Saturday, November 15, 2008

Riveting Rivella


Even though I am on my honeymoon, there hasn't been one day that I haven't thought about food blogging.

Allow me to explain! I am sampling many new types of food products and many different cuisines, and I can't wait to share my experiences with you!

One of my most exciting discoveries in Switzerland (the land of milk, cheese, fondue, and chocolate) is Rivella, a popular carbonated Swiss beverage made from milk plasma or "milchserum," in German. Rivella allegedly rivals Coca-Cola in terms of popularity in Switzerland.

Although I am not entirely clear what "milchserum" is, Rivella allegedly contains all of the nutrients and minerals as milk, but does not contain any proteins or lipids. To me, Rivella tastes like two parts Red Bull with one part diluted apple juice. If you have ever tried Calpico (a yogurt-based drink found in Asian supermarkets and unfortunately titled "Calpis" in Asian countries), I would say that Rivella has got the tarty yogurt essence of Calpico too. Rivella has an interesting, biting flavor with a strong aftertaste, but definitely quenches your thirst as you are hiking through the bustling river-lined streets in a large Swiss city or the trails cutting across rocky Alps. If you are ever traveling in Switzerland, drop by a local market and pick up some Rivella to try.  It is the real Swiss deal. Rivella makes me want to go blow an Alpine horn in the mountains and yell "Ri-vella" (instead of "Ri-cola")!

. . . I know, that was a horrendous joke.  Okay, back to the honeymoon.  More posts soon!

15 comments:

  1. LOL! Riii-vella.... Apple Red Bull Yogurty....sounds interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. wow!! i just found your blog (lots of research since starting my own blog, and now ...im obsessed!) but yours makes me go all gooie!! i love it, my nxt holiday will have to be to the states, a place i have never really been all that fussed about (im from melbourne australia.) i think theres definently more them meets the eye (and greoge bush) about u americans... and i want MORE!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, what a looong honeymoon! Lucky you! Can't wait to hear more about what the Swiss eat!

    ReplyDelete
  4. umm interesting stuff there.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello you - glad to hear that you are having fun. According to their website "Milchserum" is exactly what you describe. It is the transparent rest after extracting out the fats and protein, leaving all the nutritious goodness left.

    http://www.rivella.ch/index/ernaehrung/rivella/geheimnis/milchserum.htm

    The layman's term is "Molke"
    http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molke
    According to the article it is used in many things including cosmetics. Interestingly enough, in the 19th century it was discovered and promoted as the elixir of life.

    Ok i will let you get back to your honeymoon.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I had a great time Kirk K, Chef Ben, and TTMC! I can't wait to share!

    Thanks for your sweet words Becky-Lee and Bog LaGatta!

    And wow, that is amazing information about milchserum RLO, thank you so much for your valuable addition. I love those links!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's made with lactoserum (Liquid residue from milk after the removal of cheese curds in the manufacture of cheese.).

    I hope you enjoy your trip and have lots of fun visiting my country!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  8. If milchserum is milk plasma, milk plasma is what's commonly referred to in these parts as whey.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_plasma

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you for helping to clarify my confusion Rosa's Yummy Ums and Mary. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am glad you enjoyed Switzerland ... my home country. Your postings were a trip down memory lane.
    I currently live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
    As I am also very passionate about food, I decided to start a "Swiss shop" so all the culinary delights of Switzerland can be spread around the country/continent.

    Claudia

    P.S. you can get Rivella in the US from www.theswissbakery.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks so much for the link Claudia! Your country is beautiful, and I still have so much more to post about it!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow.. nice item. Although it's a new item for me even it's a very good item for me. I love it. Let me try soon.Thanks for this your recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rivella!!! What a blast from the past. I remember buying Rivella as a teenager in Shepparton, Victoria in the early 70's. I preferred it to other soft drinks at the time.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love, love, love Rivella! I even tried contacting them to get some over here in Fl but no avail :(

    ReplyDelete
  15. Rivella Red tastes exactly like the Smarties candy that come in those little cellophane rolls. OK, it might be a little bit tarter than smarties, but not much.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! I read and enjoy every comment, and will try to reply if time permits. If you have a blog, please leave a link. I love to discover new and delicious sites!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...