one area to another. In Appenzell you could be eating Vesperplättli (an afternoon snack plate) with Mostbröckli (cider-cured smoked beef) and Birnbrot (a rustic loaf made with dried pears). In the Principality of Liechtenstein you might be experiencing the unusual combination of flavours in Käsknöpfle mit Apfelmus – a dish of tiny cheese dumplings served with applesauce. During the grape harvest, the winegrowing villages of the Pinot noir region host the Schaffhauser Herbstsonntagen – the Schaffhausen autumn Sundays, and throw open the doors of their cellars to the public. Meanwhile Canton Thurgau, known for its juicy apples, becomes one vast farmers’ market during the harvest – while surprising visitors with the number of its culinary establishments listed by GaultMillau: 19 in all.