Mimi and Mac at the Cailler Chocolate Factory

My cousin is leaving Switzerland and we decided to have a weekend to remember with them.

Terry and Rich took us to the

 Swiss Cailler Chocolate Factory located in the

town of Broc in the region of Gruyère.

The Cailler Factory has a wonderful little show called

ONCE UPON A TIME....

It is about the history of chocolate, starting from the Cocoa bean seen here

to

how it was discovered and transported to Europe, where

it became popular. 

When the show ends you are dumped into an area where you can see the cocoa beans and nuts they use in the making of their confections.

You then follow how Cailler's Branche bars are made

and try a freshly made one for yourself.

Then it is on to my favorite part of the tour.

Sampling their amazing products.

These were fabulous and Mac and I did our best to taste each one.

I think these were my favorites though.

We then got to watch some people particpating in the

Atelier "Fun in the Chocolate Kitchen" where you can dream up your own chocolate creations as a team building exercise or as fun for your friends and family.

You will need a reservation for this class before you visit.

Finally you come to the chocolate store filled with all their

confections.

I spent a long time looking at their candy bar wall.

It was well worth the visit and Mac and I do want to go back for a chocolate making class in the future.

This is a MUST do if you are in the Gruyère region.

What a wonderful adventure we had, but Terry and Rich weren't done showing us around yet. 
He pointed the car in the direction of Gruyère the village and the ALIEN BAR.

Gordon Ramsey/Plane Food Picnics

Here's Gordon Ramsay, the Scottish chef with the "potty mouth" on all his 

television shows. I have never appreciated his choice of expletives but I do admire a man whose cooking has been awarded 13  Michelin stars in his career.

As Mac and I headed back to Germany from England last month we found that Terminal 5 boasts

PLANE FOOD,

a restaurant Mr. Ramsay opened to give weary travelers a better eating choice

than normal terminal fare. 

We thought we'd better try it just to see if that was true.

It was! 

We were happy we stopped in and had a meal before our flight left late afternoon.

But, what made us most happy was the picnic we bought for our flight home.

Mr. Ramsey has come up with a brilliant idea for travelers who are sick of the peanuts

and crackers offered by the flight attendants on your airplane in the economy section.

I'll admit that often I smell the food from FIRST CLASS and wish I was sitting up there and receiving what they were on the flight.

Now there's an answer.

Stop at PLANE FOOD and get yourself a picnic.

These picnic's boast 3 courses for 12 pound 95 p.

You may purchase them in this insulated container from the hours of 7am-9pm

You may choose from 4 starters,

1. Selection of mini breakfast pastries

2. Caesar salad with pancetta and soft boiled egg

3. Antipasti of salami and buffalo mozzarella

4.  Prawn and baby gem cocktail

4 Main Courses

1. Smoked Scottish salmon with an apple, celery and walnut salad

2. Honey-roasted beetroot, goat's cheese and rocket lettace

3. Roasted Hereford rump of beef with green bean salad and mustard

4. Cumbrian honey-roast and Parma ham with slow roast vine tomatos

4 Desserts

1. Fruit salad with vanilla yogurt

2. Chocolate and pecan brownies with creme Chantilly

3. Cheesecake tart with berries

4. English cheese selection with quince and biscuits

(that's crackers for us Americans)

When the steward came by and offered us the normal

PLANE FARE

Mac and I smiled at each other and took out our picnics.  They were just

PLANE WONDERFUL!

"Mac, how did you feel when all the other passengers around us craned their necks to see what we were eating," I asked.

He smiled and winked at me, "Very clever indeed!" he replied.

Do give this a try if you are ever at terminal 5 at Heathrow, unless of course

you are lucky enough to be seated in FIRST CLASS!