Tasting Switzerland’s Mountain Culture | Alpine Cheese, Snowboarding & Foraging | DIRT Switzerland

Tasting Switzerland’s Mountain Culture | Alpine Cheese, Snowboarding & Foraging | DIRT Switzerland

– And now I’ll drink. (all laughing and chattering) (percussive music) – [Josh] Here I am as a kid. Now I’m a washed up pro snowboarder, dad, and curious food nerd, hell
bent on new adventures. I’m Josh Rosen. Food and adventure have led me to some of the most interesting places. So Huckberry is sending us off to source some of the
freshest ingredients, all while taking it in through
the lens of the locals. And each adventure ends with a feast. This is “Dirt.” 40 million years ago,
the continent of Africa smashed into Europe, forming
this mountain range, the Alps. Rather than succumbing
to the harsh terrain, the people here learn to live with it. Heck, thrive. (regal music)
(lift humming) This is insane. We’re in the epicenter of
some of the best cheese, chocolate, and watches in the world. But there is so much more
hiding in these mountains, and we’re on a mission to find it. – Cheesin’ squeezin’! (all laughing and cheering) – [Josh] So let’s saddle up. (laughing) Or um, hit the hay. This episode of “Dirt: Switzerland.” For those of you that need
a quick geography lesson, Switzerland sits right here. It’s full of huge mountains,
and is surrounded by some of the most influential
countries in Europe. We’re meeting our chef for this episode on the serene shores of Lake Lucerne. (gentle music) Ah, I love this place already. – [Sarah] Hello! (Josh and Sarah laughing) Meet Sarah Lammli, a chef
who cooks with the same scrappy resourcefulness
her ancestors lived by. She’s part of a new wave in Lucerne: young cooks throwing outdoor
brunches, pop-up supper clubs, and backyard cookouts, gatherings
that pull people together and make a place feel like a community. And breakfast, that’s
Sarah’s love language. So let’s settle in for a
traditional Swiss breakfast. (Sarah speaking foreign language) (Sarah laughing) (both chattering) – [Josh] Fresh-picked herbal tea, boiled eggs from next door, wonderful baked breads,
honey, and pickled walnuts. (Sarah speaking foreign language) – That’s beautiful. It’s like a fresh fruit. Simple, honest, and close to nature. (Sarah speaking foreign
language) (laughing) – [Josh] What are these? (Sarah speaking foreign language) (Josh speaking foreign language) – Yeah. – [Josh] Let me taste it. – [Sarah] Yeah, of course. – [Josh] Early season wild ramps
line her trail to the lake. Sarah likes to get creative with the things growing
right out of her back door, like collecting moss from the trees, and fallen dried leaves. Turns out these forest
finds dipped in cornmeal and fried are one of Sarah’s specialties. Our first ingredient right
from the forest floor. We found a chef that doesn’t
overcomplicate things. Her cooking is delicate, simple, and inspired by the world
just outside of her door. And lucky for us, always finds
time for a dip in the lake. Even better, there’s a floating sauna. Sarah’s left us hungry to
dig deeper into this place where food and adventure
are woven together. – First time’s a charm. – [Josh] The Alps once stood
as a wall between worlds. Italy to the south, the
rest of Europe to the north. But the Swiss turned
that wall into a doorway. Through the rock, they
carved sophisticated roads and tunnels known as the
Gotthard trade route. Suddenly salt, grain,
wine, and fresh ideas poured through these valleys, and a small fishing village on the lake grew into the bustling
trading city of Lucerne. So let’s bundle up, get in
our vintage automobiles, and head downtown with Sarah to see how that history still carries on. Today purveyors from around
the region still descend onto the city to sell their
goods along the Reuss River under these same stone archways, like they have for centuries. From Alpine farms down
to the valley floor, the region’s cheeses, meats, and produce all come together under these arches, making Sarah’s choices for
local ingredients seem endless. The bustling market is
a true cross-section of the region’s growers and producers. (shoppers chattering) Recipe from around here? – [Sarah] Mm-hm. – [Josh] The busy stalls show that the locals are here to support it. (gentle music) With a tote bag full of
delicious market finds, we’re off to explore the city. Like most European cities built before the invention of automobiles, Lucerne was built on a
human scale: walkable, public spaces, dense, yet inviting. And the fountains aren’t
just for decoration. Downtown Lucerne isn’t just old bridges and medieval spires. A new generation thrives
here, with students, artists, chefs, and makers shaping the city today. And that brings us here. – Hey!
– Hey! – Josh. – Hi Josh, nice to meet you. – [Josh] Welcome to the
studio of Sipho Mabona, a born and raised Lucerne
artist that loves folding paper. What was the initial interest in origami? Where did that come from? – You know, actually it
started with paper airplanes as a kid. I’ve thrown quite a
few out of this window. – I’m sure. With hand-dyed fabrics,
Sipho’s recent series digs into the inner workings
of traditional origami, revealing the structure behind the form. And here, a life-size elephant folded from one single piece of paper. How does Lucerne inform your art? – I mean, since I was
born and raised here, obviously it has a great influence. It’s more the people of Lucerne
that have informed my work, I think, than the surroundings. And so they give you
this kind of safe space to focus on art rather than
to worry about other stuff. (peaceful music) Watch your eyes, little one. Drop it. – [Sipho] Oh, terrible! (laughing) They both crashed. – [Josh] Lucerne offers a safe space for its residents to experiment and grow. So safe, you can just
hang out in your wetsuit at one of the busiest
intersections in the city without any worries in the world. In situations like this, I
don’t ask, I just follow. Meet chef and our new, friend Lenny. Let’s go for a swim. Down the Reuss River, right
through the old town we go. (water splashing) So after a belly flop and a taste of the crystal clear waters, we’ve got work to do. It’s delicious. – Perfect.
– It’s perfect. Like Sarah, Lenny forages
right outside his back door. In this case, right here in the river. – [Lenny] We’re diving
for sweetwater clams that are invasive since 20
years here in Switzerland. – [Josh] Invasive, yes. Edible? Absolutely. Delicious? We will see. – It’s important to use local ingredients for my kitchen from here. I like local kitchen
because I grew up here, and all my ingredients grew up also here. – [Josh] A successful mission with Lucerne’s very own river keeper. Float on, young man. Lake Lucerne, we’ll see
you bright and early. Hey!
– Hey! – I’m Josh. – Hey, Josh. – Nice to meet you. (both laughing) – Yeah, nice to meet you too. – Thanks for having us. – Yeah, it’s a pleasure. – Should we go catch a fish? – I hope so. – Okay, let’s go. – Hey, let’s go. (both laughing) (Josh speaking foreign language) – [Josh] As they say, the
fishermen wakes with the sea, or in this case, Lake Lucerne. Early mornings don’t seem to
be an issue for Nils Hofer who’s quite possibly the least salty fisherman we’ve ever met. Nils, are you a
multi-generational fisherman? – Yeah, we started in
the 15th, 16th century. – [Josh] Not your family. – Yeah, my family. But uh… – [Josh] You’ve been fishing
this lake for 500 years? – Yeah. (both laughing) – [Josh] Jesus, this is insane, Nils. It’s so beautiful. (ethereal music) – [Nils] So let’s go fishing. – [Josh] 100-foot nets
are set the night before, and early in the morning
they’re pulled in by hand, bringing in one fish at a time. Cool and calm, it’s just
Nils and a few of his uncles, each on their own boats,
quietly bringing in their catch. (stick clattering) – This is what I call the
the Queen of Lake Lucerne. – [Josh] It’s beautiful. – [Nils] Yeah. – [Josh] White fish like these, along with perch and pike,
are then sold by Nils’s family at the market and to local restaurants. (Nils laughing) It’s moments like this. – Yeah.
– It’s so beautiful. – [Nils] Yeah, it’s a
fantastic morning here now. – [Josh] It’s not hard to imagine that this is Nils’s 45th season
fishing these serene waters. (fishermen chattering and laughing) (speaking foreign language), Nils. We’ll see you at the feast. So long, beautiful Lucerne. We’ll see you again at
the end of this adventure. And we press on, climbing
higher into the Alpine on our quest for new
flavors and new horizons to a region known as the
Wild West of Switzerland. More specifically, the
Entlebuch Biosphere, 20,000 acres of protected land for recreation and cultivation. And we’re here to meet the
Renggli family, farmers, if you couldn’t tell, and
proudly carrying on the tradition like their great-grandparents once did. (Uli laughing) On their farm, dairy,
chickens and six tons of herbs are harvested from these
rolling Swiss hills each year, supplying herbs for our
favorite Swiss cough drop. ♪ Ricola ♪ (Uli speaking foreign language) Today we’re actually here to harvest these citrusy
spring buds: spruce tips. That’s incredibly fragrant. – [Interpreter] He will cut down the tree, and we can help after. – [Josh] Is it bad luck to cut down a tree in a UNESCO reserve? (saw roaring) (forester speaking foreign language) – [Josh] I guess we’ll find out. (motor chugging) (Uli and forester
speaking foreign language) The branches are stripped
in a matter of minutes together as a family. (Uli speaking foreign language) The forest and farmland here is carefully managed
by Uli and his family, often sticking to centuries-old
practices and traditions. (workers chattering) And this wildly fragrant
barn is where the spruce tips and other harvested herbs
are dried and stored for use. (Josh groaning) – [Worker] That smells so nice. Spruce tips, nettles,
lemon balm, and thyme fill the room with their
wild alpine fragrance. We found Switzerland’s
high mountain terroir. (sacks crinkling) (calf suckling) I’m in heaven. And of course we’ll never
say no to a farmer’s lunch. That painting on the bell is so cool. Thank you guys so much. Further into the biosphere we go where the Alps really
start to show themselves. There’s many ways to move
around these mountains. Some more traditional. (hooves clopping) At this quick stop, we’re reinforcing our
understanding of Switzerland’s love for really good milk. Grass-fed, well-loved, very happy cows. The biosphere is a place
where traditional farming and nature thrive together. And where the rest of
us can learn from both. Merci for the fresh mountain milk. Okay, thank you. (all chattering) In Switzerland, moving
through mountains is an art. To our next stop we
could probably take this Swiss-made cable car, or this Swiss-made train. I love trains. But no, we’re Americans; we’ll drive. Next we’re heading up
into the Valley of Angels. 900 years ago, this lush
valley was inhabited by a tiny population of Catholic monks and isolated mountain farmers. Today, pastures have evolved
into a lively village of slope-side ski chalets,
lodges, and restaurants. This is Engelberg, one of
Switzerland’s earliest ski towns, a pioneer in early alpine skiing
and slope-side hospitality. (patrons chattering) We’ve arrived, and we’re hungry, and I think we’ve just
found the right guys to show us around the next couple of days. – Come here. Yeah, yeah, come here. (laughing) – Tada!
– Tada! (Josh laughing) – [Josh] This is insane. – Yeah, it’s gorgeous, huh? This is where big problems become small. Like you stand here, and in five minutes, and then you forget that
you even had a problem. – [Josh] Meet Christian and John, two culinary savant besties from Sweden who came here seven years
ago and couldn’t leave. I’ve been to Stockholm; it’s beautiful. But you’ve come here and you’ve stayed. What keeps you here? – I find just living in
another country more exciting, in a country that has this much offer, that I love doing as in the mountains and also food-wise like that. That’s a big, big draw. – I think also it’s
like the perfect spring. It’s the perfect winter. It’s the perfect summer. – Sweden’s just like
hot and then freezing. – Yeah, and dark. – And dark. This is Villa Hundert, farmhouse reborn as a
modern mountain retreat. Tonight we’re here for dinner
and wine, their specialty. Local farms up and down the
hillside provide the food for each night’s tasting menu; pickling, herb drying,
and lactofermentations in these rooms, and a cellar
of handcrafted Swiss wines. With just six rooms and a personal, home-like dining experience, Christian and John are
artfully blending Swiss Alpine tradition with their Scandinavian roots. Delicious meal, great
company, time for bed. I’ll see you tomorrow, boys. (slow Alpine music) Meusli is big here, and
most inns will offer their own unique, homemade spread. Food for a day in the mountains. We’re beginning our morning
by stepping back in time to learn about Engelberg’s roots. – Tada.
– It’s beautiful. Huge surprise. Welcome to the 900-year
old Engelberg Abby. While its mission has
always been spiritual, its survival has long
depended on, well, cheese. We’re here to meet Axel
who’s made it his mission to keep a spirit of cheese-making
alive here in Engelberg. – You know, what’s the
principle of cheese making? Like what’s the main idea behind it? Why would people start making cheese like some hundred years ago? – Preserving.
– Preserving. – Preserving, yes. Also transport thing. I mean like you have
many nutrients in milk and you want to keep them stored. – [Josh] High above Engelberg, farmers have been turning milk
into cheese for centuries, a tradition that began for
purely practical reasons. It was the easiest way to concentrate all that perishable milk
into something lighter, richer, and built to last. Long story short, cheese is
what kept this remote monastery and the village of Engelberg below it fed for nearly 900 years. Axel also teaches
cheese-making classes here for interested travelers. – Cheesin’ squeezin’! (all laughing) – I never did that before. – [Josh] And now we get to experience some of the more modern
traditions of Engelberg. (energetic music) Going up. Engelberg sits on the
north side of the Alps, which means lots of snowfall. Just look at those Alps. Long, steep runs, cliffs,
wind lips, chutes. Engelberg is a free ride mecca. Famous for the Big Five, a series of runs with 18,000 vertical feet. Just enough to melt your buns off. Home to the most modern lifts in the world to get you anywhere you
want on the mountain. (skiers chattering) Quick deck sit while we wait
for our ride back to the top. Pure Swiss mountain leisure. First, an ’80s minivan as a shuttle bus. Onto a retro funicular. What sort of fairytale
did I land myself in? Time for fondue: Gruyere, Emmental, garlic,
white wine, melted. Let’s get a few coffee
brandies while we’re here. Lunch is served. Dip it, dunk it, swirl it all around. Absolutely do not drop your
bread into the pot, or else. (machines rumbling) We are so close to ending
this ’80s adventure montage and getting you on your way. (patrons chattering) And then somehow we end up
here at this grand hotel, complete with an immense gin collection, a disco ball, and a view. – Maybe has the most high volume- – [Josh] We’re here to
choose our favorite gin. Notes of elder, no, of the berries. Jury has made their selection. While I’m guilty for
enjoying most of them, Walden Gin for the win. Heck of a ski trip here in Engelberg where food is fuel and
hospitality is off the charts. Thanks, boys. (lazy music)
(cow mooing) (swather puttering) (sailboard swooshing) Idyllic. Outright majestic. Poems were written about this place, and paintings were painted. And with the new age of
steamships and locomotives, the first wave of nature-seeking tourists were suddenly able to make the journey from their smog-filled cities
to the clean, crisp air of the Bernese Alps with ease, dropping them here right in the middle of two unbelievably blue lakes at the foot of some of the most iconic
mountains in Switzerland. This, my friends, is Interlaken. Do I have to come down now? (parachutist giggling) – [Instructor] Okay, put your legs up. – [Parachutist] Oh! (happy piano music) – Okay, this is what we were going for. We’re starting off at the one hotel you can’t miss when you land. Originally built in 1856, what is now the Victoria-Jungfrau
Grand Hotel and Spa is a portal into what the first wave of modern Alpine luxury
tourism must have looked like. Early travelers were drawn to
Interlaken for the fresh air and healing spa treatments. Before modern medicine,
doctors often prescribed soaking in these warm, mineral rich waters for all types of ailments. Marco. And what’s a mountain
retreat without some tennis, and a very, very nice restaurant. Like always, we are here for the food. At the heart of this
institution is the kitchen run by Chef Stefan Beer,
who grew up peeling potatoes in his parents’ small restaurant
a few miles up the road. Now he runs this Michelin
Star restaurant called Radius. – We are here in Radius’ kitchen. This is our fine dining restaurant. But this one here is like my playground. Here can be very creative a
bit more than other places. It’s a bit freestyle here. – [Josh] Stefan’s dishes are
often inspired by memories or built from stories. (peaceful music) – [Stefan] I’m about to plate
our version of the carbonara. – [Josh] For the carbonara,
the chef pays homage to the heritage of the dish. Born in the coal mines of Italy. – I think many years ago, the Swiss were, I say something very provocative, sometimes not proud
enough of their products. They think what is coming
from far away is better. And that has changed a lot over the last couple of
years, decades maybe. – [Josh] Stefan is living the chef’s dream of celebrating the wonderful ingredients that are right at his doorstep,
hence the name Radius. – Yes, they’re grown on the other side of the lake in Uetendorf. So everything in here is
from a 50-kilometer radius. – [Josh] In digestible terms, these ingredients are very local. Stefan has formed relationships
with hunters, foragers, and farmers, from the fish,
to the chestnuts and honey, and even shrimp, this guy’s day to day is a “Dirt” episode of its own. His restaurant is an
embodiment of the ambition and quality of Swiss ingredients. 13 dishes, three desserts later, and Stefan leaves us
in a satisfied stupor. Goodnight, sweet Stefan. (horse whinnying)
(accordion music) Quick reminder that tourists
were coming to Interlaken for luxury spa retreats in the mid-1800s by horse and carriage. Can you imagine for this view? Yes. Well, now imagine it’s
almost the 20th century and steam trains come on the scene. Interlaken became more
accessible than ever. Today we’re heading into the mountains that everyone comes here for. In 1891, this important
train line was built from Interlaken to the small
mountain town of Grindelwald, a magical little place under the shadow of the
great Eiger Mountain. Every couple of years
the train lines pushed further into the Alps. Then the Swiss developed
even better trains. So the trains went higher. Now with even better views and stunning mountaintop hotels, visitors could step off a train and be at the foot of
Switzerland’s longest glacier. This kind of mountain access
was unheard of at the time, and is actually still bonkers to this day. How’s that cornice looking right there? For a quarter pipe. Now let’s imagine how
a fun day on the slopes might have looked like 100 years ago. The tool of choice at the time
may have been a velogemel. These wooden bicycle-looking
things with skis, invented by a one-armed
carpenter in Grindelwald, a relatively quick
train ride up from town. A little push and a scoot, and you’re off. (skiers laughing and chattering) How about a picnic in the sun surrounded by towering mountains? Very Swiss. Spas, train rides, 100-year-old
snow bikes, fondue. The Swiss have truly
refined mountain debauchery. One more lap? Yes, please. You’d think at this point the
Swiss would be good, right? Nope. They wanted to go higher,
with a new mission to bring people to the top of Europe. That’s right, they wanted
to build a train station close to the summit of
these peaks right here. The one on the left is the Eiger. So in 1896, this rugged crew started digging into the mountain. For 10 years, they dug and dug, up through the entire mountain to the top. – Right inside the Mount Eiger, made a turn, through the Monch. Now we are on top of Jung. – [Josh] It’s 1912, and
the Swiss have built the highest train station in Europe. Every day people could now
have lunch with the gods. We’ve made it to the top, but we were less fortunate with the views. Lucky for us, we made a backup plan. (Josh clucking) (Doris speaking foreign language) This way? – [Tour Guide] This way, through the ice, through the glacier. – [Josh] We’ve made it to a
place found only in storybooks. Deep in the mountain, carved into the ice, the speakeasy hides. Isn’t that nice? A drink in this mystical
mountain crystal cellar, you say? But of course, bartender,
how could I stray? (ethereal music) (bartender speaking foreign language) – Cask strength unfiltered
right out of those barrels. – [Josh] So cask strength? (group chattering) (bottle taps)
Nice. And we’ve transported
back down to Interlaken. (train rumbling) Hard to imagine we came
from all the way up there. You’re very friendly, hi. (lips smacking) Interlaken, you’re a great home base for mountain adventures, and ours aren’t quite done yet. Good morning. Today I get to put on my snowboard boots. Are you excited? I’m excited. (optimistic music) Today we’re commuting to the
ski hill like the Swiss do. And just our luck, the
train ticket is included with our lift ticket. Genius. Welcome back to Interlaken’s
closest Alpine neighbor, the town of Grindelwald. We’re here to meet with cafe enthusiast and supercarver Daria Fuchs. – Hello.
– Josh. – Daria. – Daria, nice to meet you. – Nice to meet you, too. So Grindelwald is super famous for the three sister mountains, which is Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. And to me, they’re just really humbling. They’re so, they’re so
majestic, and so big that every time I come
here I bring friends or visitors here, it’s just
like you’re literally no one. You’re so little. You’re so small. You’re so tiny.
– Yeah. – And I think that’s what I personally love
the most about this place. – [Josh] Interesting. – Matterhorn, (indistinct),
Eiger, Monch, Jungfrau. – Matterhorn? – Matterhorn. – The Matterhorn? – No.
– Okay. – [Daria] No, no, no. (snowboard swooshing) (slow techno music) (Daria laughing) – What’s the secret of that
apex carve in the half pipe. I wanna know. – There is no secret. (laughing) – [Snowboarder] Oh, that was sick! – So you come, and you’re kind of actually on your heel side, I would almost say. So you come up, and then you actually change the edge. And then you kind of want your upper body to be like a compass. And then you just draw the line with the legs like a compass. That’s pretty much it. – It’s easy. (Daria whooping) (Josh and Daria chattering) And for one of my favorite
parts of snowboarding in Switzerland, the on-slope amenities. (Josh and Daria exclaiming and laughing) And now while we’re out
having the time of our lives, we’ll show some appreciation for the folks keeping the lifts spinning. This is Peter and his son Stefan. Their job is to keep one
of the over 60 chairlifts running in Grindelwald smoothly
and safely for us riders. But this isn’t their only job. (Peter speaking foreign language) (chickens clucking) Their story gets even more interesting. Up on the hill above
their farm is this barn that’s been converted
into a slopeside chalet run by his wife and two of his daughters. Here they serve up delicious
charcuterie platters, drinks, with slopeside
postcard-like views. (Kathi speaking foreign language) (Peter speaking foreign language) – Wow! For everyone? Hunk of cheese. Interlaken runs on a
kind of shared heartbeat. Farmers, guides, lifties, and visitors all chasing the same
love of the mountains. A blend of agriculture and tourism, tradition and adventure that
keeps the town spinning. Feast. – [Christian] Ready? (door slamming) – Hey! – Hey, Josh! – [Josh] Just like that,
we’re back in Lucerne, and we’re closing out our trip in the coolest final
feast location to date. In a 100-year-old
refurbished metal workshop on the edge of town with
flowers and friends, complete with a speakeasy brewery. So let’s grab a few beers,
unpack our farmed, fished, and foraged ingredients, which include about six pounds of cheese, and cook up a feast to
celebrate the people and places that made it all possible. (calm music) (oil sizzling) On this trip, we realized
food and adventure are intertwined, both
shaped by the mountains, and you can’t really have
one without the other. (Josh talking off-mic) (diners chattering) With peaks comes valleys, and
with valleys come villages, villages where communities
like these gather and make the whole adventure worthwhile. (Josh laughing) So here’s to the mountains,
the makers, and the meals that carried us through them. – [Diner] Beautiful. (all chattering loudly) (diners chattering) (mellow music) – [Diner] Always. (diners laughing) – [Diner] They always
are screaming, you know. (diner shouting)

Shop Josh’s gear from this episode of DIRT: https://bit.ly/4a5wy6p

In Switzerland, everything you need is right in the backyard. That might be tough to believe while taking in the staggering peaks and powdery snow, but the DIRT crew learned it firsthand on their latest adventure. The key? The warmth and resourcefulness of the Swiss people. Josh and co got the lay of the land from chef Sarah Lämmli, foraging wild ramps, moss, and dried leaves on the outskirts of Lucerne. Then they worked their way up, carving lines into Interlaken’s ski slopes and learning how the locals thrive (and even make speakeasies out of ice) in the abundant mountain landscape.

Thanks to our friends @Switzerland and @alpinawatchesofficial for partnering with us on this episode of DIRT.

Plan your trip to Switzerland: https://bit.ly/4iS0JAA
Shop our Alpina collection on Huckberry: https://bit.ly/48t9ehU

Subscribe to the Huckberry YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/4oBwTSG
Catch up on past DIRT Episodes: https://bit.ly/4pryDyb
How We Made The Best Travel Show on the Internet: https://youtu.be/jdJkJ7cZdkI
The Music of DIRT| Full DJ Set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdvxC_Sjw8Y&t=245s

Shot and Edited by WRKSHRT | https://www.wrkshrt.com/
Original Music Score by Actual Magic | https://actualmagic.co/

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
1:25 Meet the Chef
4:00 The Gateway
8:33 Lake Lucerne
10:51 Entlebuch Biosphere
14:42 Engelberg
18:00 The Mountains
20:21 The Heart of the Alps
26:43 Ice Speakeasy
27:35 Grindelwald
33:45 Final Fest

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