Simply Swiss: 64 Essential Recipes from the Heart of Europe, written by Andie Pilot, features an incredible collection of Swiss classics and regional specialties for every occasion. A few highlights include Basler Mehlsuppe (Roasty, Toasty Flour Soup), Einsiedler Eintopf (Creamy Beef and Leeks), Cuchaule (Fribourg’s Famous Saffron Bread), Thurgauer Öpfeltorte (Easy Apple Cake), and Heissi Schoggi/Chocolat Chaud (Creamy Liquid Chocolate). I will also be sharing her recipe for Cholermüs following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Helvetiq in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
Andie Pilot
Andie Pilot is a cookbook author and the writer behind Helvetic Kitchen. She grew up in Calgary, Canada with childhood summers visiting her grandparents in Walenstadt, St. Gallen. She trained as a pastry chef, moved to Bern in 2010, and is currently based in the Emmental.
Along with the hundreds of recipes on her blog (I especially love the focus on regional specialties not often available in English), Andie is also the author of numerous cookbooks, including Swiss Cookies and Alpine Elixirs.
Simply Swiss
Andie created Simply Swiss to bring together a combination of her favorite blog and cookbook recipes. She begins with a short introduction along with a few ingredient notes and helpful tips to get started.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Soups, Glorious Cheese, Sides, Mains, Apéro, Bountiful Bread, Fruit, Cozy Cakes, Cookies, Chocolate, and Drinks. The Table of Contents and the inside covers have a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.
Andie also provides the photography with additional photographs by Samuel Bucheli and illustrations/layout by Ajša Zdravković. Every single recipe is paired with at least one full page photo of the finished dish.
Measurements are listed in Metric and US Customary. Titles are written in Swiss German, French, Italian, and/or Romansch with the English translation underneath. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, history, yield, serving ideas, and helpful tips. I especially love the cultural notes such as the best ways to enjoy Fondue and the origins of Totenbeinli.
Cholermüs
We had such a difficult time narrowing down what to make first. There are so many personal favorites in Simply Swiss along with other recipes I am excited to try soon. Of everything we have enjoyed so far, the Cholermüs (Cholermues, Cholermuäs) was a particular hit with the family.
Similar in style to Tatsch from Graubünden and Kaiserschmarrn in Austria, Cholermüs is a sliced pancake dish from the Canton of Obwalden in Central Switzerland. It is perfect for an easy dinner alongside a warm compote, sliced fruit, or cinnamon sugar.
Simply whisk together the ingredients to form a batter, then rest for about 30 minutes. Once ready, pour half of the batter into a hot, buttered pan and cook just until nearly set. Use a flat wooden spoon to cut the pancake into pieces, allow to brown, then remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
We paired the Cholermüs warm from the pan with applesauce and a dusting of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar in the photos. I also love it with a raspberry compote.
A Few Cholermüs Tips
After mixing everything together, allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes before adding to the pan in two batches. This will help develop that light and tender texture.
Andie states, “the ingredient that sets this dish apart from its pancake relatives is cream; however you can reduce this amount and replace it with milk, if desired.”
More Dishes
I also made Weinsuppe (Soupe au vin), Raclette (Melted Cheese Scraped Over Potatoes), Toétché (Bread Topped with Tangy Sour Cream), and Zopf (Tresse, Buttery Braided Bread).
The Weinsuppe (Soupe au vin) is the very first recipe in the book! This elegant, yet comforting soup features dry white wine along with carrot, onion, garlic, herbs, and cream. For those in Northern Virginia, I was able to find Fendant/Chasselas at The Swiss Bakery in Springfield.
I bought a Raclette Grill following our trip to Switzerland last year and seeing Raclette (Melted Cheese Scraped over Potatoes) in the book was the perfect excuse to bring it out again. Raclette cheese is cut into slices and melted in the grill (or under a broiler) before serving with desired sides. I paired the cheese with Brotwürfel (bread cubes), boiled potatoes, Cornichons, and onions. For those in Northern Virginia, I have been able to locate Raclette cheese at The Swiss Bakery and Wegmans.
The Toétché (Bread Topped with Tangy Sour Cream), translating in the Jurassien dialect to “cake,” comes from the Apéro chapter. A perfect accompaniment to a glass of white wine, this bread from the Jura region is covered with a thick crème fraîche mixture and baked until nicely browned.
I was so excited to see all the wonderful options in the Bountiful Bread chapter and used this as an opportunity to attempt Zopf (Tresse, Züpfe, Buttery Braided Bread) for the first time. I still need to work on my braiding technique, but am so excited with the results. This plaited golden loaf has a yeast base (fresh or dry yeast) with plenty of butter and an egg wash to finish. Originally, Bernese bakers could only make the bread for the feast day of St. Thomas and for New Year’s Day, but it has been baked year-round since 1629 when the bakers petitioned the government.
Simply Swiss is a fantastic pick for those interested in trying an overview of Swiss cuisine at home. Many of the recipes come together with only a handful of ingredients and a little time, though the breads require a bit longer to rise. There is a nice assortment from comforting soups, noodles, and meat/seafood to breads, cakes, tarts, chocolate, cookies, and drinks.
Most of the ingredients are becoming more readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include lamb’s lettuce, cervelat, Vacherin Fribourgeois cheese, Raclette cheese, Bündnerfleisch, and hazelnuts.
Cholermüs Recipe
Excerpt from Simply Swiss by Andie Pilot
Cholermüs
Ingredients
- 300 grams (2 1/3 cups) flour all-purpose, Weizenmehl/Weissmehl, Type 405
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 300 milliliters (1 1/4 cups) milk
- 300 milliliters (1 1/4 cups) heavy cream
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, cream and eggs, then whisk into the flour mixture.
- Cover and let rest about 30 minutes.
- In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Give the batter a whisk to loosen it up, then pour half into the frying pan.
- Let cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes or until the liquid on top is mostly set and the bottom is golden brown.
- With a flat wooden spoon or similar implement, cut the batter into pieces. As you break up the pieces, move them around the pan to brown on all sides.
- Remove from the pan and keep warm. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve with warm compote, sliced fruit or cinnamon sugar.
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