The fast-paced modern world makes us seek new and new frontiers and want to get to know different regions of the world through one of the most expressive arts - cooking. Of course, in order to call it gourmet, our table must be refined and stylish. But the real gourmet adventure in the kitchen can only be experienced thanks to foods that have their own character and carry more than just sustenance, history, experience and delight for the senses. Does the gourmet have a native country and should we visit it to experience its culinary delights?
All Italian and Mediterranean cuisine in general are widely considered gourmet in their own right. However, this is not due to some stingy claim, on the contrary. The key to this lies in the rich variety of produce in this region, including seafood, exotic fruits and vegetables, and superb grape varieties brought over by the various peoples who roamed these lands – Moors, Phoenicians, Byzantines, Romans and many more.
If you have decided, for example, to organize one in the comfort of your home, you can surprise your partner or your guests with the traditional caprese salad, which is prepared with some relatively affordable products at first glance: tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil and basil. For olive oil in general, we can rest assured that if we spend as much money as possible on it according to our budget, we will have hit a good quality extra virgin option, although there are also very good oils at affordable prices, as long as you have one more idea squint eye. But don't be so sure about mozzarella - it is not always expensive in our stores because it is good. It's usually just considered a more exotic commodity. It is best if you have the opportunity to try the cheese before you buy it. The mozzarella ball should be elastic and well hydrated. When cut with a knife, droplets of brine should appear on the surface. And above all, it is good that it is of Italian origin. Some of the best varieties of this cheese are buffalo mozzarella ovoli, full fat calabro mozzarella.
The cuisines of Switzerland and the Alps have combined the characteristics of several different culinary traditions - German, Italian, French. The food here is not distinguished by any particular pretentiousness, but around the world many dishes from it are perceived as first-class delicacies because of their uniqueness and richness of ingredients. The Swiss, like the French and Italians, have their own iconic local cheeses of Gruyère, Emmental and Appenzeller, and enjoy a variety of delights made from them, such as fondue and raclette. As in Italy, here the cuisine varies in each area of the country. Without being conquered, it has become the apogee of world craftsmanship and lies at the foundations of modern fusion cuisine.
Switzerland is also the homeland of the legendary alcoholic drink absinthe. It was originally in vogue and widely used among bohemian circles throughout Western Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a favorite of great artists such as the masters of the pen Oscar Wilde, Charles Baudelaire and Ernest Hemingway, as well as the famous artist Vincent van Gogh. In fact, this extremely strong greenish alcohol was invented in the Swiss canton of Neuchatel, but in the early years of the 20th century a mass movement began declaring it dangerous and demanding its ban. This is happening effectively very soon in a number of countries as well, including the US, France and… his home country of Switzerland. However, some countries have not put forward a legal framework to ban the production or use of absinthe. It was there in the 1990s, almost a century later, that the revival of the absinthe drink began.
If you are spending your vacation in the city of Bansko, the Leonardo and Fondue restaurants are just a step away, always ready to provide you with a maximum dose of gourmet food and a great mood.
