The main dish comprises a meal in itself. In the past, it was consumed on its own, without a starter or dessert and was generally hearty, consisting of vegetables and meat, based on whatever supplies the family had to hand. Nowadays, this is still a hearty dish influenced by its rural and mountain origins.
Desserts are generally quite rich and are almost always linked to religious or historical commemoration. For the majority of the population, desserts remain the exception rather than the rule and their diversity is due to the fact that each state or even each locality has its own particular pastry recipes: Rüeblitorte, a carrot cake from Argovie, Biberli from Appenzell, a spiced bread filled with almond paste, Meitschibei from Berne, a croissant filed with hazelnut cream or the Gâteau du Vully, a cream and sugar ‘cake’, a speciality from the plains of western Switzerland.
A dietary exception: Bircher muesli
Bircher muesli is renowned worldwide but was first created in Switzerland towards the end of the 19th century. Dr Bircher-Benner (1867 – 1939), a Swiss doctor and nutritionist, dedicated his life to global medicine and the ties between food, the body and society. He derived his inspiration from mountain-dwellers who ate porridge. The authentic Bircher muesli – which means ‘little purée’ – is a mix of oat flakes, whole grated apples, oleaginous fruit (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts), lemon juice and a little condensed milk.