Our family (husband, I plus two young children) moved to Zurich in late Jan 08 from warm, sunny, multi-cultural, friendly Australia. We moved to the country just outside Zurich- bad idea, as my husband is working long hours and some weekends (thought Swiss companies had a good work/life balance - maybe not Credit Suisse!!) and I felt like we were living in some horrible GREY Groundhog Day movie every day. So we are paying the removalists $ 3200 CHF to move next week 12kms away to Zurich.
My Question is - I have been doing some research in my unhappy existence - and my conclusion is - SWISS CHOCOLATE HAS NO TASTE.
I understand this may cause uproar, but unless you like really dark 80% chocolate, the milk chocolate has no taste. I can back this up by numerous taste tests of all the major brands. Lindt chocolate is the worst; the Migros home brand is OK. I am happy for the other chocolate experts to advise me other brands to try, but plenty of lonely nights once the kids are in bed watching cablecom I feel like they are all the same.
Anyway, just a thought of a bored wife who wishes for a bar of Australian Cadburys Chocolate and a walk along a beach.
There are a zillion varieties of Swiss chocolates. Have fun trying them all. Sure you will find one that you like. Unless, your chocolate must have vegetable fats. Switzerland only permits dairy and cocoa fats.
I love white chocolate and have always been searching for something that would match "Milky Bar". I have been disappointed in the past but now some of the premium Swiss white chocolates are getting close. I really like Co-op premium white own brand.
Thanks ..............Officially, the white stuff is not chocolate as it does not contain any cocoa, but hey I am not a "chocolate snob" but what about that crap "Galak”. Milky Bar is pure heaven, so creamy yet is not as sickly sweet as that stuff.
I will have to try the Co-op brand. Anyway during more research now - husband is still at work.......more lindt - Lindor - Ok but very sweet and you get that horrible taste at the back of your mouth...........maybe I am eating too much.
The Swiss do make some really fine chocolate, but I think where they get their reputation and name for chocolate, is contributing to the history of chocolate processing. I took Jack's class at the Laughing Lemon a few months ago and found it really informative and useful. If he's lurking about he might have a few more authoritative words to say than I do.
Anyway. With things like tea, and chocolate, it's often the way that there's no place like home. And mentioning Cadbury's - an Australian friend of mine back in Dublin found the same brand in Ireland to be "disgusting".
Wow, sweet introduction. Ummmm. . . keep in mind you get what you pay for. Labeling 'Swiss' chocolate as the Migros brand? As in Migros the budget grocery store? You might want to try one of the actual chocolatiers. Like Sprungli or something. And saying that Lindt is representative of Swiss chocolate is like saying the Becks is representative of German beer.
I've learned that there is the packaged chocolate which you can buy just about anywhere without having to come to Switzerland, then there is the boutique chocolate. I agree that the packaged chocolate is a bit better than mediocre, and I've had better belgian chocolate. But the boutique chocolate is on a totally different level. There is one at Sprüngli that is a dark chocolate with an almond. That rocks! Mind you, it's also priced at a different level.
give me a bar of lindt any day over cadburies, i didn't like chocolate much until moving here (unfortunately) cadbury chocolate is rubbish and tastes fake. Lindt Excellence 70% is a staple in my fridge
I am chocolate lover / chocoholic (on some days) and I agree with mumoftwo , 'the choc is not that tasty'. That said I have to say Swiss chocolate has changed in the 10 yrs I have been here. When I first arrived here, the chocolates you could buy in most stores in Zurich were made with sugar. In fact I always marveled at how, compared to chocolate in the US, the ingredient list was so short, so pure, just cocoa butter, sugar and one or two other things. Slowly over the last years I have noticed that glucose and/or sorbit is appearing in the ingredient list - and I personally feel it gives it an unpleasant bitter taste. One by one just about all the chocolates I loved I didn't like anymore. This also includes the very expensive chocolates sold at Sprüngli!
So now I seek out chocolate that doesn't use glucose or sorbit. I posted last year about the chocolate boutique In Zurich and buy chocolate there. Or bring some back when I visit Brussels.
Buy a dozen different blocks (including that waxy cadburys stuff) and do a blind taste test. You might need some good strong coffee to cleanse your palette between each tasting though.
I'd take the Pepsi-challenge against Cadburys' offerings any day, although I must admit a penchant for "Old Jamacia" (Dark chocolate with rum & raisins).
Please write back to the forum with your analysis (or just post raw data).
I've also noticed that the manufacturers are starting to add butter to substitute for the cocoa butter. And this was in a Lindt dark chocolate mint bar! The manufacturers are doing all sorts of things to boost profits. While not as severe, it is a bit like wine producers adding anti-freeze to wine. Perhaps there needs to be appellations for chocolate like there are for wine, cheese, etcetera?
Living in a new (and culturally different) country can be difficult - especially if you are missing something dear and familiar from home. I've found it is truly helpful in the integration process to really familiarize yourself with various aspects of culture and see about replacing those familiarities that can cause a bout of homesickness... In the case of chocolate, perhaps your research was a bit incomplete... Try visiting Chocosuisse to learn more about chocolate in Switzerland...they have plenty of information in English, and be sure to visit the documentation section and order their booklet, which is free! I believe your opinion on Swiss chocolate may change slightly if you learned a bit more... Failing that...well...I make some pretty good chocolate using only Swiss ingredients and I would be happy to send you a few to help in your continuing research...