Breads that represent each of Switzerland’s 26 cantons.
1. Aargauerbrot
Canton: Aargau
An oval-shaped loaf made with either half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl). It has an S-shaped slash mark lengthwise across its surface.
2. Baslerbrot
Cantons: Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft
Two loaves that bake together, but are typically sold separately. One of Switzerland’s crustiest breads, Baslerbrot is typically made with half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl). This bread also has a rather porous interior.
3. Bernerbrot (Bern)
Canton: Bern
Made with either half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl), Bernerbrot (or Pain Bernois) is an oval-shaped bread with a slash mark at an angle and across the width of this loaf.
4. Bündner Roggenringbrot
Canton: Graubünden
A ring-shaped bread made with rye flour, the Roggenbringbrot carries the name Brasciadèla in Valposchiavo. In this Italian-speaking valley, it will also sometimes contain anise seeds.
5. Glarnerbrot
Canton: Glarus
Much like the Aargauerbrot, the cantonal bread for Glarus has an oval shape with slightly pointed end. Instead of an S-shaped slash mark, it receives a straight, deep and lengthwise cut on its surface before baking. You can make it with half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl).
6. Kopfbrot (Schwyz and Zug)
Cantons: Schwyz and Zug
The unique shape of the Kopfbrot (“Head Bread”) comes from a tradition during carnival in the springtime. I have yet to find a bakery that makes this bread into a phallic-like form. As with many of the other cantonal breads, Kopfbrot can be made with either half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl). This bread is also known as Schwyzerbrot or Zugerbrot.
7. Luzernerbrot
Canton: Luzern
One of two cantonal breads traditionally made with a sourdough starter, Luzernerbrot has a crease down its middle. It also goes by the name of “Weggen.” The bread is typically made with a dark flour (ruchmehl).
8. Nidwaldnerbrot
Canton: Nidwalden
Almost identical to the Bernerbrot, the cantonal bread for Nidwalden has a round shape with a slash mark across the width of its surface. Rather than this cut being made at an angle, like the Bernerbrot, it’s made straight down in the middle of the bread. This bread can be made with either half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl).
9. Obwaldnerbrot
Canton: Obwalden
For the cantonal bread from Obwalden, you bake two long, narrow loaves together, lengthwise. Made with either half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl), these two loaves are sold separately.
10. Pain Genevois
Canton: Genève
The official bread for the canton of Genève (Geneva) is made with half-white flour (halbweissmehl) and has a flat shape. Before baking this floury loaf, baker cut a diamond-shaped lattice pattern into its surface.
11. Pain Jurassien
Canton: Jura
Made with half-white (halbweissmehl), dark flour (ruchmehl) or a combination of both, the cantonal bread for Jura has a special design from its coat of arms cut into its surface before baking. Of all the cantonal bread, this one is the newest, as Jura became a canton in the 1970s.
12. Pain Neuchâtelois
Canton: Neuchâtel
Two round loaves that bake together, Pain Neuchâtelois is the cantonal bread for Neuchâtel. This bread is more commonly made by professional than by home bakers. It usually contains half-white flour (halbweissmehl).
13. Pain de Seigle
Canton: Valais
This rye bread from Valais has a long history within this canton. It has a tradition of being made in communal, wood-fired ovens. Like the Luzernerbrot, bakers made the Pain de seigle with a sourdough starter.
14. Pain Vaudois à la Croix
Canton: Vaud
Made with half-white flour (halbweissmehl), the cantonal bread from Vaud has a cross shape pressed into its surface before baking.
15. Pane Ticinese
Canton: Ticino
A fluffy white bread representing Ticino, this cantonal bread could also be considered a national bread because you’ll find it throughout the country.
16. St.-Galler Brot
Cantons: St. Gallen, as well as Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden
Like several other cantonal breads, the St.-Galler-Brot features two loaves baked together as one and sold separately. The special characteristic of these loaves is that the are folded and wrapped, which increases their height. The goal of this technique is to try and keep the soft interior from drying out too fast. These loaves can be made with either half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl).
17. Schaffhauserbrot (Schaffhausen)
Canton: Schaffhausen
The Schaffhauserbrot closely resembles the cantonal breads for Neuchâtel (Pain Neuchâtelois) and (Uri) Urnerbrot (Uri). Like these other breads, the cantonal bread for Schaffhausen has two round loaves that are baked together. It can be made with either half-white (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl).
18. Sensler Rua-Brot
Canton: Fribourg
A flat bread with a lattice design pressed into its surface before baking, the cantonal bread for Fribourg contains three different types of flour: rye flour, half-white flour (halbweissmehl) and dark flour (ruchmehl).
19. Solothurnerbrot
Canton: Solothurn
The cantonal bread for Solothurn can be made with a dough identical to that used for the Baslerbrot, either with half-white flour (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl).
20. Urnerbrot
Canton: Uri
The Urnerbrot, also known as a “Halberli” (little half), has two round loaves that bake together. It’s made with either with half-white flour (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl).
21. Zürcherbrot
Canton: Zürich
Made with half-white flour (halbweissmehl) or dark flour (ruchmehl), the cantonal bread for Zürich has a very tyipcal shape that you will find around the country, but with different names. This elongated and rounded loaf of bread makes uniform slices, a characteristic appreciated by restaurants.
swissbreads.com 