A celebration of Swiss fare
The braised veal cheek on polenta hails from the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, while the veal cordon-bleu on rosti, is a modern twist on the popular dish Zurcher geschnetzeltes (veal strips in a mushroom and cream sauce with Swiss hash browns), which originates from Zurich.
The main dishes also include Grob's personal favorite, venison entrecote with blueberry risotto, a must-try for critics and curious foodies alike as the venison pairs perfectly with the light, tangy flavors of the blueberry risotto.
This is Grob's first trip abroad with pastry chef Vittorio Miggiano, since he usually prefers to rest in the offseason in recent years, while Miggiano prefers to travel around Europe and North America to learn more about regional delicacies.
"I always wanted to see the world, to see all the cultures and kitchens," says Miggiano, who often brings back new ideas for desserts from his travels.
Besides a chocolate dessert, Miggiano also brought his signature dessert to China-the "duo of the Engadinerschnitte"-a famous walnut cake and a gastronomic icon of Engadine.
Brought home by confectioners working in Italy, France and the United States in the 18th century, the sweet crust pastry with an impressive filling of walnuts, honey, caramel and cream has become a Swiss culinary classic that's exported all around the world.
An initiative set up by the embassy of Switzerland in China, Swiss Gastronomic Week is making three stops around the capital over the coming months, with the Hilton Beijing playing host for the first stop. The second culinary week will take place in June at the TRB Forbidden City, while a third gastronomic event is planned for September at the Hotel Eclat Beijing in Parkview Green.
Swiss ambassador to China Jean-Jacques de Dardel hopes the events will present the diversity of Swiss cuisine to Chinese diners. "Swiss gastronomy is elegant, but it's also the definition of what Switzerland is," says Dardel. "Our gastronomy is based on diversity, freedom of thought and creativity."
Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn
