Thursday, October 22, 2009

Not just cheese - Appenzeller specialties


Lots of Appenzeller delicacies - but what exactly is glooozbrod?

After having THE BEST Appenzeller mac and cheese at Gasthaus Traube in Appenzell, we could not help but stop across the street and browse the huge selection of Appenzeller specialities on offer at the little market called de blacke Chrömer. I was really shocked to find that aside from the Appenzeller cheese, which of course they had in big wheels, begging to be cut and taken home, they also had a huge variety of other local specialities for sale...



Naturally, there were several types of Appenzeller beer, which I witnessed many of the locals proudly drinking at the cafe that we visited.


Birnenweggen and gwoozbrod (left) and Appenzell Bitter right.

One can also find the Birnenweggen everywhere in Appenzell - these are pastry breads with dark, dense, delicious pear filling. Also readily available (but not pictured) are the marzipan-like filled pastries called Biberbrot, which I love. I have no idea what Gwoozbrod is - and I am not making that name up, see the sign - but it looked very much like a fruit cake. The sign describing it says in Swiss German:
'ii so ees hescht no müd gaad kaa mit dere allebescle Follig - moscht unbedingt probiere!'
Which my friendly translator says this is a spiced bread or 'Gewürzbrot' and the sign says...
'So etwas hast du noch nie gehabt, mit dieser allerbesten Füllung - musst du unbedingt probieren!'
And in English:
'You have never had something like this before, with this amazing filling, you simply must try it!'
So it still does not really explain what it is - but this is a great example of how Swiss German is so.. well... different than hoch Deutsch! Thanks, Andrea!

As for the Appenzeller Bitters - well I am not a big fan of those types of alcoholic drinks, but I have heard that those that like it end up LOVING it. You have to be into the bitter alcohols though which I am not - but it would be worth taking a small bottle home to try, I think.



I have talked about these sirups before, but I have never seen a selection like what they had in this market. There was so many new syrup flavors that I wanted to try - apricot and ginger, lemon and honey, hollanderbluten, raspberry, lime, and a whole lot more. There was one that was even made at a local monastery nearby! I got one that was lemon and ginger I think - and I was told it was the most popular flavor. We mixed it with some sparkling water and had it with raclette instead of white wine. I think it went down a treat.



You could also take a taste of this Appenzeller honey at the store and it was divine. I admit, I never had honey like they have in Switzerland until we moved here. It is not runny like in the States - it is sometimes quite hard and think and crystalized. I love it. You must try it.

And there was so much more that I just did not photograph - we are talking cookies (y mom bought some amaretti cookies, as did my aunt and hers were cappucinno flavored), dried fruit, nuts, cake mixes, tea, cider, Swiss hot chocolate, and lots lots more.

If you do not stop in and buy something from this store when you are in Appenzeller... well, you might as well just cry me a river now. It would be that sad.



de blacke Chrömer

Marktgasse 3
9050 Appenzell

071 787 19 43
Google maps
Website

---
Tweet-tweet. I am now on Twitter. Follow me!

6 comments:

Amanda said...

Fun post! I'm not too crazy about bitters either, but we took a bottle home to our friends in May as a gift and shared a glass with them, so I had to pretend like I loved it!

Susan said...

I've said it before, I LOVE Gasthaus Traube. Each time I'm there, I look across the way at the cute store you've described, but have NEVER gone inside. Next time, I'm going in!

I happen to like Appenzeller bitters - in small doses. It's nice to have after a rich meal. Or before!

Nathan E. Hammer said...

I miss the Appenzeller Biberli.

Kathy said...

Love that Appenzeller beer!

Trude said...

Makes me hungry just looking at it! Great photos too! Marsipan is my absolute favorite, its a requirement in the care package family sends us from Norway at Christmas every year. :)

Unknown said...

now that looks like a fun place to visit!

 

Contact me. | Advertise on Swisstory