1. Claude Blancpain’s Dyna company introduced Le Parfait in 1950.
He also developed two of the precursors to Le Parfait — Dyna and Tartex (TARTine EXquise). These vegetable-based pâtés were introduced as a nutritious meat substitute at a time of rationing in the 1940s during World War II. To remain competitive following the war, Blancpain added pork liver to his spread, and Le Parfait was born.
2. The yeast used to make this product originally came from the brewery of Blancpain’s grandfather,
…Paul-Alcide Blancpain — Brasserie du Cardinal in Fribourg. Blancpain’s company name, Dyna, was apparently a nod to Cardinal.
3. Legend has it that Blancpain exclaimed, “C’est parfait!”
…which means “It’s perfect,” when he first tried this new spread. This eventually led to the name of the product. Le Parfait was marketed as a “crème sandwich au foie truffée.”
4. The Original flavor contains the following ingredients:
…yeast, water, palm kernel fat, pork liver (12.2%), maltodextrin (from corn starch), potato starch, salt, sunflower oil, modified maize starch, black trumpet mushrooms, spice and herb extract. The ingredients are 100 percent natural and made with Swiss meat.
5. Until the 1990s, Le Parfait contained truffles,
…in an attempt to imitate French pâtés. Nestlé acquired Le Parfait in 1971, and they eventually replaced the truffles with black trumpet mushrooms.
6. It currently comes in five different flavors:
Original, Léger (light), Poulet (chicken liver), Végétal (vegetarian) and Thon (tuna).
7. You can buy all flavors of Le Parfait in a squeezable tube.
The tube packaging was introduced in the 1960s. Or, you can buy a box with four individual servings of the Original flavor (as shown in the photo above).
8. To eat this product in the traditional way, you simply need a slice of good Swiss bread.
People also like to add butter or pickles… or both! Le Parfait seems to evoke childhood memories for many Swiss people — perhaps from a school field trip or as an after school snack.
9. In 2008, Nestlé moved the production facilities for Le Parfait from Fribourg to Basel.
Le Parfait is produced in the same factory that makes Thomy products.
10. You can find new recipes for Le Parfait online.
These include recipes for Filet de bœuf Wellington au Parfait or Ravioli aux champignons et Le Parfait.
Sources:
- Le Parfait (official website), Nestlé Suisse S.A
- “Avec Le Parfait, Fribourg a envahi l’Europe,” by François Mauron, Le Temps (October 15, 2008).
- “Histoire des marques (III). Un passionné de levures crée le Parfait pour améliorer l’ordinaire durant la guerre,” by Patrick Oberli, Le Temps (August 8, 1998).
- “Le Parfait, un trésor national que l’on tartine depuis plus de 65 ans,” by Marjorie Born, Terre & Nature (July 21, 2017).
Updated: May 10, 2022