In addition to Swiss cheese and fondue, the food for which Switzerland is probably most famous for its delicious chocolate. In fact, chocolate is actually one of Switzerland’s main exports offering a multitude of different chocolates catering to all tastes.
Switzerland has a long history of chocolate making and today Nestle, which is one of the world’s premier chocolate producers, has its origins in Switzerland. Despite this, Switzerland still boasts an impressive number of local Swiss chocolate makers who have a long history of producing fine quality hand made chocolates.
Swiss Chocolate Ingredients
Swiss chocolates are world renowned for their high quality which has something to do with the fact that only the best ingredients are selected for making chocolate in Switzerland.
Most ingredients for producing chocolate in Switzerland are imported; however, the milk which is a basic ingredient in Swiss chocolate always comes from Swiss cows that are raised on an organic diet of fresh meadow grass and clovers on the sunny Swiss mountain slopes.
Swiss People Love Chocolate
Swiss people are huge chocolate lovers. The average person in Switzerland consumes approximately twice as much chocolate per year as their counterparts in other European countries. Swiss people often give each other boxes of chocolates as gifts on various celebratory occasions and even soldiers in the Swiss army are provided with rations of special Swiss chocolate.
Regional Varieties
Despite chocolate being a national concern in Switzerland, every region of the country is known for its own particular style of chocolate making. Depending on the city one visits in Switzerland, one will come across chocolate makers who specialise in producing chocolate bears, watches, and various other themed chocolate.
Chocolate making in Switzerland is also intricately bound up with various annual festivities ranging from the chocolate Easter bunny which is made in spring, to chocolate mushrooms and chestnuts which are considered to be autumn chocolates.
