Culinary Heritage of Switzerland facts for kids
| Available in | German, French, Italian, Romansh |
|---|---|
| Owner | Culinary Heritage of Switzerland Association |
| Created by | Stéphane Boisseaux, Franziska Schürch, Heike Zimmermann, Alexandra M. Rückert and others |
| Commercial | No |
| Launched | 9 December 2008 |
The Culinary Heritage of Switzerland is a fantastic online encyclopedia. It's like a huge digital book all about traditional Swiss food. You can discover many delicious Swiss foods and learn how they are made. This amazing resource is available in German, French, Italian, and Romansh.
Contents
How This Food Project Started
The Idea and Funding
The idea for this special project began in 2000. A Swiss politician named Josef Zisyadis suggested it. He wanted to create a way to keep Switzerland's food traditions alive.
To make this happen, the project needed money. The Swiss government helped by giving 2 million Swiss francs. Other parts of Switzerland, called cantons, and private helpers also gave money.
In 2003, a special group was formed. It was called the "Culinary Heritage of Switzerland" association. This group was in charge of making the encyclopedia.
Building the Encyclopedia
The association hired a team of smart people. These included experts who study cultures (ethnologists) and historians. Their job was to write all the articles for the encyclopedia.
They also did a lot of field research. This meant they traveled around Switzerland. They interviewed many people, like bakers, butchers, and farmers' wives. They also talked to people who study history and work in archives.
All this hard work helped them gather information about traditional foods. On December 9, 2008, the encyclopedia was ready. It started with about 400 articles and was made available to everyone for free online.
What Foods Are Included?
Rules for Swiss Food Heritage
To be part of this special food database, a food must follow certain rules. First, it must be known as a traditional Swiss food. This means it has been made in Switzerland for a long time.
Second, the food must have been produced for at least 40 years. It also needs to still be made today. This helps make sure the traditions are truly old and still active.
Types of Food You'll Find
The project focuses on foods that have been processed. This means foods that have been changed or prepared in some way. Good examples are different kinds of Swiss cheeses or special meat products.
However, the encyclopedia does not usually include unprocessed foods. These are foods that are still in their natural state, like a fresh apple. It also doesn't include wines or specific recipes for dishes. There are only a few exceptions to these rules.
