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

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Where to get cow bells in Switzerland

The search was on for these babies... well, sort of...

When my family visited in September, we went on the Swiss Tour to take on all tours... visiting Zermatt, St. Moritz, Stein am Rhein, Rapperswil, Appenzell, you name it. We were all over Switzerland. And naturally, my family wanted to take back something typically Swiss as a souvenier and well - it doesn't get more Swiss than a cow bell... however, being my family, it wasn't just a simple cow bell search. Oh no, actually, we wanted horse bells... ! There were horses all over Zermatt with horse bells, so it should be easy in the land of cow bells to find a few horse bells, right?! (Um... Wrong.)

Dog collars - often available at the same place as cowbells... love it.

You see, my family has grown up with horses their entire life - I somehow missed the horse gene - I love them but I was never really great at riding so the hobby was short lived in my case (sorry Mom and Dad about that trailer you got just months before I decided I was no good at riding!)... In any case, my aunt still has horses and wanted to get a few bells to use or give as gifts. And in the search for horse bells - which we eventually found at the Bürkliplatz flea market, at Bürkliplatz in Zürich on Saturday mornings - we found a lot of interesting places that sold cow bells... the best being this handicraft shop in Appenzell (where the bell straps are actually MADE and you can smell the leather and oils wafting down the street, long before you venture inside).

Just take a trip to Appenzell and on Poststrasse in the main town area this little shop is open from 13:30 pm to answer all your cow bell desires. We did buy some little bells here, although they were for cows, not horses, and you can get a wide array of brass (?) or metal decorations, including dog collars, cowbells, and the decorations used on Appenzeller's suspenders and belts... see the decorations on the dog collars above. Just like those!

I was keen to buy this bell as a souvenier, but for some reason the hundreds if not thousands of francs it cost were a bit out of my budget - plus I doubt I would have made it home with this on the train let alone plane! Nevertheless, I did get a very touristy little bell at one of the other shops in Appenzell. But if you want THE REAL DEAL, this is the place to go:

Kunstgewerbe Dörig (aka your one stop shop for Swiss cow bells)
Poststrasse 6
9050 Appenzell
Google Maps
Website
Open Tuesday - Friday 13:30 - 18:00, Saturday 9:00 - 11:45 and 13:30 - 16:00

(Ps. Want to learn about the difference between 'cow bell' two words and 'cowbell' one word - check this out!)

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I love the Gemeinde. Swiss de-registration woes.

Repeat that 100 times. Then try to believe it. (Ps. if this whole 'we are leaving' thing is new to you, read this post...)

Jace and I went on down to the Gemeinde on Friday, as the good little cititzens that we are. We were going, because every time I call a utlity company or the health insurance, for example, to tell them we are leaving and moving overseas, they insist that I send them some 'Cancellation confirmation' that is approved from the Gemeinde. So basically, they want the proof from our local council (Gemeinde) that we are leaving permanently and not just trying to get out of some contract for the hell of it...

So down we marched on Friday to get this piece of paper... but first back flash to last Wednesday in which I called the Gemeinde and told them I needed this paper and asked them if I could come down and get it now or if I had to wait until shortly before we were leaving when we wanted to deregister. They said come on down, that we can already do the 'Abmeldung' or deregistration now as we are leaving in 6 weeks and that is not too far in advance... So great, I thought - go in... deregister... get confirmation... go to work. No worries, right?

WRONG.

To make a long story short. We filled out the deregistration and then they wanted to cut up our permits or take them away. I said we wanted to keep them until shortly before we left and we just wanted to get the confirmation now so that I could cancel all the services. Well, this lady layed into me then about how I had the wrong form (which they had just given me), how if I filled out said wrong form they would have to take my permits on the spot, how there are 5123 different types of deregistration confirmation forms and the one which I was talking about costs CHF 30/person so I better know which one I needed before I paid for the wrong one, and that I basically am just an idiot for coming in to see them without knowing exactly what it is that I needed.

Um... hello. I thought you guys were the experts and you could tell me. Sorry.

So now I have to call up all the service companies AGAIN and ask them in black and white which form it is they want to see so that I can cancel and I have to figure out how we can get around and perhaps travel without our Swiss permits in our wallets if we deregister early.

I think in the end, we will probably end up getting the CHF 30/person deregistration confirmation papers, BEFORE WE ACTUALLY DEREGISTER (make sense? um no...), and then have to come in shortly before we leave to actually deregister and give up our permits. Believe me though - with the hassles we get at the airport lately, we will have copies of the given up permits and the said deregistration confirmation so that immigration does not give us hell for leaving, thinking we overstayed our visit.

All very complicated. All should not be - especially since they probably want us to leave... make it easy already, eh?... Err... I used to be so proud that I had never had issues with the Gemeinde. The Urdorf Gemeinde is so nice usually... and yes, this lady was just trying to save me CHF 60 if she can... but COME ON! Just give me a break with the 'tude already.

Anyone else love their Gemeinde?
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Marroni Zeit! Sweet Noodles of Chesnut

Maroni cake - Seasonal speciality in the Swiss Fall

I am tempted to write all about my bad run in at the Gemeide this morning... but instead, let's enjoy our Friday and share in the sweet, sweet pleasures of living in Switzerland and not the bureaucratic crap that one must endure sometimes in order to do the right thing...

Instead, allow me to tell you what the right thing to do this weekend would be that would bring pleasure to you and everyone you know... you ready for this gem of advice.... ? Ok...

GO EAT CAKE!

Go forth and eat lots of cake this weekend, and if you know what is good for you, you will seek out the seasonal delights with Maroni (or sometimes spelled Marroni in Switzerland). Maroni are chestnuts, and in Switzerland they puree these little babies into a paste and squeeze the sweetened spagehetti strands of goodness all over cream laden cakes and pies. More about Maroni in English and German. . .

At first, I was not a fan of this brown puree, thinking it was a little too bland for my sweet tooth. But I have found it depends on the cake and this one above from a bakery in Appenzell went down a treat... and don't get me started on the meringue garnish on top. HEAVEN.

And well, if you don't like cake, I am sure you will find some other option during these days quickly grown cold... perhaps something traditional and warm and apple-y... hhmm... not sure exactly what... but I am sure you will find something. :)

Apfelstrudel also from bakery in Appenzell

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It's ok. You can 'du' me.

I love speaking German. This we know. But sometimes, the rules of German just make me CRAZY. For example, the other day at work, someone was talking about how she had reached a point with a client that she can talk to her 'per du.' This was a BIG DEAL. She was excited about it. It meant she had broken the barrier and the two were on informal terms... they were officially on 'du' terms. No longer on 'Sie' terms... What is all this du and Sie mess? Well, this is one of the biggest differences between English and German (besides the three genders and the four cases) -allow me to explain the phenomenon that is German formal speech.

Say I run into an old friend at the store and we used to play naked in eachother's paddle pool (direct Bridget Jones reference for any fans...), I would greet this person in informal German:

'Hallo! Wie geht's?' or 'Wie geht's dir? Hast du Zeit?'

But if I ran into a complete stranger or a new client at work, and we have never played naked in any pools together, let alone never met before, and we are not on a first name basis, I would greet him/her in formal German:

'Guten Tag, Herr XXX. Wie Geht es Ihnen? Haben Sie Zeit für mich?'

So in German, when it is informal and you know the person well and are on a first name basis, you can go per 'du' and 'dir' and the accompanying verb forms ('hast du, or bist du, etc) without worry. In formal German, you have to use the formal tenses (haben instead of hast) with Sie or Ihnen. Sometimes, neighbors and work colleagues are forever on Sie terms. They never cross to the dark (albeit friendly) side. It is just not going to ever happen...

I mix up my 'du's' and my 'Sie's' a lot. It is the crux of being a non-native German speaker. I speak 'du' with colleagues at work. It is an American company - so we are naturally all friendly and open and work 'per du.' :) Then in the real world, I naturally 'du' everyone and screw up my whole intro and have to go back and 'Sie' the crap out of the conversation so the person knows I know what I am doing and wanted to give them the respect they deserved...

So on one hand - it is great to have this respect thing built into the language - but on the other hand, I think the German speakers should just give up this whole 'Sie' thing. I think it keeps them at a distance, it keeps them cold and at arms length. I have had conversations with Swiss that are oftentimes confused - 'Well, she du-ed me in the email but I don't think we are per du yet, as she is always like 'Sie' this and that on the phone. What should I do?!' OH THE PAIN OF THE DU- SIEs!?!' To du or not to du. That is often the question.

Well, here is your answer -just 'du' it already, I say... it will make the world a better place and make German easier for us non-native speakers.

Here - I will take the first step. You can all du me.

There ... one down. :)
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Last Chance - Vote for Valentina!

This is the big day. 5 Points Worth! Please Vote for Valentina and if she wins today, we will see her present the upcoming Switzerland vs. Israel soccer match!

Please vote today and tell your friends! Thanks for your support!
Vote here!!!

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