For those who love chocolate, cheese, tarts, and pies

A dish called Cholera (invented during the epidemic) is a delectable pie prepared with leftovers

A dinner of cheese and bread is a much-loved choice with the Swiss. Of course, it helps that they are spoilt for choices in both. Some of the best cheese in the world comes from their land like Emmental, Gruyère, Vacherin, and Appenzeller - with Fondue and Raclette being the most popular. As for bread, there are over 200 different types. Yes, there's more to their cuisine than chocolate.
Love for tarts and pies follow next. Both sweet and savoury preparations are enjoyed - so don't be surprised if you find an apple pie and an onion tart on the same table. A dish called Cholera (invented during the epidemic) is a delectable pie prepared with leftovers like potatoes, onion, apples, bacon, leek, and cheese. Switzerland was historically a country of farmers, which explains why many traditional Swiss dishes are prepared with simple ingredients like potato and cheese.
Their food has been heavily influenced by French, German, and Italian cuisines. Pastas and pizzas are popular with them. Saffron risotto, a comfort dish prepared with stock, onions, cheese, and saffron threads, can be consumed in Ticino. It is the Italian-speaking southernmost canton of Switzerland. Meringue and Carac (a Swiss chocolate) are the gift of the French, whilst Rösti and Zopf are of the German. A chocolate drink called Ovomaltine and apple juice (still and sparkling) are the favourite beverages.
The Melting Point (043431020), BOXPARK, is the place to indulge in Fondue. Choose between Swiss Tabbalouch, Classic Alpine Swiss, Cheddar, and Mutabel Cheddar. Stopover at Sprüngli Boutique & Café Menu (04 4535466), Jumeirah, for a cup of Sprüngli's hot chocolate. Do take home a box of Luxemburgerli, the light, airy macarons.
Papet Vaudois
A mash of leeks and potatoes - stewed for hours to prepare a thick base. Stuffed sausages are placed on top of this traditional dish from the Vaud canton in Switzerland.
Rösti
Originally a farmers' breakfast, it is a pan-fried dish prepared with thinly grated potatoes. It is an iconic national dish.

Bündnerfleisch
Air-dried lean beef pieces trimmed of fat and cured with salt, herbs, and mixed spices. The dark red juicy strips can be served in soup or with bread.
Salée sucrée
A sweet cream pie from Vaud - it's a classic dessert choice with many and is best enjoyed with a cup of hot coffee.
Zopf
Swiss bread reserved for a special Sunday meal. It is prepared with white flour, milk, eggs, butter and yeast.
Polenta
Once a poor man's meal today, a Swiss staple. A cornflour dish, it is common to add cheese and potatoes to it.
Birchermuesli
We know it as muesli, a popular breakfast item. It is a mix of rolled oat flakes, fruit, nuts, lemon juice, and condensed milk.
Bundnernusstorte
A short-crust pastry prepared with a rich filling of caramelised sugar, cream, and chopped walnuts. It is a popular traditional sweet.
Spaghetti on trees
This ought to be the biggest April Fools' Day pranks of all times. In the year 1957, BBC's current-affairs programme 'Panorama' broadcasted a three-minute hoax report broadcast on April Fools' Day, later called the Spaghetti-tree hoax. The broadcast showed a family in southern Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from the family "spaghetti tree". As a majority of Britons were unaware that spaghetti is made from wheat flour and water, they contacted the BBC for advice on growing these trees.

In the 1950s Britain, pasta was not an everyday food and it was considered an exotic delicacy. About 44 per cent of the Britain population had television receivers and an estimated 8 million people watched the programme on April Fools' Day. After the broadcast, hundreds of viewers called the next day to question the authenticity of the story and get more insights about cultivating their own spaghetti trees. It has been gathered that the BBC reportedly told them to "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best".
Land of chocoholics
The 17th century saw the start of chocolates being processed in Switzerland. In the 18th century, the country produced chocolate only in a few areas like Ticino. In 1819, Cailler was founded in Vevey - it was bought over by Nestlé in 1929. One can visit the Maison Cailler, Broc, for a delightful, historical tour on the Alpine inventions. The journey begins with cocoa ceremonies and ends with a chocolate tasting.
In the second half of the 19th century, Swiss chocolates began to be known internationally. Closely related to this development was the invention of milk chocolate by Swiss man Daniel Peter in conjunction with Henri Nestlé. It was in 1867 that Peter made his first attempt to blend milk into chocolate, but it wasn't until several years later that he perfected the process of dehydrating the milk to prevent spoilage. His invention changed the flavour of chocolate around the world.
For a majority of the Swiss, growing up memories include snacking on chocolate and bread during afternoons. It is common for the natives and the expats to consume large portions of chocolate over coffee.
An interesting trivia to add here would be that approximately 18.1 pounds of chocolate were purchased per person in Switzerland in 2015. That's undoubtedly a big number! Lindt and Nestle, both headquartered in Switzerland, are among the top ten confectionery companies in the world in terms of sales. 

• Food and Dining