Specialities

The food that our grandmothers knew is still served on the wooden tables in the pine-clad rooms of many restaurants and hotels. Dishes such as Capuns, Maluns, Pizzoccheri and Plain in Pigna may sound strange but are music to the ears of avid, clued-up travellers. Potatoes, maize, local vegetables and succulent bacon play their part and give the specialities their hearty flavour. What once had to be low-cost and nourishing is today refined and served with loving care.

Old, rustic farmhouses that have been converted into welcoming restaurants are great places to enjoy Engadin delicacies. When you fancy something sweet as an afternoon treat, then Nusstorte (nut cake) is highly recommended. Rather sinful with walnuts, honey and a good chance of ordering a second slice!

Graubunden’s confectioners have long been regarded throughout the whole of Europe as outstanding representatives of their craft. In their confectioneries in top locations, they tempt customers with meticulously made marzipan creations, premium chocolate, artistic confectionary and table decorations, masterful cakes, refreshing lemonade, summery ice-cream specialities, fragrant coffee and other delights.

Forced to emigrate by economic hardship, the down-to-earth men from the mountains captured the hearts of everyone with a sweet tooth, from Spain to Russia. By 1740, the “Lagoon City” of Venice was home to over 3,000 people from Graubunden. Many turned to serving coffee and making confectionery. They are actually considered the first to serve coffee to the public as a luxury item and soon totally dominated this area of business. At that time there were 42 confectioneries in the city, 39 run by people from Graubunden. This profitable Graubunden foreign trade came to an abrupt end in 1766 when Chur and Venice had a dispute and the people from Graubunden had to leave the city. Once again they had to pack their belongings and move to foreign parts.

In the following years and decades, they spread throughout Europe, opening exclusive confectioneries and cafes in first-class locations in 250 cities and rapidly gaining a legendary reputation. Their recipe for success was based on hard work and thrift, an exceptional ability to adapt to foreign customs and practices, shrewd investment strategies and transaction-driven systems – and not least to remarkable networking between their fellow countrymen.