UBC July 2024 - National Holidays

Welcome back to July's UBC. This month I'm going to be talking about cultural differences between Switzerland and the USA.

Today's let's compare National Holidays. 

Coincidence has it that today it's July 4.

So. How old is America? 

Depending on how you look at it the answer is "several thousand years" or 248. 

As a comparison, on August 1, which is Switzerland's National Holiday, my country will turn 733, and of course "Swiss people" have been living here long before it became a federal state as well. 

On August 1, Switzerland commemorates the Federal Charter of 1291, in which the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden pledged to help each other in the event of danger from outside. According to legend, the representatives of the three founding towns - "the three confederates" - took their oath on the Rütli meadow above Lake Lucerne. They pledged to free their country from the Habsburgs. Traditionally, a federal celebration is therefore held on the mythical Rütli meadow. On August 1, the President of the Swiss Confederation addresses the entire nation in a speech

All over Switzerland, bonfires are lit, people gather for BBQs, and fireworks are set off on August 1. In some places, children parade through the streets with lanterns bearing the Swiss cross and their canton's coat of arms. There are parades with traditional costumes, yodeling choirs, alphorns and flag-wavers. 

In many places, the mythical story of William Tell, the legendary hero of Swiss independence who is said to have defied an imperial Habsburg bailiff, is also performed. The famous drama, in which Tell had to shoot an apple off his son's head with his crossbow, was written by the German poet Friedrich von Schiller in 1804.

How do people typically celebrate? 

Let me start by saying that our national holiday has not always been a paid, non-working day. It was not until the 1993 referendum that the national holiday was declared an official holiday throughout Switzerland. 

So I guess the parades, the BBQ and the fireworks are the same in both countries ;-)

In addition to meat, people like to put typical sausage specialties such as Cervelats or veal sausages on the grill. 

We often have "1. August Weggen", a slightly sweet roll that we eat with the barbecues. 

Most people either invite family and / or friends and celebrate in their backyard. Others go hiking all day and eat on the mountain or at their accommodation. On the picture on top, for once, we ate at a restaurant by the lake with my parents, so nobody had to prep at home. It's a favorite photo of mine that my Mom took. I think Colin, then almost 6yo, looks so handsome with his non-alcoholic sparkling wine.

Shall we talk desserts? That's where Switzerland and the US are very different. While we may have adopted cheesecake, marshmallow sandwiches or jello in recent years, they're still considered "American".

At a typical Swiss family and friends' gathering in someone's backyard we might have some of the following:

Shoggi-Banane, Chocolate bananas, very popular among kids: 

Slice the bananas lengthwise along the curve. Place a row of dark or milk chocolate pieces inside each one, spread some caramel pieces on top (optional) and wrap in aluminum foil. Grill on the grill rack over the embers for 10 - 15 minutes, Spread some granola on top.

Photo: Fooby

Chriesiwähe, Cherry pie:

Dough: Mix the flour and salt. Add the butter, rub into a crumbly mass, form a hollow. Pour in the water, bring together to form a dough, do not knead.Place between 2 sheets of baking paper, flatten slightly, roll out to the size of the tray. Place on the tray, cut away the overlapping paper and dough with scissors. Remove the top baking paper. Prick the dough densely with a fork. Smooth out the edges. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200° C (400° F) hot air. Custard Mix the eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla paste well. Topping: Sprinkle ground hazelnuts/breadcrumbs on the dough, spread the cherries on top. Pour over the custard. Bake on the bottom shelf of the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Leave to cool in the tray or on the wire rack. Serve with whipped  cream.

Photo by Nik on Unsplash

Aprkosen-Jalousien, literal translation "apricot shutters": 

Roll out puff pastry, cut into 8 rectangles, place on the prepared tray, brush the edges with egg. Arrange the apricots in a lamellar pattern on the rectangles, leaving approx. 1 cm free. Sprinkle with sugar and top with flakes of butter. Bake in the middle of an oven preheated to 200° C (400° F) for 10-15 minutes.

Photo by Swissmilk

Strawberry Tiramisu: 

Wash, prepare and quarter strawberries (and rhubarb compote if you like) .Whip cream with a mixer until stiff and mix thoroughly with the quark and sugar. Prepare dessert glasses. First layer amarettinis on the bottom of the glass, then pour cream on top and then arrange strawberries (and rhubarb) on top. Repeat the process until the glass is completely full. Chill for at least 60 minutes before serving.

Photo by ALEXANDRA TORRO on Unsplash

Happy Independence Day! How do you celebrate?