The 9th – 11th August celebrates the Swiss Food Festival in Zermatt.  We have 248 Gault Millaud points in Zermatt – a larger concentration than anywhere else.  The festival starts on Friday with a kitchen party in Le Petit Cervin and the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof and ends with a sunrise breakfast on the Matterhorn Express.  During the festival, the streets are lined with booths and mini chalets, offering the best food Switzerland has to offer.  Local produce, special breeds, artisanal products and typical liqueurs and wine are available to taste in the idyllic cobbled streets of Zermatt.  Don’t miss the chocolate stands and our favourite Johanisberg local white wine.

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Once again Zermatt gets ready for a week of music 9th -13th April.  As well as Bryan Ferry, Umberto Tozzi, Morcheeba with Skye, Skunk Anansie, Mando Diao, Die Fantastischen Vier to name but a few performing on the purpose built central stage, Zermatt’s bars, clubs and restaurants open their doors and windows to some excellent live music.  Drop into the Snowboat to drink fabulous cocktails and listen to ‘Doc Fingers’.  Ski to Sunegga and dine on the terrace as the sun goes down to watch Marianne Faithful.  Of course Marco will be performing at Grampi’s as ever.

In the past we’ve had such rock and roll Gods as Billy Idol, Lionel Richie, Supertramp, Amy Macdonald, Lauryn Hill, the awesome soul voice of Seal, Chris de Burgh, David Gray, OneRepublic and many others.  This year’s line up is just as great.

And tickets for the after parties in Zermatt’s chicest of nightclubs, the Vernissage, are like gold dust.

All our chalets are already full next week, but there will always be next year.  Who knows who is on the programme, but one thing is for certain: the snow will be here, the skiing will be epic and the days longer and brighter.

The warm weather is (nearly) here, Spring is in the air, and the fast approaching end of season atmosphere sparkles with excitement.

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1. For the ice cream warm the rum and pour over the raisins. Leave for 2 hours. Bring the cream and milk to the boil. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks and sugar till pale.
2. Pour the cream mix over the eggs whisking. Return to the pan then cook on a low heat stirring constantly till the mix coats the back of the spoon. strain through a sieve and chill.
3. Churn in an ice cream machine. When almost churned add the soaked raisins & rum then transfer to the freezer.
4. For the orange peel score the orange skin in quarters, then peel. Cover with water, bring to the boil then plunge into cold water. Repeat twice more. Place all the ingredients into a pan with the orange peel and bring to the boil. Turn heat down and cook very gently for 3 hours. Leave to cool overnight in the liquid.
5. For the pastry sift the flour and sugar then rub the butter in until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the eggs then gently form into a ball. Cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 170°c. Roll out to 2mm thick then line a 25cm loose bottomed tart tin. Don’t trim the excess the pastry. Place in fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.
7. Line with greaseproof paper and baking beans. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the greaseproof paper then bake for a further 10 minutes till golden. Brush with an egg yolk ad return to the oven for 1 minute.
8. Preheat the oven to 100°c. For the custard filling bring the cream to the boil. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks and sugar just to combine then pour over the cream whisking. Pass.
9. Pour into the tart case and grate the nutmeg over liberally. Bake for 1 hour till the custard has a slight wobble. Leave to cool to room temperature.
10. When ready to serve portion the tart and serve with a scoop of ice cream, orange peel and a grating of nutmeg.

Before joining Elysian Collection, Dan was Junior Sous Chef under Kenny Atkinson at The Orangery, Rockliffe Hall (5 Star Hotel, 3 AA Rosettes).  Dan has also previously worked for Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley (2 Michelin Stars, 5 AA Rosettes), Kenny Atkinson at Northcote (1 Michelin Star, 4 AA Rosettes), The White Room Restaurant, Seaham Hall (1 Michelin Star, 3 AA Rosettes)

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 In the early seventies on the slopes at the winter Olympics, the young athlete Willy Bogner showed that speed does not exclude elegance with his original and fashionable ski clothing.  His marriage to Brazilian born Sonia brought an additional feel for style to the Bogner brand.  After 8 decades, Bogner is one of the leading cutting edge ski wear labels.  The new shop in Zermatt extends across four floors and 200 square metres.  As well as the iconic jackets and imaginative ski pants, the whole range of quirky accessories and shoes for men and women is available from this family run business.

Bogner is in good company.  Last year saw the opening of Jetset and Moncler.  On its own, in a round free standing building right next to the Mont Cervin Palace in the heart of Zermatt, Jetset’s futuristic, stellar designs tempt shoppers from the street into the sparkling, jazzy shop.  Fur, bling and elegant tailoring make Jetset a fine choice for skiwear…..and Moncler on the Bahnhoffstrasse, next to Montblanc never fails to delight with funky ultramodern window displays.  Last month we had stainless steel sledges to show off the high heeled fur boots, tweed trousers and gaiters.  Today, female skiers on a lunar landscape sport fur trimmed white jackets and enormous downhill bob sleigh helmets.

 These are just three of the exciting range of luxury shops available for Elysian Collection’s guests in Zermatt this snowy winter 2012-13.  To ski or not to ski…shopping is the question.

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Everything is different.  The mild autumnal days with the startling firey colours that had given way to the heavy grey ski-ed gloomy Zermatt of yesterday evening has woken up to what it is all about.  The first snow is here, bring on the winter!

Snow piles up in the cobbled streets that the Gemeinde, unprepared so early, try to sweep away. People clad in shorts and snowboots, bearing umbrellas and sunglasses can’t help but smile in anticipation of the Zermatt ski season 2012-13.  Though Zermatt is uncharacteristically quiet, as many people as possible having fled for a last minute holiday before the start of season rush, the first words on everyone’s lips were ‘it’s snowing’.  Before my first cup of tea I’d had text messages talking about building snowmen and office snow ball fights.  The social media airways were zinging as soon as the computer was switched on.  Snow makes people smile, feel silly, it lifts the spirit.

So get your skis waxed and get prepared.  It is not unusual to have snow in October (we even had some on September 1st), but this morning we awoke to 20cm of the stuff.  A further 10cm fell throughout the day and it is still coming down, and it is staying.  Outside we have temperatures low enough to promise icy streets and snowy footprints for a while yet.  Of course it will melt at some point in the town, but the ski pistes are higher up.  For two weeks now the piste tending teams have been ready for just this moment.  Snow making machines are in place ready for the low temperatures.  Piste bashers are serviced and ready to groom the first snowfall to secure the first snow layer on the pistes.  So a promising start, and a pleasant slap in the face for all those skeptics that said we couldn’t possibly have another snow season to equal last year’s incredible amount.  I say this year is going to be better than ever!

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The weather is beautiful. Blue sky sunny days, wispy cotton wool clouds, a low yellow sun, but there is definitely a chill in the air. Whilst in the town itself we have had our fair share of rain, higher up, the low temperatures mean snow, promising an early start to the 2012-13 winter season and an early end to the Matterhorn climbing season.

The light is completely different, the air is still…I think nature is waiting for the ski season to begin!

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Elysian Collection have once again combined the most luxurious of Alpine accommodations, healthy gourmet cuisine and private personalised service with distinguished special interests and hobbies in their Yoga and Golf retreats this summer.

The freshness of Switzerland’s peaks, valleys, air and water each summer is truly hard to beat when it comes to retreats. By carefully blending an inspiring schedule of either open-air Yoga or a relaxing round of Golf with nutritious gastronomic delights and a reviving injection of other Alpine activities Elysian Collection offer a truly unique and rejuvenating experience.

This year each retreat is to take place in Zermatt from the 9^th to the 16^th September.

The Yoga Retreat

Each morning there will be a focussed Yoga session where students can develop at their own pace with plenty of individual attention, making it suitable for all levels. During the day there will be opportunities to take part in a range of exhilarating activities, or simply relax in the exquisite surroundings of the Elysian Collection chalet. A second more gentle session will be held in the late afternoons.

An impressive and specially designed health menu will be prepared by your Michelin star trained chef and taken in your chalet.

The Golf Retreat

After a leisurely breakfast your transport will await to take you to Golf Club Matterhorn where your Golf Pro will take you through the full 9 holes. You may either take the rest of the day at your leisure at Golf Club Matterhorn or return to your chalet to prepare for a range of other activities or simply take advantage of chalets sumptuous facilities.

A spectacular dinner will be prepared by your Michelin Star trained Chef and taken in your chalet.

Bespoke Alpine Retreats and Experiences

For those who are inspired by the Alpine retreat but the current dates do not suit, it is worth knowing that the Elysian Team welcome enquiries for bespoke group retreats at any time of year.  Perhaps you and your colleagues may wish to try Summer Skiing and gourmet BBQ’s by a lake? Or maybe your family and friends simply wish to take a short Spa break to celebrate a birthday, or a marriage? Elysian Collection are well practiced and highly proficient in creating bespoke activity and wellness schedules and are true experts in personalising luxury.  They are, after all, truly blessed to have all that the Alpine mountains have to offer at their fingertips… and actively encourage their guests to experience it… at their leisure…

For further information on Elysian Collection Retreats please contact us

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Now that the snow has all but disappeared in Zermatt village, the hills are green and carpeted with flowers, threaded through with bursting waterfalls, and the sun and blue sky are a permanent fixture, the marmots have woken up and are out to play.

The end of the season is always charming, as you lather your face in factor 50, put on your widest skis, not for powder, but for end-of-day slush, and get up early to get first lifts to the highest point (3883m) of the resort. Under those lifts around the middle of April, dirty holes begin to appear in the melting snow, and if you are lucky, you see sleepy, confused, cuddly-looking animals emerge, blinking into the sunlight.

Marmots are strange creatures – part raccoon, part weasel and part bean bag. And they have a loud, high-pitched whistle to warn each other of predators. One long whistle for flying predators, and two short bursts for the four-legged, grounded variety. Silly really, since these creatures are the same colour as the stones they bask on, and very hard to spot unless they are moving. Their whistle does more to attract the attention of your otherwise blissfully unaware dog, who then thinks he is being called to play ‘chase’!

Zermatt must be one of the best places in the Alps to ‘Marmot spot’. The clean air, absence of petrol powered machines and rugged countryside create an ideal habitat. In summer the hillsides are simply alive with them: sunbathing on the rocks, or gamboling with their young. There is even an organized Marmot trail coming down from Blauherd to Findeln, with information points along the way, telling us about habitat, breeding, how they live and hibernation. If you don’t spot a Marmot here you simply are not trying. And the added luxury is that the path goes past our favourite restaurant, Chez Vrony….time for a little glass of wine, local fresh cheese ravioli and to soak up the sun on the terrace. Aaaaaah!

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Fan-favorite Ben, the down-to-earth and deeply romantic guy whose heartfelt proposal was rejected by Ashley Hebert on The Bachelorette, gets another chance at true love. Skeptical at first, Ben, A 29-year-old successful winemaker from Sonoma, California, now knows firsthand that love can happen – and he’s hoping to find it as the Bachelor.

Watch Ben decide on his future bride-to-be on MONDAY, MARCH 12TH (8:00–10:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network ~ Romance in a Magnificent Mountain World….

Peace, privacy, space and discretion are four essential elements needed when making the biggest decision of your life. Beautiful, serene and tranquil surroundings help in settling and focusing the mind… so where better than with Elysian Collection in one of their world class luxurious alpine chalets, Chalet Les Anges.

Elysian Collection, Founded in 2009, is a partnership between luxury property owners and a highly experienced and dedicated operations team, providing exclusive private holidays in the most outstanding settings. Ben, his family, and his Bachelorettes benefitted from the exquisite dishes created by the chalets dedicated Michelin Star trained chef and were tended to with fine detail and skill by a staff trained by Jane Urquhart of The London Academy at Elysian Collections’ own finishing school in Zermatt.

With the assurance of all the fundamental requirements needed to completely relax and unwind, alongside a stay in one of the finest and most luxuriously furnished properties in Switzerland, Elysian Collection brings unsurpassed levels of private service and gourmet cuisine to create the ultimate vacation. Nothing is too much trouble ~ every wish discreetly attended to. The Bachelor fans may experience a stay in an Elysian Collection property at an exclusive discount ~ simply contact Elysian Collection direct!

The new season of The Bachelor, from Warner Horizon Television, airs Monday 8/7 Central on ABC. For more information on The Bachelor please visit the ABC website.

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This winter has seen an incredible amount of snow fall in the Alps, and it still hasn’t stopped.  It means this skiing season is the best in many years.  In Zermatt there is 170cm of snow at Schwarzee at 2900m with an average of 15cm falling per 24 hours.  In Klosters there is a massive amount of snow, growing daily.

This abundance of snow promises great skiing at Easter and still at the end of the season, and in Zermatt, the summer skiing on the glacier is looking great.

Spring skiing and heli-skiing will be awesome this year.  That’s why we love living and working in Switzerland.

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