Zurich Region

It is one of the most famous of all Swiss creations, seen on menus from Anchorage to Tokyo: Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, the classic dish of sliced veal in a fine cream sauce. While indubitably from Zürich, it only appeared in a recipe book for the first time in 1941; however, it was probably being eaten in the 18th century by guild members – prepared, back then, with kidneys too. Today, the dish appears in its most refined form at many Zürich restaurants, accompanied by crispy Rösti: shredded, home-fried potatoes.

Shining white icing, with spots of chocolate: such is the Giraffentorte (giraffe cake) from Winterthur. Its filling is a mystery. It certainly contains chocolate, eggs, butter, salt and sugar, as well as almond and hazelnut – and some brandy, for sure. But until now, the giraffe's secret has never been fully revealed. Investigating it, however, is a guaranteed treat…

Confectioners once travelled the world, which is how the Luxemburgerli made by Confiserie Sprüngli in Zürich came about: one of the staff brought the basic recipe back from Luxembourg in 1957. At first these filled macaroons were called "baisers de mousse", but clients were embarrassed to order mousse kisses – so they asked for the "little Luxembourg" biscuits instead. And ever since, Luxemburgerli have enjoyed cult status.

Spanischbrödli ("little Spanish rolls") are wonderfully light creations of flaky pastry. They were already so popular among wealthier Zürich folk in the 18th century that they sent servants to Baden at night to bring the delicacies back for breakfast. In 1847 transport switched onto Switzerland's first railway, earning it the nickname "Spanischbrödlibahn" (Spanischbrödli-train). In 2007, four bakeries created a new version, with a carrot-hazelnut filling.

The Räuschling is an old variety of grape that is still cultivated in only a few places in Switzerland. It thrives on the sunny slopes above Lake Zürich, and the resulting crisp, fruity white wine has evolved into something of a regional speciality. Zürich's house wine goes well with fish dishes, and also makes a popular aperitif.

One of the region's most famous products is Zuger Kirsch, the cherry brandy distilled in the Zug area. This celebrated spirit is also the most important ingredient of Zuger Kirschtorte, which is made of almond meringue, sponge, butter cream and Kirsch. This cake was created by the Zug pastry cook Heinrich Höhn in 1921, and is one of the crowning glories of Swiss confectionery.

Linth corn is a wholegrain corn: the entire kernel is ground, complete with husk and germ. It therefore retains its full content of vitamins and minerals, and because its fat content is higher, it has a particularly rich flavour. As well as the customary corn dishes, it is also used to make beer, whisky and bread.