November 08, 2014

Birchermüesli

In our house Birchermüesli is part breakfast and part sanity savior. That is to say, it's a sure thing. And sure things when it comes to feeding a toddler are worthy of a pedestal and entire shelf in the refrigerator. I know, it sounds like I'm at risk of feeding her peanut butter and jelly until she goes to college, but don't worry, I won't let it come to that. I offer her new food and lots of vegetables everyday, but it's just that on any given day I don't know what she'll eat and what she'll spit out. Peas can go either way, so can broccoli, and oatmeal, and even toast. There's no logic to it and it's maddening. I try to check my hope and frustration at the kitchen sink with the dirty dishes, but it's tough when you're feeding a child who recently developed a stubborn streak. And besides, feeding her is a big part of being her mom, and it has been from the beginning. Back in those itsy bitsy days it felt like it was all I did, but I did it well, we made a good team. Now, not so much. And what am I supposed to do? Stop trying? No, obviously not, and that's where the Birchermüesli comes in, because on any given day, whether she eats everything or spits everything out, I know that at least she'll have a good breakfast and that's a place to start. 

I've been meaning to tell you about Birchermüesli for awhile now. Really ever since we discovered it four years ago. At one point there was a grand plan in place sample all the muesli in town to find the best one, but that never transpired and I'm certainly not about to schlep a wiggly toddler all around town anytime soon. And besides we've settled on a favorite and it happens to be from the bakery a few blocks away from our apartment. It is so easy to pick it up on our walk to or from home that I rarely make it and I don't actually know if many Swiss do make it at home because it's so readily available out, perhaps a bit like the baguette in France - why bake it when you can buy it better? However, recently the price has been getting to me as has the fact that it has cream mixed in, which seems like a bit of a luxury for everyday consumption, especially since I have no idea how much, so I started making it at home. And it's good. We all agree. Or at least Zach and I agree, and Alice eats it. 
Before we get under way I think it's important to note the differences between Birchermüesli and it's close relative müsli; Birchermüesli is a mixture of oats, yogurt, and fruit soaked overnight to create a creamy and dense yogurt oatmeal of sorts and müsli is a dry mix of cereal grains, seeds, and dried fruits that is eaten with milk or sprinkled on yogurt. You can use a müsli mix to make Birchermüesli, although I don't. Birchermüesli can take on a lot of different variations, and there are more than a handful of different ways to prepare it, but I'm partial to the way the bakery down the street makes it so that is the route I've taken at home. 

So what it is about the neighborhood bakery's Birchermüesli that we like? Well it's thick and hefty and packed with fruit. It's also relatively simple, with a base of plain yogurt, rolled oats and grated apple. From there fruit is added, whole blueberries and raspberries, and sliced pear and banana. A sprinkle of seeds and nuts is added with a delicate hand and then a dash of milk, or in their case cream (maybe even whipped cream because it's so lofty and airy) it is all mixed and then left to mingle together while the oats absorb the liquid from the yogurt and fruit. It's a complete breakfast, healthy and fortifying, and delicious. 

There's a bit of history around Birchermüesli, which is that it was developed by a Swiss physician, Max Bircher-Benner around 1900, in an effort to get his patients to move away from the overly heavy meat and potatoes diet of the day and towards one based on raw fruit. During that time Switzerland was well known for it's sanatoriums and wellness retreats that offered fresh alpine air, sun, and healthy food. From what I can tell Benner-Bircher's original muesli was made with water instead of yogurt, but based on all the Birchermüesli we've sampled at hotels and cafes while living here, it seems as though yogurt is a more common base these days. 

Birchermüesli is adaptable to your preferences. You can adjust the amount of fruit or oats, or add nuts and seeds. (I don't add nuts because Alice isn't a fan, but hazelnuts and sunflower seeds are common additions.) The yogurt could also be replaced with milk or almond milk for a soupier variety. It's up to you, but I think the recipe that follows is a good place to start and then you can change it up. 

Birchermüesli

2 cups plain yogurt 
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
2 apples
1 pear
1 banana
3/4 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen, if frozen defrost)
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup. 

Dice the pear, slice the banana, and grate the apple with the skin on and put them in a big bowl. Mix in the yogurt, oats, raspberries, milk, and maple syrup and stir until combined. Pour the mixture into a container and place it in the fridge to sit overnight, or at least six hours. Enjoy within a few days. 


12 comments:

  1. wow I had no idea what was the process behind Bircher Muesli! will have to try it!

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    1. I guess you'll just have to sample the real deal on a trip to Zürich....or the Alps....

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  2. ooooh! YUM!!
    thank you, THANK YOU for sharing... and for posting- i miss you!
    headed to the market to grab some fruit and mix this up today. sounds like it will be RIGHT up emily's alley!
    xo

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    1. Hope Emily likes it! Miss that little Birdie!

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  3. Hi Talley

    Wanted to let you know that I've been loving the posts you've been doing lately, I can definitely echo everyone else when I say that I love seeing whenever you have a new post (probably more than just about any other blogger). I especially loved alice's birthday post, what a beautiful strawberry cream cake "smash" cake you made for her!! I was so happy to see that you made and loved the cake, it is a good one to have for spring/summer celebrations I think.

    And I still follow your blog and a whole lot of other ones religiously, unfortunately I go in and out of the blog world so quickly it's almost embarrassing and I never have the drive to comment on anything anymore -- I'm sure you know these tendencies as you yourself seem to take that in-and-out and then back in pattern with your blog, too? ;)

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    1. Amy, such a nice comment! Thank you. The strawberry cream smash cake was so delicious and was such a success that I'll probably try and make it every year for her birthday.

      And on blogging, yes, I go in and out. Sometimes I really enjoy it and other times I wonder what the heck I'm doing and why it matters. There are so many great blogs out there, with so many great writers and story tellers, and, well, I just get stuck behind their beautiful creations. Everyone once and a while I seem to pull myself out and start a posting streak, and it feels good when I do. But I'm not a blogger that can post just to post, and I don't want to be.

      And I should note, that as you with my blog, I get giddy when I see you have a new post. Your recipes are spot on - still making chicken tagine a couple times a week - and you are a great writer. Thanks for the support! really!

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    2. ah, thanks talley (also thanks for your stream of comments you posted on my blog -- the support in the blog world IS so nice, isn't it?)

      and yes I agree, I can't force posts and only do it when it feels right. but I'd rather have good feelings about my blog than thinking it's half-assed and forced and fake. I'd like to think one can always tell.... at least I can definitely tell with your blog, it doesn't feel like you're comprising anything

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  4. This is the first I have heard of Birchermüesli and it sounds delicious. I am always desperate to mix things up at breakfast because I never want what we have at home. This will definitely be something to try. Alice is, as always, adorable!

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    1. If I had it in me and had the time, I'd bake scones every morning. I also rarely want what we have in the house. But this Birchermüesli goes a long way to make everyone happy, especially me, because it makes feeding Alice super duper easy.

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  5. LOVE LOVE LOVE Birchermüesli but am always weary of the amount of cream that goes in. The Swiss tend to have a heavy hand with dairy. :) This is a great compromise. Please keep the blogging up!!! So fun to stay posted on your life!

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    1. The Swiss LOVE their cream. It's impossible to get soup at a restaurant that is not at least 50% cream. The Swiss don't seem to have any problem with the quantities of cream, but I can't seem to get it out of my American head that cream is something to be used in moderation.

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  6. I just came across your blog, I read a few posts. It is well put together, I hope you continue to blog! Thank you for posting the bircher recipe, I tried it and it was awesome! It is cool to see life in a different part of the world than mine.
    -Bea
    www.musingsbybea.com

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