The Mountain Guide Bread – a slice of Zermatt steeped in history

A bread that brings together tradition, craftsmanship and the mountains

For many years, the Mountain Guide Bread has been one of the best-known specialities at Fuchs Bakery. It is far more than just an ordinary fruit loaf. With its own unique recipe, carefully selected ingredients and labour-intensive production process, it embodies the values that also characterise mountaineering: time, care and reliability.

To tie in with the latest issue of our ‘Brotzeitung’, we’re taking a look behind the scenes to show what makes the mountain guide bread so special.

The Mountain Guide Bread

The Zermatt Mountain Guide Bread is unique and has been a hallmark of the Fuchs bakery for many years. It is made according to the bakery’s own traditional recipe and is consistently produced by hand. The focus is on carefully selected ingredients and meticulous preparation.

A distinctive feature is the 33 per cent fresh apples from the Valais. These are combined with figs, nuts, sultanas, cinnamon and cocoa, as well as a top-secret flour blend. No additional water is added. The fruit gives the bread its natural moistness and, together with the nuts and spices, ensures a robust, well-balanced texture.

The production process, which takes over 24 hours, requires a great deal of experience. This ensures that the flavours can develop fully and that the bread remains easy to digest. The combination of fruit, nuts and spices gives it its distinctive flavour, which is appreciated far beyond Zermatt.

Mountain guide bread is nutritious and ideal for long days in the mountains. Many people value it as a reliable source of energy, much like a natural energy bar. It is also suitable for vegans and has a very long shelf life.

As a Silver Partner of the Young Mountain Guides Foundation Zermatt, Fuchs Bakery supports the next generation of alpine guides. Every year, CHF 1,000 is donated from the proceeds of the ‘Mountain Guide Bread’.

More stories about mountaineering

This article is part of Brotzeitung No. 29, which focuses on ‘Zermatt and mountaineering’. In it, you’ll find out more about the Young Mountain Guides Foundation Zermatt, Sandra and Philipp Fuchs’ personal connection to the mountains, and some fascinating facts about mountaineering in Zermatt, amongst other things.

The latest issue of Brotzeitung is available free of charge in all Fuchs Bakery branches or can be read online.