For almost my entire life I have dreamed of going to Switzerland. I remember one summer, after my eighth grade year, my family went on a camping trip up the Oregon Coast and into Washington State. One of our stops took us to the top of a mountain that was, even in the summer, covered with snow. But even with the snow, vibrant, colorful wildflowers were everywhere, coming right through. I was thunderstruck, having never seen anything so beautiful. When I told my dad, he replied, “It’s just like Switzerland,” and I promised myself then and there that I would go to this beautiful country one day. Now, suddenly there I was.
After checking into my bed and breakfast and getting settled, I decided to explore Interlaken. Chris, my innkeeper had given me some suggestions for walking paths to follow and things to do, and I set off with my map, heading down the main street through Interlaken, Hohewag. My first stop made perfect sense: the Schue Chocolate Factory for a tour. After all, the Swiss are known for their excellent chocolate. This renowned chocolate factory had its start in 1818 when Johan Ritschard bought the land on Hohewag on which he built a house for a food and beverage business. Christian Schue bought the house in 1885, and in 1899 Jacob Friederich Schue, a skilled pastry chef began to serve pastries and confectionaries to residents and tourists, all bearing the “Schue Lady” logo that he designed. Soon the Schue reputation spread throughout Europe. Even though there is no Schue family member involved with the chocolate factory today, others carry on the strong tradition. Amazingly, the chocolates are still made by hand today.
During the tour we were shown how each individual piece of chocolate is made, which is a time-intensive process as you can imagine. We also got to taste as many samples as we wanted. (Martha, you would have loved this!) Schue makes such decadent delights as truffles (grand cru, vanilla, milk, white, caramel, mocha, Interlaken kirsch, grappa, Grand Marnier, Champagne, Bailey’s, and vodka), bon-bons, Jungfrau peaks, töpflis (Swiss, Schue, branchli, latte macchiato, and Cointreau), pistachio marzipan, nougat, pralines, and chocolate-covered almond and hazelnuts. (Are you salivating yet?) And, yes, many contain real alcohol – two taste treats in one!
After indulging myself in free samples, I continued to walk through Interlaken, going along the Höhemattex Meadow, a large expanse of grass through the center of town that provides stunning views of the Alps. When the meadow ended, I came upon two gorgeous churches, both with very different styles, but both with the Alps as a backdrop. The first, a white gothic church with brown roof and steeple, is the Castle Church of Interlaken. This Evangelical/Church of England was founded in 1133. The second, a stone neo-gothic structure, is the Church of the Holy Ghost. This Roman Catholic church, which is much newer, was designed in the early 1900s. They stand grandly, side by side.
Dinner time had arrived, and I headed to a restaurant recommended by my innkeeper, Des Alpes. This home-style restaurant serves authentic Swiss food, and it was filled with regulars, always a good sign. I ordered a dish called
pizzakels mit käse überback mit geschmolzenen wiebeln a apfelmur huse, or something like that (that’s a mouthful, isn’t it?). Anyway, it was dumplings with grated cheese and glazed onions, with apple puree on the side (yes, it was vegetarian, Sue!). Although it was delicious, I quickly learned that Swiss food is extremely heavy, presumably to keep you warm on those cold winter nights. I couldn’t even make a dent.
However, as I tried I had plenty of time to observe. The restaurant
itself was absolutely stuffed with Easter kitsch (bunnies, hens, etc.) Since Easter is over a month away, this led me to believe that these displays are permanent. Tacky, yes, but somehow endearing. At one point my waiter walked up and asked, “You happy?” I just found that question to be so perfect! (Yes, I was happy!) At the end of my meal, my waiter approached with a beautiful slender bottle, ice cold, along with a shot glass. He said it was the House Schnapps and that I could help myself as a welcome to Switzerland (yes, House Schnapps on the house!). I managed one sip and thought I would die—I had discovered yet another thing that the Swiss do to keep them warm. Definitely not for me! But I must say that the entire dining experience was a perfect end to my first day in Switzerland.
For almost my entire life I have dreamed of going to Switzerland. I remember one summer, after my eighth grade year, my family went on a camping trip up the Oregon Coast and into Washington State. One of our stops took us to the top of a mountain that was, even in the summer, covered with snow. But even with the snow, vibrant, colorful wildflowers were everywhere, coming right through. I was thunderstruck, having never seen anything so beautiful. When I told my dad, he replied, “It’s just like Switzerland,” and I promised myself then and there that I would go to this beautiful country one day. Now, suddenly there I was.
After checking into my bed and breakfast and getting settled, I decided to explore Interlaken. Chris, my innkeeper had given me some suggestions for walking paths to follow and things to do, and I set off with my map, heading down the main street through Interlaken, Hohewag. My first stop made perfect sense: the Schue Chocolate Factory for a tour. After all, the Swiss are known for their excellent chocolate. This renowned chocolate factory had its start in 1818 when Johan Ritschard bought the land on Hohewag on which he built a house for a food and beverage business. Christian Schue bought the house in 1885, and in 1899 Jacob Friederich Schue, a skilled pastry chef began to serve pastries and confectionaries to residents and tourists, all bearing the “Schue Lady” logo that he designed. Soon the Schue reputation spread throughout Europe. Even though there is no Schue family member involved with the chocolate factory today, others carry on the strong tradition. Amazingly, the chocolates are still made by hand today.
During the tour we were shown how each individual piece of chocolate is made, which is a time-intensive process as you can imagine. We also got to taste as many samples as we wanted. (Martha, you would have loved this!) Schue makes such decadent delights as truffles (grand cru, vanilla, milk, white, caramel, mocha, Interlaken kirsch, grappa, Grand Marnier, Champagne, Bailey’s, and vodka), bon-bons, Jungfrau peaks, töpflis (Swiss, Schue, branchli, latte macchiato, and Cointreau), pistachio marzipan, nougat, pralines, and chocolate-covered almond and hazelnuts. (Are you salivating yet?) And, yes, many contain real alcohol – two taste treats in one!
After indulging myself in free samples, I continued to walk through Interlaken, going along the Höhemattex Meadow, a large expanse of grass through the center of town that provides stunning views of the Alps. When the meadow ended, I came upon two gorgeous churches, both with very different styles, but both with the Alps as a backdrop. The first, a white gothic church with brown roof and steeple, is the Castle Church of Interlaken. This Evangelical/Church of England was founded in 1133. The second, a stone neo-gothic structure, is the Church of the Holy Ghost. This Roman Catholic church, which is much newer, was designed in the early 1900s. They stand grandly, side by side.
Dinner time had arrived, and I headed to a restaurant recommended by my innkeeper, Des Alpes. This home-style restaurant serves authentic Swiss food, and it was filled with regulars, always a good sign. I ordered a dish called pizzakels mit käse überback mit geschmolzenen wiebeln a apfelmur huse, or something like that (that’s a mouthful, isn’t it?). Anyway, it was dumplings with grated cheese and glazed onions, with apple puree on the side (yes, it was vegetarian, Sue!). Although it was delicious, I quickly learned that Swiss food is extremely heavy, presumably to keep you warm on those cold winter nights. I couldn’t even make a dent. 
However, as I tried I had plenty of time to observe. The restaurant itself was absolutely stuffed with Easter kitsch (bunnies, hens, etc.) Since Easter is over a month away, this led me to believe that these displays are permanent. Tacky, yes, but somehow endearing. At one point my waiter walked up and asked, “You happy?” I just found that question to be so perfect! (Yes, I was happy!) At the end of my meal, my waiter approached with a beautiful slender bottle, ice cold, along with a shot glass. He said it was the House Schnapps and that I could help myself as a welcome to Switzerland (yes, House Schnapps on the house!). I managed one sip and thought I would die—I had discovered yet another thing that the Swiss do to keep them warm. Definitely not for me! But I must say that the entire dining experience was a perfect end to my first day in Switzerland.
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