Can you tell the difference between mozzarella that was hand-made this morning and a ball of the mass-produced type? Expand your culinary knowledge by trying out some of the cheese, made fresh every morning at Casa Mozzarella, a shop opened less than one year ago near Plainpalais, Geneva! Read to the end of this article to find the answer to our competition question and maybe win a voucher for Fr. 100.- to buy whatever you want from Casa Mozzarella!
Fabio Magno and Angelo Albrizio decided to bring Italy to Geneva in its most delicious form: mozzarella made entirely from local Geneva milk! They are both from Puglia, Italy, where mozzarella is famed to originate, and now live in Geneva. The opening of their shop took time in preparing. They found an Italian cheese-maker who comes from a long line of cheese-makers, Nicola Antonicelli, who was delighted to participate in this concept.
Every morning before dawn a trip is made to the Laiteries Réunies de Genève. Nicola follows in his father’s footsteps and takes the 300-400 liters of fresh milk and lovingly cooks, stirs, cuts, sieves, and stretches the curds to make 30-50 kilos of balls of fior di latte — the official name for mozzarella made from cow’s milk.
If you live in the Lake Geneva region and you enjoy a glass of wine, then the chances are that you’ve heard of the Route du Vignoble de la Côte. For many, it is just a local wine route, where you can visit vineyards and sample a few local wines. For others, keen to embrace life in the region and find out more about the local customs of this unique corner of the world, it is very much more - it is the “Napa Valley” of Switzerland!
In addition to its 80 winegrowers, the Route de Vignoble Association welcomes confectioners, cheese makers, and other craftsmen of the "terroir" and gastronomy. This means the website's online e-shop can offer a wide variety of food, including an apéritif themed hamper which includes 2 bottles of local white wine; 1 bottle of local rosé wine; 3 packages of flutes (puffed crackers) mustard seeds, dried tomatoes and herbs, salt from the Alps; salami; 150g of viande séchée Lo Bâo; 2 tommes vaudoise (local cheese); and 250g Gruyère cheese. It is also possible to order several different types of wine from various producers in a single order. All products are collected fresh and hand-delivered for Fr. 17.- anywhere within Switzerland.
The draw was held this morning for our recent competition offering 3 vouchers for 2 people dining at the popular La Récolte Restaurant, located in the newly-renamed Crowne Plaza Geneva Hotel.
The lucky winners were:
- Anh Nguyet
- Virginia Currat
- Christina Vale
Congratulations to you all!
Even if you didn't win this time, we strongly recommend you head on down to La Récolte anyway, and find out for yourself why this is one of the few restaurants in the canton to have earned the label “Ambassadeur du Terroir Genevois” (yes, that was was the answer!).
Read our article again to remind yourself what they have to offer!
Editors' update, Sunday 12 June:
Virginia Currat has just been in touch to tell us what a lovely evening she enjoyed at La Récolte. Here's what she told us:
"It was a wonderful meal - so copious we were embarrassed to have to return some of the delicious preparations - an "amuse gueule" fish terrine sprinkled with caviar, a huge and varied salad buffet, delicious bread(s), a Dardagny red wine, "beignets de fromage de chêvre et courgette", then a beautiful presentation of green beans smothered by "longerolle" and little potatoes AND then for dessert we chose a rhubarbe pie and vanilla ice cream (there wouldn't have been room for cheese and later coffee or tea).
The "mâitre d'hôtel", Monsieur Duparc (a very helpful, pleasant and considerate French-man) was excellent, as was our waiter (constantly ready to assist in a formal but relaxed manner).
We would certainly recommend La Récolte (menu and atmosphere - indoors or on the terrace on a warm day or evening) to anyone looking for a refined restaurant (also conveniently located, with parking as well)."
Are you in the mood to sink your teeth into crunchy zucchini flower (courgette) fritters with goat cheese, tomato and coriander dip? Or can you imagine the waft of steam coming off freshly prepared cream of asparagus soup accompanied by scrambled eggs with morel mushrooms drizzled with white truffle scented oil? Have you ever tasted pasta with bleuchâtel cheese, roasted pear and pine nuts? Or monkfish ravioli stuffed with king crab and truffle juice? Maybe you would be tempted by the entrecôte de boeuf with roesti and caramelized vegetables and an unctuous sauce. Is your mouth watering yet? Should we tell you about dessert too or let you find out on your own?
La Récolte restaurant, located in the newly-renamed Crowne Plaza Geneva Hotel, boasts these and many other local foods. These seasonal products of the very best quality are prepared by chefs in a top-notch location. They have earned the label “Ambassadeur du Terroir Genevois”, one of the few locations within the canton to have this honor. The entire menu is dedicated to local Genevois products, reinvented
Test your cooking skills in the 2011 Swiss BBQ Competition
With the fine weather we’ve been enjoying recently, many of you will have dusted down your barbecues and seized the opportunity to invite family and friends over for that great outdoors dining experience.
If you’re one of those great barbecuers, who grills to perfection, and has the reputation for producing great marinades and sauces, then you may like to try your luck in the next 2011 Suisse BBQ Championship. Organized by the Suisse Barbecue Association, the competition will take place this year at the beginning of June, at the lakeside in Nyon.
To enter the competition, all you need to do is get together a team of fellow barbecuers and submit your application via the competition website (www.swissbbq2011.ch/BBQ/page/main_en.php) by 30 May 2011. The lucky winners will receive Fr. 3000.-, plus a trip to the World Championship!
