Culinary Attention

“If only for the sake of elegance, I try to remain morally pure.” -Marcel Proust

I am human: a habitual one. Like many people, I have a destination that I repeatedly visit, and if you have followed my posts, you know what that place is for me.

There are few reasons I cherish Vals, Switzerland: the serene architecture of the Vals Therme Hotel, the beautiful landscape of the Alps, and the rare culinary treasures found at the Hotel Vals Therme restaurant. I have not yet shared with you my travel cuisine experience. I believe food to be a huge part of a travel experience, especially for me, as I love to cook and respect all levels of culinary talents. I am truly inspired when my taste buds get well-deserved attention and pleasure along with my other senses when I travel.

Here are some of the dishes prepared by Chef Urs Dietrich and Peter Jorimann at the Red Room during my recent stay in August: angus beef carpaccio with pumpkin seeds and oil; essence of deer with gin and vegetable strips; fresh goat cheese with lavender honey and fruit terrine; South African shrimp tail with bok choy, coriander, and pistou; pan-fried pave of turbot with Italian-style filled pasta; almond parfait with pickled fig slices; poppy pudding with red wine pear; pork fillet medallions with ratatouille; tarragon foam sauce and red wild rice; fresh cheese terrine with regional ham; cress foam and salad bunch; duck liver duet with filled dried plum and butter brioche; quail breast with compote of nectarine and vanilla seed; saddle of lamb with raisin-garlic jus; Swiss angus beef entrecote slices with summer boletus nut-bramata and small vegetables from the market; fillet of char with essence of malaner red wine, Maluns, and apple mash; cherry tart slices zuger style; local bread soufflé with mountain raspberries; tartar of whitefish with potato-chives round; hay soup with lentils; mushroom dumplings with roasted onions; and apricot fritter with tonka bean sauce.

Are you salivating yet?

Along with the visuals of the creations of chef, I would like to share some of the detail snap shots from my favorite room at the Vals Therme Hotel, temporary #714. This room labeled as “temporary” by the hotel was designed by Peter Zumthor a few years ago. As a Zumthor fan would predict, the style remains simple, elegant, and timeless.

At the end of each visit to Vals, I discover again why I fell in love with my routine visit: for its consistent simplistic beauty.