Malakoffs
The nutritional value of food
©Office du Tourisme du Canton de Vaud
Fritters which are less Russian than they sound!
Also known as ‘Vinzel fritters’, in classic cuisine Malakoffs come in various forms. The Swiss recipe dates back to the 19th century and is thought to come from the Crimea. Swiss mercenaries from the La Côte region of Vaud joined the French army and took part in the siege of Malakoff Fort as part of the defence of Sevastopol which led to the end of the Crimean War (1853-1855). The siege lasted for 14 months and the soldiers, in their bivouacs, used to fry slices of cheese. Thereafter, soldiers from Vaud met together to commemorate the event, gathering around a fire to prepare the dish, served with bread and white wine. To mark the event, the dish was given the name of the fort. During the 1880s and 1890s, the current recipe was adapted during a reception at Napoleon’s Prangins villa, attended by veterans of the Crimean War. The prince’s chefs subsequently opened a restaurant in Eysins where the star dish was a ‘lighter’ Malakoff (fried in oil instead of butter) accompanied by salad, pickles, baby onions and mustard. Today, the dish can be sampled in several restaurants in the La Côte region of the canton of Vaud.
Addresses
Restaurant Au Coeur de la Côte – 1184 Vinzel www.malakoffvinzel.ch
Auberge de Luins - 1184 Luins www.aubergedeluins.ch
Café Restaurant L’Union – 1183 Bursins www.malakoff.ch
Malakoff recipe
www.region-du-leman.ch/fr/gastronomievin/Recettes/malakoff
