What a nice weather ! Have you seen, Momo ?
Magnolias and rosemary are in flower.
We also have big bundles of daisies here and there.
The beautiful season has begun !
Can you find us in the apple tree ?
Category Archives: The Swiss Cats
Do you like fondue ?
Today we celebrate Cheese Fondue Day !
What is fondue ?
Fondue is a delicious mixture of melted cheese and white wine. It’s described for the first time in a Zurich manuscript of 1699. It’s a typically Swiss specialty, but this course is also known since the 1950s in Savoie, in Franche-Comté (France), in Aosta Valley and in Piedmont (Italy), regions close to Switzerland. There are several varieties of fondue, made with different cheeses.
Our favorite fondue recipe is the half-and-half fondue :
For four persons :
- 1-3 garlic cloves
- 400 g of mature grated Gruyère (14.1 oz) and 400 g of Vacherin Fribourgeois sliced thinly (14.1 oz) OR 800 g of mixture for fondue (28.2 oz) : we are lucky enough to have an excellent cheese maker in the region which prepares us directly the mixture of cheeses
- 3-3 1/2 dl of dry white wine (1.25-1.5 US cup)
- 3 small coffee spoons of cornstarch
- 1 small glass of kirsch
- pepper
- 800 g of bread cut in small cubes (28.2 oz)
The fondue gets ready in a heavy saucepan, the caquelon. Rub the caquelon with a clove of garlic, or for a more pronounced taste, cut cloves of garlic in two parts, remove the germ and put them in the caquelon.
Begin to melt the cheese by mixing with 2 spoons of cornstarch (do not add cornstarch to this stage if you use a ready-made mixture because it’s already inside).
Add the white wine and bring to a boil.
Dilute 1 spoon of cornstarch with the kirsch and pour the kirsch in the caquelon. Stir constantly.
Switch off the cooker, pepper the fondue, and put the caquelon on a stove (burner or electric stove).
Everyone dips then a piece of bread (or potato according to the recipes) by means of a long fork with three tines. The fork is taken out again with a rotative movement that allows the cheese not to fall again and to wrap the bread well. The caquelon is put on the stove to maintain the fondue at the right temperature.
The fondue tastes accompanied with dry white wine or with hot tea. Avoid other beverages if you don’t want to have an upset tummy !
At the end of the fondue, a crust of cheese has formed at the bottom of the caquelon. According to Claire, it’s the best ! Scratch delicately the bottom of the caquelon to remove it and taste it.
Did you already have the opportunity of eating real fondue ? If yes, do you like it ?
Cat licence soon compulsory in Switzerland
“The animal welfare legislation come into effect in 2008 made compulsory the skills certificate for the dog holders“.
Every person who has never had a dog has to do a theoretical training course of at least 4 hours on “the needs of his animal, on the way of treating him correctly and on the represented investment, in time and money.”
“Every person who buys a dog has, even if he already possesses one“, also to attend a training course for dogs of at least 4 hours.
Source : Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office
After the introduction of the dog licence in 2008, Switzerland prepares the introduction of a cat licence for the similar objectives for 2017.
However, contrary on examination of skills for the dogs which takes place outdoor, the final examination for the obtaining of the cat licence will take place in the place of residence of the owner. An expert will stay there during an indefinite duration to examine the following points :
- Quality and frequency of the food
- Maintenance of the litter box
- Cleaning (vomit, wee-wee, poo, other)
- Bath (optional)
- Search for hidden cat (in apartment and outdoor if the cat goes out)
- Meowing translation
- Interactive game
- Cuddles (frequency and quality)
Claire and Momo took this examination easily : their skills are attested by the following experts : Angel Isis, Angel Hercule, Angel Céleste, Angel Loupi, and us !
