The latest media assault on English-speaking consumers in the region is being made on our tastebuds, and it appears to have happened by accident: as a niche group, we are being wooed to eat and drink more, and better, and more often. There is a sudden wealth of information out there for our apparently hungry fingertips.
The newest offering arrives Friday, 7 November, with the publication of the first-ever English version of the popular Swiss wine reference work, The Swiss Wine Guide. The CHF39 book contains introductions to all the wine-producing cantons, and it lists 450 of the top producers, with detailed information about them.
Ed. note: Ellen Wallace, owner of Zidao Communication, a digital publishing house that publishes GenevaLunch, was responsible for the English version of the book. The third editions of the French and German version of the book will also be published 7 November.
The Monday morning (3 November) feature on AngloInfo, a Geneva information site, was devoted to an overview of Swiss wines, a useful short guide.
At the end of October, Swisster, a commercial news web site aimed at multinationals and published by Swiss media giant Edipresse, began to publish a food and wine corner, moderated by Gail Mangold Vine. (Ed. note: as a strong supporter of free Internet news, GenevaLunch does not generally link to sites that require payment, but some of this material is free according to Mangold Vine; subscriptions for access to most of the site is CHF300 a year). Mangold Vine produces an annual wine booklet for the canton of Geneva, Terrific Terroir.
Earlier in 2008 Anne Glusker, who has written for GenevaLunch, was hired by World Radio Switzerland for its new food programme, Stir It Up. Glusker describes herself as a foodie for many years, who has worked as an editor and writer for the New York Times and the Washington Post.
Whether there is truly a jump in interest in the subject of food and wine, or mainly an increase in interest in this potentially lucrative public, the English speakers, on the part of media remains to be seen. Will too much of a good thing make us all feel a bit – stuffed?
Meanwhile, cheers! Or santé!