Cavalcade of sweets and Yvorne, Switzerland

 

It's autumn here in Switzerland and that means vermicelles, a traditional seasonal favorite, is now available. It seems every patisserie has their own take on this sweet. Locatelli, with a half-dozen locations in the Lausanne area, makes the best.  

Here's vermicelles in the display case at Locatelli. 

So, what the heck is it?  You take sweetened chestnut puree or paste (chestnuts, sugar, milk and kirsch) and press it into thin worm-like strands. On top is a dab of whipped cream with chocolate sprinkles, the middle is filled with whipped cream along with a chocolate-dipped piece of meringue.

I cut one open. It's a definite two thumbs up!

In the summer I love strawberry tarts. It's a seasonal sweet and I cycled around the Lausanne area trying many, many patisseries to determine the best. The top four are as follows. 

Pictured above is the winner. Moutarlier's strawberry tart is the clear winner. The whipped cream is sumptuous, the strawberries ripe and juicy with a thin crisp shell. So many patisseries neglect the shell--it needs to be thin--almost crunchy.  Above the tart is a strawberry mousse--which is so-so--nothing special.

 

These strawberry tarts are from Vincent. I like the creamy custard filling under the strawberries. 

Ripe strawberries and the custard-like filling make the strawberry tarts from Christian Boillat a winner.

So many patisseries try to slip in under-ripe strawberries and that's a no-no!

This green plastic container travels with me. I'm doing my recycling part by not making the shops put the goodies in boxes and me later dumping in the trash bin.  

Messidor makes these strawberry tart goodies. That's a lemon tart in the corner which would be a winner if I did a list on best lemon tarts.

Downsides to my green plastic container: it limits my purchases to two items and there's an issue with heights as you can clearly see the lemon tart would be too high for the container.   

I'm in the Rhône valley at the base of the Swiss Alps. Lots of wine vineyards dot the hillsides. It's the beginning of November and the grapes have been picked with grape leaves as well as trees changing color.   

That's the village of Yvorne in the distance. 

Like this chateau amongst the vineyards. 

The chateau can be rented out for wine tastings, weddings, seminars etc...

The Rhone valley is flat as a pancake except for this hill rising in the middle. I heard there's a castle ruin on top. Better go check it out.

I can spot a tower at the top.

This medieval tower, built in the 13th century, is all that's left of a castle.

From the tower you can see in all directions. Notice the gorge? It's a former quarry. In medieval times they mined black marble. 

Cycling down the road something on the right catches my eye.

Wow, I love it!