A Swiss lunch

We were invited by friends to lunch on a very cold but sunny Saturday. The restaurant was in a nearby canton, just a short drive away from Geneva. We were told that it was known for three things: fondue, Malakoff, and saucisse dishes. We are, of course, familiar with fondue. And big fans! Malakoff is a fried cheese ball, and Ryan loves sausages, so we already knew before stepping in to the restaurant that we'd be in for a treat. The restaurant is near several vineyards.We've made a point to look for local wines when we're in the supermarkets.

A frozen vineyard, Canton Vaud

The restaurant was very cosy and we were quickly seated. Our hosts told us their recommendations, and we started with a Malakoff each, and a bottle of white wine.

Malakoff

The Malakoff is served with a cabbage salad and a gherkin. For history buffs, the name Malakoff is supposed to have come from the soldiers of the French Vaudois army who stormed the fortress of Malakoff during the Crimean war - they named this dish in memory of their victory.

Then it was onto the next course. Being as brave as I am and not afraid of too much cheese, I had fondue. Delicious and simple, we could taste the wine more as we got to the bottom of the pot (we all ate fondue, but alas, could not finish it!).
Ryan had the Saucisse aux choux avec papet Vaudois. Roughly translated, that is a sausage (mixed with cabbage) and a potato / leek dish. He was very smitten. If he's quiet, he likes his food a lot. And he was pretty much silent when eating this!

Finally, we had coffee and I tried the Oriental orange salad with liqueur and lovely vanilla icecream.

The lunch was so decadent. We don't eat like that all the time, so it was a wonderful experience!