La Maison Cailler and La Maison du Gruyère
By: Julia Johnson-Milstein
We were lucky to be able to spend our last day in Switzerland exploring a chocolate and cheese factory! Our first stop was the Maison Cailler Museum in Broc, Switzerland. To get here, we drove about 2 hours, ending up on the other side of Lake Geneva. The long drive was picture-perfect, however no photo could do it justice. The breathtaking, snow-capped Alps behind the glistening lake made it a drive like no other!
Exiting the bus, we were met with the sweet smell of milk chocolate in the air. The tour of the chocolate factory was an immersive experience, giving a holistic backstory about the history of chocolate, dating back to the time of the Aztecs, and Cailler’s role in the chocolate empire. Chocolate in its earliest form was so thick and strong, it was known to have intoxicating effects. When Cortez took over the Aztec empire, he went in looking for gold but came back with brown gold! The chocolate was rich and expensive, making it a very special, and also romantic, delicacy. Fun fact: Marie Antionette’s last meal before her execution was hot chocolate!
François-Louis Cailler was a Swiss entrepreneur and early chocolatier who founded Cailler in 1819, the first modern brand of Swiss chocolate and the oldest still in existence. However, when the economy dropped in June 1928, a merger with Nestlé saved the company during the financial crisis of the 30s. Callier’s cocoa farms are in the Ivory Coast, where the Nestlé Cocoa Plan and other programs support their farmers, most of which are women, and their families while tackling social and environmental issues to create a sustainable cocoa supply chain. Callier’s milk farmers are near Broc, where over 1,800 local cows produce the fresh milk used in Callier’s milk chocolate. Callier is the only chocolate company that currently uses real milk in their milk chocolate, instead of powdered milk alternatives. The tour concluded with tastings, as we learned how to properly use all 5 of your senses to enjoy the chocolate!
Before arriving at La Maison du Gruyère, we made a pit stop to explore the beautiful village of Gruyère! Here we found cows, many shops, and of course the Château de Gruyère, a medieval castle in the Canton of Fribourg.
We were welcomed to the cheese factory with the potent – almost overwhelming – smell of gruyere cheese! Many of us got fondue at lunch, while others got risotto, hamburgers, perch, or croûte au fromage. Gruyère cheese is named after the city of its origins, which was named after a legend about capturing a white crane, which translates to “grue” in French, leading to the name Gruyère. Our audio tour began by emphasizing the importance of good grass, and the way that fragrant flora found in alpine meadows impacts the flavor profile found in the milk produced by these Swiss cows. These cows eat 100 kilos of grass and 85 liters of water per day, producing approximately 25 liters of milk per day! The fromagerie is equipped with four vats with a capacity of 4,800 liters, and a cellar holding 7,000 wheels of cheese. Twice a day 22 farmers deliver their milk to the factory, where their team produces up to 48 wheels of Gruyère a day, observing the AOP specifications.
This was the perfect way to end our week and Switzerland and I was so sad to leave!
11/1/2023
by John Michinko
Here’s a food update from me for Switzerland so far!
Swiss treats during the COP5 reception on Monday, Oct 30, 2023
Chez ma Cousine
by Hayley Scott
After staying past plenary for a contact group discussing mercury thresholds, a few students and I decided to visit Chez ma Cousine (or “At my Cousins”)- a Swiss chicken restaurant. I ordered a half roast chicken which is one of their most popular items. A picture from their menu and website can be seen below.
Julia, John, and Caitlin ordered the chicken nuggets which Julia took a picture of here. We all agreed the fries were one of our favorite parts.
Thanks Dr. Todorova for the suggestion!
Brasserie Des Tours
by Husna Tunje
After a long day at the Convention, nothing sounded as good as Swiss pizza at a small cozy restaurant. As we walked around Ville de Carouge (Carouge Town), we discovered a hidden gem down Bd des Promenades street. The restaurant offers single-serve pizzas, burgers, drinks and dessert. We ordered Siciliano and Prosciutto pizza and steak bites and still had room for dessert! C’était fantastique!
