a stammtisch lunch at Hyatt Regency : Swiss-German food served in a cozy set up and a masterclass by Chef Marin Leuthard

 I have been wanting to cook a nice platter of spaetzli with some alternative flours but that experiment has been held up for some reason. I had loved spaetzli and a few more delicious dishes from Swiss-German regions at the Lounge floor of Hyatt Regency last month. I know I could not share that lovely experience with you all back then, but now let me tell you how delicious simple foods can be with a warm group of people. That spaetzli and the Grison barley soup has been haunting me since then.

Chef Marin Leuthard has been hosting Stammtisch dinner tables there for small gatherings with exclusively cooked food from his part of the world. These stammtisch get-togethers are hosted and served like a family gathering and would be great for small family meals or informal meetings. I had the honour of being a part of the preview table he hosted for a select people and the flavours are still fresh in my mind. I have been cooking a lot of barley soups after that, even though I have loved barley soups always, but after this table I remember Chef Leuthard every time I cook some barley.

He cooked this lovely Grison Barley soup with utmost care and we indulged in the aromas of the soup before digging into it. The soup simmered slowly while Chef made the spaetzli and the apple fritters.

Bikramjit Ray was also there with us, sharing his own kitchen experiences and how he has an impressive array of kitchen gadgets, see what this barley soup does to a foodie like him.

Chef Leuthard cooked the spaetzli as we watched the miniature dumplings boil and then being cooled in iced water. It was then stir fried with some chopped ham and herbs. Loads of cheese too.

I was thinking how I would make it low glycemic. I am definitely doing that and a recipe will be shared very soon.

Later, Chef made a rich Gruyere Fondue with a combination of Emmental and generous spiking of Kirsch. Everyone loved this cheese fondue with fresh pieces of bread while I loved it with slices of granny smith apples. Yes I have that kind of a taste and fruits always will be favourites.

Some glossy granny smith apples on the counter were for another beauty of a dish.

And Chef made a lovely looking a Beignet de pommes, apple fritters with granny smith apples, dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with vanilla custard and strawberry coulis.

We enjoyed a nice espresso with kirsch at the end of this meal. Chef Leuthard had prepared Swiss chocolate bars with roasted almonds and a milk chocolate spread with hazelnuts for us.

The milk chocolate spread was so good I tried making it at home. I usually don't eat much chocolate but a scant teaspoon of this spread goes a long way, the flavours are so rich. This spread will be a regular at my place now, may be with different nuts and sometimes dark chocolate too.

Sharing the recipe of this chocolate spread and one more in the next post. Stay tuned.