Lake Geneva Region: Switzerland's gastronomic capital

Have a sweet tooth? You’ll want to watch out for bouchons Vaudois, small cork-shaped treats made with crushed almonds and chocolate and flavoured with Bitter des Diablerets, an aperitif made from Alpine plants. Only twenty confectioners are allowed to produce them in Switzerland, all of whom are members of the Vaud Confectioners’ Society – the organisation that first invented the sweets in 1948.

Of course, with all these incredible vegetables, sausages, cheeses and sweets available, the local dishes of Vaud are some of the best in Switzerland. No trip to the area is complete without tasting the Papet Vaudois, a delicacy that at first sounds quite simple – a sort of bubble and squeak usually served with saucisse aux choux. But every chef adds his or her own little touch – the potatoes and leeks can be simmered in anything from wine or vinegar to cream or milk, with different herbs such as thyme and parsley used as aromatics. It’s a hearty, filling dish – just the thing you want after romping through the beautiful landscapes around Lake Geneva.

When it comes to cheese fondue might steal the limelight, but malakoffs go one step further. Essentially deep-fried battered sticks of wine-infused Gruyère or Jura, they’re a perfect combination of crisp crunch and oozing melted cheese. Served with pickles and salad, they’re a cheese-lover’s dream.

Even the most accomplished wine connoisseur might struggle to talk with authority about the wines of Switzerland. This isn’t because they’re poor quality – it’s just that the Swiss tend to keep them for themselves, so few bottles make it out of the country! But any trip to the Lake Geneva Region will show how seriously winemaking is taken; just look at the 825 hectares of terraces in Lavaux. Overlooking the lake, these vineyards are a UNESCO ‘cultural landscape’ and benefit from some of the mildest weather in Switzerland.

Around sixty percent of wine produced in Vaud is from Chasselas grapes, but Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Riesling Slyvaner and Gamay are cultivated too. In total there are eight AOC-controlled winemaking areas in the Canton of Vaud, each of which are peppered with little villages where visitors can taste the hyper-local vintages. Stop in at a private cellar bar – known as a carnotzet – before walking the network of signposted paths that weave their way through the acres and acres of beautiful vineyards.

As you can see, the Lake Geneva Region isn’t just home to incredible countryside – there’s a thriving food scene full of unique ingredients, historical dishes and a huge winemaking culture. Visitors to the region are guaranteed to be welcomed with some fantastic food and drink; after all, this is an area that created the incredible Taillé aux greubons – salted puff pastry studded with pork crackling. And that’s a stroke of genius that deserves to be recognised.