“I’m not going down there.”
That’s what one of our companions said when the guide instructed us to enter the dungeon. But it wasn’t just any dungeon. Over 300 years old, this one is where we were to have our last meal.
Our last meal in Switzerland, that is.
The stone stairs were steep and slightly slick. There were no rails. Stone walls swallowed us as we descended. It was eerily dark.
As we I rounded the last turn someone in front of me gasped. Ahead, candlelight illuminated the round tables set on a gravel floor.
It was a Swiss Fondue. The meal, served in three courses, came with wines from the region, each selected to enhance the items served. First we enjoyed true Swiss cheese, sliced so thin you could read through it, then a course of Fresh Mozzarella balls in tomato and lettuce with fresh basil; both with small glasses of white regional wine. Then the main course arrived. Small pieces of raw meat served on our plate. Small dishes of fondue were placed on the table; Tomato and basil with mayonnaise (and it wasn’t even disgusting!), a mustard sauce, a garlic sauce and a horseradish sauce. Then came the oil. A hot pot of oil was placed in the center of the table.
I like my meat medium rare. Some people, though, prefer it so done you can no longer identify its origins. The best thing about this is, none of us had any excuse about the way our meat was cooked at this meal. People were responsible for cooking their own.
The meat is placed on the end of a very long two-prong fork. The fork is placed in the hot oil. Medium rare only takes about 10-15 seconds. That’s how I cooked mine. Mae left hers in the oil for five minutes.
Once cooked, the meat is removed and placed on your plate to cool, while you start another piece to cook. When it is cool enough to eat you dip the meat in one of the sauces.
And of course, you sip the red wine.
Mae made friends by donating her wine to the man next to her. That made him very happy. Too happy, perhaps, for Mae, as the night progressed.
It took about four and a half hours to eat the small pile of meat we were served.
It was amazing.
2 comments:
wow... I want to go
I'm hungry now.
Tell Mae I'll with you guys and she can give me her wine.
so did the person who said they wouldn't go down there miss out on dinner?
and did they tell you about the dungeon?
(I'm reading Ivanhoe... it has dungeons it in)
I cracked up when I read about Mama cooking her meat for five minutes! (Although, that's how I would want mine.)
Glad you got the glitches worked out on this blog. I was getting concerned!
Enjoy the rest of your trip! Wish we could be there!
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