September、2006 Issue（No2）
RIFA　Top Koryu　Top Japanese Porｔuguês 　　Letter from Switzerland 〔Swiss dishes〕

I'd like to greet from Switzerland on a late summer day. 　It was a phenomenal heat in Switzerland in July. The dry weather with the temperature 30 degrees Centigrade or more continued for forty-four days. This was quite dangerous. August 1 is the National Foundation Day of Switzerland and every year fire works are set off greatly, but it was called off this year. In summer, people enjoy grilling, however, all but gas and electric power are prohibited for grilling. In August, however, the weather began to change so suddenly. Temperature dropped more and more to 13 or 14 degrees Centigrade, the figure is not one digit, though. It is hard to get through with such a temperature difference with more than 20 degrees Centigrade, isn't it? Because this is Switzerland known well, there are plenty of preparations such as sweaters, jumpers, and the like. I myself can't catch up with it. The temperature in the house is kept around 20 degrees Centigrade. I always forget about it, or don't care at all, because the sun is shining outside. But again, this is Switzerland. It is very deceptive. Well, I should stop here about weather, and let's move on to Swiss dishes. 　In Switzerland, because it is surrounded by Italy, France, and Germany, I think food is comparatively delicious, why I can say is probably because I have been living here for more than ten years. Breakfast is more simple in Switzerland than in the U.S.A. In a neighboring country, Italy, people seem to have sweet such as muffin, mousse, cake and etc. for breakfast, which is very different from ours. Bread, corn flakes, yogurt, cheese, ham, salami, coffee, juice, things like that! In addition, my family have coffee only. My son eats cornflake, though. So my husband was surprised to see a Japanese breakfast, saying, "It's a feast for a breakfast!" In winter, of course, we enjoy cheese fondu considered famous or popular. You dip a bite-size bread pierced with a long stick-like fork into cheese and wine mixed together and boiled in a pan. I was surprised at it at first, but now it is one of my favourite. It is something to get used to a thing. Next I'd like to introduce is also a food with cheese, raclette, which I think Japanese people will come to like. Melting cheese cut into blocks and putting them on boiled potatoes are the way we eat it. You can put pieces of pineapple, pear, tomato, green paper, champignon whatever you like on it. In this season, salad plate is popular, especially, a salad with sausage and cheese. Tartar is row beef dish which you put over slices of toast. This is very delicious. A Vienna style of beef cutlet, and another beef cutlet with cheese and ham called cordon bleu, and a Zurich style of geschnetzeltes, a stir-fried beef mixed with cream source and r?sti, are introduced. I don't know why this is a Zurich style. I will check it out later on. Regrettably, fish dishes are not so much available here. Maybe because we have no ocean. That said, however, sushi restaurants are remarkably popular here in Switzerland these days. Japanese restaurants increased more than you thought decades ago. They are not still competitive, though. Because the prices are quite high. Ten thousand yen per person is taken for granted. Don't you think it is expensive? In spite of the high prices, we go there, because Japanese people, of course, like Japanese tastes. Japanese restaurants are always full of customers. It is refreshing to go there once in a while, but impossible to go often. Going back to Japan costs me more, so I go there to indulge myself or give myself a reward. Well, see you in the next issue with a different theme. Ciao.

Kayoko Tsujimura from Switzerland

The profile of Mrs. Kayoko Tsujimura 　She was born in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, and raised in Ritto, Shiga. She obtained a chance to go to Switzerland when she was working for the Biwako Hotel. She got married to a man named Peter in 1990, and since then she has lived in Switzerland. She saw RIFA's webpage and sent e-mail to us. She willingly agreed to put her letters regarding Switzerland in RIFA's newsletter.

September、2006 Issue（No2）

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Translated by Michiko Kitayoshi