First time visiting my blog, Cuisine Helvetica? Here’s some information about how it all got started…
Undoubtedly, you’ve heard of Switzerland’s famous chocolate and cheese. Did you also know that Switzerland has over 200 different kinds of bread? Or, that Swiss cuisine includes French, German and Italian influences?
Since moving from the US to Switzerland in 2012, I’ve developed a passion for learning about Swiss cooking and baking. Cuisine Helvetica is my personal blog where I document and share my experiences as I discover Switzerland’s food, drink and culinary destinations. After working in the public and nonprofit sectors for the majority of my career, today I’ve reinvented myself as a food writer, cookbook author and recipe developer.
Cuisine: In English, “a style of cooking” (Merriam-Webster). In French, “cooking” or “kitchen” (Larousse).
Helvetica: The Latin name for Switzerland. The nation’s official moniker is Confoederatio Helvetica.
My goal for Cuisine Helvetica is to share Swiss recipes you can use at home. Or, are you planning a trip to Switzerland? I also publish articles via my blog and social media with food-related travel recommendations. For example, these can include information about culinary events or regional specialties. Whether you live in Switzerland or visit here, I want to give you a taste of Swiss cuisine.
My Top 3 blog posts:
Aromat (left), Swiss Christmas cookies (center) & Rivella (right).
SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Author of two Swiss cookbooks
- Participant – Switzerland Tourism’s Influencer Summit 2019
- Jury Member – Concours Suisse des Produits du Terroir 2017, 2019 and 2021
- Winner – Miele’s #SharedKitchen Challenge, 2018
- Finalist – Saveur Blog 2018 Awards, Best Special Interest Blog
To learn more about my published work, please check out my portfolio. And, if you would like to contact me about working together, please send me an email.
Many thanks for visiting, and let’s keep in touch!
-Heddi
Updated: November 16, 2022
Have fun with your new cool tasty blog! Xxx
Thanks, Sophie! 🙂
Congratulations on the new blog! Looking forward to following along and seeing your beautiful photography, as well. Also, can’t wait to see you in person!
Thanks, Salina! You are very kind. My photography still needs a lot of work… So excited to see you all soon! xo
I love reading your blog…….still dream of coming to visit! Happy New Year!
Thanks so much, Diane! Always nice hearing from you. Hope you do come to visit us. Best wishes for 2016! xoxo
So glad to find you! My heritage is Swiss and I learned to cook a few things from my Grandfather (my grandmother died before I was born). Polenta was a staple, since he was from Donat, Graubunden. He made perlanas and maluns. I love to cook, as do my cousins in Switzerland. This is going to be fun!
Hello Annette, Thanks for your lovely message! Can you tell me more about perlanas and maluns? I’m not familiar with them!? Thanks so much for visiting my blog. Such a pleasure to connect with you, and thanks for sharing your some of your Swiss food expertise. Please keep in touch! Many thanks, Heddi
Hello Annette, I found some info about maluns! Will have to try this. http://www.myswitzerland.com/fr-ch/recettes/maluns.html Still looking for info on perlanas. Thanks again for the info. Hope you’re having a good day. -Heddi
Good morning! I always smile when I read your blogs…
Hi Diane! You are very kind. Hope you’re having a great weekend. I enjoyed seeing the graduation photos on Facebook. You all look great. Many thanks, and best wishes, xo
There, I finally clicked on your blog. Been limiting myself to your instagram feed for a while and I am happy to be reading more of your Swiss finds through this blog, and woah, it`s in English¨! (I’m still working on my French) This is Jen by the way and I go by @dyempol in instagram. would be really happy to read more about your culinary adventures.
Hi Jen! Thanks so much for visiting my blog! Yes, I’m still working on my French too… Via my blog, I provide a weekly listing of culinary events, so if you hear of anything in your area, please don’t hesitate to let me know! Look forward to keeping in touch. Many thanks, and hope you’re enjoying this beautiful day! -Heddi
I am a Swiss living in Canada. 🙂 I lived near Zurich for 10 years through my childhood and recognize many of the foods in your blog. Yum.
Thanks for visiting my blog! Zurich is such a great city. Always wish I could spend more time there. If you have any suggestions for Swiss foods I should write about, please don’t hesitate to suggest some! 🙂
very colorful blog, and everything looks delicious!!!
Thank you very much for visiting my blog! 🙂
Hi I am a young boy who loves to write and cook. I really love the way you think about Swiss food and about food in general. You have inspired me to start blogging about cooking as well. Maybe you can see my blog as well
Thanks! Best wishes, and good luck! 🙂
Hi Heddi. I am an American who lived and worked in CH from 1983-1991 as a dental hygienist. I’ve lived back in the US since 1991 but I miss CH tremendously. I come back to visit as often as I can. I’m quite a foodie and explored a lot of Swiss food culture while I was there. I have quite a network of American and Canadian friends, also dental hygienists, who will enjoy your blog. Looking forward to your posts.
Hello Paulette! Thank you so much for your lovely message! If you ever have any Swiss food advice or recommendations for me, please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email. 🙂 We are really enjoying our time in CH. I have an American friend here who is also a dental hygienist. I really appreciate your support and kind words. Many thanks, and best wishes! -Heddi
Hi Heddi,
Got a good laugh reading your piece about your aunt’s “salade verte” in today’s paper!
I escaped Jell-Oland >30 years ago to seek refuge in Switzerland.
Hope to see more of your writing.
Thank you so much! Really glad you enjoyed it. I’m having a lot of fun writing these monthly articles! Very grateful for the opportunity. Many thanks, and best wishes, -Heddi
Hi Heddi, I’m Swiss/Canadian and have been living in Geneva for over 25 years. I am curious about healthy foods and I have a health blog: https://healthcontinuum.org
Sorry for picking your brain, but I am trying to figure something out with the white flour sold here Switzerland.
I am trying to figure out if the white flour goes through a bleaching process in Switzerland (or France). In Canada, you can get white unbleached flour but not in Switzerland. And in Canada, it is written on the packet “unbleached flour” or “farine non-blanchie”. I’ve been to so many bio stores and have asked around for a flour that is unbleached and no one has ever heard of white flour going through a bleaching process to make it more white, particularly if it’s already a bio flour. I am starting to look “silly” for even asking.
I bought a white bio flour yesterday (by biofarm) and the store manager thinks that it isn’t bleached because it is “bio”, but since it doesn’t mention it on the packet, we were both wondering if it does go through some kind of bleaching process after all. I tend to say “no” thinking that Switzerland may have more strict regulations, particularly when the product is bio.
Please let me know if you know something about it.
Hi Julie, Thanks for your great question. My apologies for the late reply. As far as I can tell, the flour bleaching agents used on flour in the US, for example, are banned in the EU (a policy that has also been adopted in CH), which is why the packages don’t mention it here. I have never heard of bleached flour in Switzerland.