Last year, during the run up to Christmas, we featured a short article listing a few ideas for quick and easy apéritifs, with ingredients sourced from local supermarkets.
The emphasis in each case was on simplicity – none of us want to spend hours creating gourmet dishes at this time of year. So read on… and if you have a few ideas of your own, please send them in to us and we will add them to this year's list.
If you still need further inspiration, then why not try out one of the "festive" cookery lessons in the area!
Cheddar Pâté (contributed by the AIWC)
675g grated cheddar (or other strong hard cheese)
1-2 green onions (scallions) chopped
150g chopped pecans (toasted first is best but ok if not)
180g (about 1 cup) mayonnaise
Spicy jelly or chutney
Mix all ingredients until combined and press into a bowl or springform pan. Refrigerate until set overnight if possible. Unmold onto serving plate and cover with a spicy jelly or chutney such as Jalepeno Jelly or Red pepper Jelly. Serve with crackers. Other alternatives might be to change the cheese and nuts as you are inspired. You may want to add crispy bacon bits or grated ginger as you like! Experiment!
Mini pizzas (contributed by Jenny Jeffreys)
Toast nature pour canapés (e.g. Carrefour own brand)
Tube of tomato purée (e.g. Panzani Sauce Tomate from Carrefour)
Mozarella cheese (e.g. Galbani Mozzarella Maxi from Carrefour)
Sliced tin mushrooms (e.g. Carrefour discount Champignons de Paris)
Some pepper and chives to garnish (e.g. Carrefour Herbe aromatique: Ciboulette)
Spread the purée on each slice of bread.
Put a slice of mozarella on each piece.
Add a few sliced mushrooms on top.
Grate some pepper over the top and add a couple of pieces of chopped chive on top.
Just before your guests arrive place them under the grill. Must be served warm.
(n.b. Don’t prepare too early otherwise the bread can go a little soggy!)
Article from Les Vins de Genève website.
A day in Geneva’s countryside to discover the 2011 vintage Caves Ouvertes, or the Open House Day of Geneva’s wineries, takes place canton-wide on Saturday, May 12 this year. Nearly all of the canton’s wineries will be open on the day.
The Open House Day known as Caves Ouvertes was first launched in 1987 by Geneva’s independent winegrowers. The idea was to invite the general public to come out and visit their wineries. It was the first event of the kind in Switzerland. Pierre Dupraz, who was president of the Geneva chapter of the winegrowers’ association at the time, recalls that ‘’several dozen’’ people showed up for that first Open House. Going on 25 years later, the number of visitors is in the thousands and Caves Ouvertes has become one of Geneva’s big annual events.
On Saturday, May 12, 2012, nearly all (some 90) of the canton’s wineries will be opening their doors to present the 2011 vintage – and oak2aged wines from the 2010 vintage.
Can you tell the difference between mozzarella that was hand-made this morning and a ball of the mass-produced type? Expand your culinary knowledge by trying out some of the cheese, made fresh every morning at Casa Mozzarella, a shop opened less than one year ago near Plainpalais, Geneva! Read to the end of this article to find the answer to our competition question and maybe win a voucher for Fr. 100.- to buy whatever you want from Casa Mozzarella!
Fabio Magno and Angelo Albrizio decided to bring Italy to Geneva in its most delicious form: mozzarella made entirely from local Geneva milk! They are both from Puglia, Italy, where mozzarella is famed to originate, and now live in Geneva. The opening of their shop took time in preparing. They found an Italian cheese-maker who comes from a long line of cheese-makers, Nicola Antonicelli, who was delighted to participate in this concept.
Every morning before dawn a trip is made to the Laiteries Réunies de Genève. Nicola follows in his father’s footsteps and takes the 300-400 liters of fresh milk and lovingly cooks, stirs, cuts, sieves, and stretches the curds to make 30-50 kilos of balls of fior di latte — the official name for mozzarella made from cow’s milk.
Can you tell the difference between mozzarella that was hand-made this morning and a ball of the mass-produced type? Expand your culinary knowledge by trying out some of the cheese, made fresh every morning at Casa Mozzarella, a shop opened less than one year ago near Plainpalais, Geneva! Read to the end of this article to find the answer to our competition question and maybe win a voucher for Fr. 100.- to buy whatever you want from Casa Mozzarella!
Fabio Magno and Angelo Albrizio decided to bring Italy to Geneva in its most delicious form: mozzarella made entirely from local Geneva milk! They are both from Puglia, Italy, where mozzarella is famed to originate, and now live in Geneva. The opening of their shop took time in preparing. They found an Italian cheese-maker who comes from a long line of cheese-makers, Nicola Antonicelli, who was delighted to participate in this concept.
Every morning before dawn a trip is made to the Laiteries Réunies de Genève. Nicola follows in his father’s footsteps and takes the 300-400 liters of fresh milk and lovingly cooks, stirs, cuts, sieves, and stretches the curds to make 30-50 kilos of balls of fior di latte — the official name for mozzarella made from cow’s milk.
The newly-opened American diner, featured recently on our website, is becoming so popular that it has now extended its opening hours to cope with the huge demand from customers.
Based in Versoix, Happy Days Coffee will now open 7 days a week, 8h30-17h on weekdays and 9h30-14h at weekends. Reservations are highly recommended at the weekends as the cafe has been inundated with customers, who they have had to turn away!
New on the menu is a panwich (2 large pancakes with cheddar cheese, smoked ham, and an egg in the middle). The 180g hamburger is also prepared by a high quality butcher in Nyon and has little fat.
For further information, see our previous article on the website.
