Geneva Region

The people of Geneva love their longeole – the most packed and substantial of all Swiss sausages. It is made with gelatinous pork and flavoured with a spice mixture containing fennel seeds. This monumental sausage must be simmered for three hours before being served – traditionally with boiled potatoes and lentils. It is especially popular during the colder months – and is of course an essential feature of Geneva's famous Escalade festivities, when the aroma of Geneva longeole wafts up from every street corner.

When you see sweetshops displaying pots made of chocolate, Geneva's festival of L'Escalade cannot be far off. It is celebrated on 11–12 December: for on this night in 1602, the troops of the Duke of Savoy tried to storm the city. Mère Royaume, a plucky cook, tipped her cauldron over the heads of the soldiers scaling the walls. To commemorate this, the Genevois eat pots ("marmites" in French) of chocolate, filled with marzipan vegetables.

These pastry cases filled with pear compote are a Geneva speciality, traditionally prepared at home by families over the Christmas period. For the filling, a special variety of pear is used – the poire à rissole – which makes these treats especially fruity, juicy and sweet.

This delicate fish of the char family is known as Lake Geneva's "knight of the fish", and has been part of the city's gastronomic heritage for centuries. It is traditionally prepared with butter, Geneva white wine, egg yolk and cream. As the fish only thrives in clean water, its presence is a good indicator of the ecological health of the lake.

The cardoon (French: "cardon") is a thistle-like vegetable cultivated in the Geneva Region and neighbouring canton Vaud. It tastes of artichoke and is popular especially during colder months baked in a gratin sauce (gratin de cardon). The cardoon was introduced in the 17th century by Huguenots who had fled to French-speaking Switzerland.

The Gamaret grape variety was created – along with its sibling, Garanoir – in 1970 by crossing Gamay and Reichensteiner stock. Since then, this red wine grape has enjoyed unparalleled success. As the grapes are highly resistant, they can be left to mature for longer. The resultant wines are of a vivid colour, fruity and spicy, and go well with grilled dishes.

The fricassée de porc à la genevoise – pork fricassée, cooked Geneva-style – is a taste of an ancient cuisine: rustic, authentic and traditional, it is a gastronomic treat well worth discovering. The dish is prepared with the finest pork, and cooked in a sauce with fresh blood. It may sound macabre – but tastes superb!