Finding a New Rhythm

Here in the Romande region of Switzerland, food and drink take on a significance greater than mere sustenance and hydration.  One quickly recognizes the differences in perspective between this region of Europe and the US. The most obvious difference is the emphasis or even obsession with quality over quantity. You won't find the "Cheese Cake Factory Trough" style portions nor the mega thick 56 oz steak. Instead you will enjoy modest portions of local perch from Lake Geneve, fresh seasonal vegetables and grass fed beef. As mentioned in my earlier post, local cheeses and artisan breads accompany  

just about every meal. Another significant difference is the dining experience. Patience is revered and meal time is to be taken leisurely, sit down style, with friends or colleagues.  Yes just like every where in the world you will find the 

ubiquitous "Gold Archers" of McDonald's and Starbucks, but they are the exception not the norm. You will rarely see people eating in their cars or walking around with a cup of Starbucks coffee. A "cafe" is to be taken in a cafe with friends (and often times a couple of cigarettes...that is another blog). Here there is a rhythm to dining-out. At first this "rhythm" seems very slow and often frustrating for those of us use to the North American style restaurant model, where to survive waiters have to turn as many tables as possible to make a living off of their tips. Here the leisurely tempo of the meal is expected  and the wait staff are paid a salary or livable wage that doesn't require them to hustle for tips. The first impression upon arrival is "wow the service here sucks, I have been waiting 15 minutes to pay my bill", but in reality it is just a different perspective. a waiter would never bring you your bill without being asked, as this would be perceived as very rude. A meal here, even in the most modest of restaurant, will take at least 90 minutes. The rhythm goes something like this: We start with an "appertif" (a drink) almost all lunches and dinner begin with a glass of beer or wine (the drinking age here is 16). This is followed by your "entree" or salad, then the main course with another drink, next the dessert, then the coffee. Interestingly, here you don't take your coffee with your dessert, I received a very strange look from my waiter the first time I asked for coffee with my dessert. As if he were saying "Puffffff... monsieur this is not the rhythm, please follow the rhythm".

What is it about this rhythm and why such reverence for food, drink and the meal time experience? If you excuse my broad generalizations and unsubstantiated opinions, I will hypothesize. The Swiss have a strong culture of agriculture, and being such a small country much of the population is in close proximity to the food they consume. Two fifths of Switzerland lies in the Alps where cultivation is not possible, therefore farm land, crops and vineyards can be found in, around and close proximity to population centers. Over 40% of Switzerland's land area is cropland. Although only 5.5% of the Swiss work force work in the agricultural industry, most of them either live, work or commute near a farm, a vineyard or some cropland.

This is unlike the US where our vast plains in the west and midwest produce the majority of crops and live stock. The closest I came to seeing my food produced is during cross country flights at 30,000 feet. I think it is the proximity to the food production, the ability to observe the rhythm of the harvests and the close ties to their culture of agriculture that give the people of this area the appreciation the wonderful food and drink of the land. After 6 months here, living and working amongst the fields and cows, I too have come to appreciate this rhythm.

(Above: A wheat field next to my office, across the road they are growing corn)