Zuger Kirschtorte: how to protect traditional foods
Zuger Kirschtorte, a popular Swiss cake, is a kind of national monument and is protected as such. For some years now, the name of this speciality has been a protected geographical indication (PGI), as have the names of some other Swiss products. This means that only manufacturers that produce the cake in the canton of Zug and in line with certain criteria can call their cake ‘Zuger Kirschtorte’.
The Zuger Kirschtorte was invented in 1915. It’s been a protected geographical indication (PGI) since 2015. Copyright: IGE
This liqueur-filled treat was first conjured up over a 100 years ago. Heiri Höhn invented the Kirschtorte in 1915 in his confectionery at Alpenstrasse 7, Zug. He was inspired by the local kirsch liqueurs and distilleries. The cake is characterised not just by its sweetness but also by its alcohol content. Over the decades, the speciality’s popularity has spread beyond the city of Zug to the rest of Switzerland and to other countries too. To maintain and protect this culinary heritage, the Zuger Kirschtorten Gesellschaft (ZKTG) association was founded in 2010.
In the best of company with the St. Galler Kalbsbratwurt (veal sausage)
The association requested the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) to register the Zuger Kirschtorte as a protected geographical indication (PGI). On 6 March 2015, the FOAG entered the designation in the relevant register. If you take a look in the register, you’ll find the designations of other Swiss products, such as the St. Galler Kalbsbratwurst and Appenzeller Mostbröckli (cured meat from Appenzell). You’ll also see Zuger Kirsch and Rigi Kirsch in the register, but as protected appellations of origin (PAOs). The requirements are even stricter for PAOs than for PGIs.
The product specification states that the cake must be made in the canton of Zug. Copyright: BLW
Clear rules of play
What does the protection mean? A protected geographical indication designates a product that has a particular geographical origin. “The designation ‘Zuger Kirschtorte’ may only be used by manufacturers that meet the conditions set out in the product specification,” explains Oliver Isler from the FOAG (Quality and Sales Promotion). The public-law protection does not just cover the designation. “It applies both in Switzerland and in countries where protection for the geographical designation is recognised, for example as a result of bilateral agreements,” continues Isler.
The four-page product specification describes the ingredients to be used, the appearance and the manufacturing process, among other things. Alcohol must account for at least 4% of the product’s weight. Only Zuger Kirsch or Rigi Kirsch may be used. Roasted almond flakes are mentioned as decoration for the side of the cake. Additionally, the cake must be produced by hand, exclusively in the canton of Zug.
‘AOP’ and ‘IGP’ are the French terms for PAO and PGI. They are more common historically. The first registrations were in French-speaking Switzerland. Copyright: Schweizerische Vereinigung der AOP-IGP
The historical background matters
The history of the product must be included in all applications for protection. So Bruno Heini, the owner of the confectionery ‘Treichler, Erfinderhaus der Zuger Kirschtorte’, took care of this requirement for the Zuger Kirschtorte. He found historical proof in the form of advertising texts that 1915 was the year in which it was invented. “In spring 1915, the confectioner Heiri Höhn advertised the product for the first time. In autumn of that year, he used the text ‘Zuger Kirschtorte mit Zuger Kirsch’ (kirsch cake from Zug with kirsch from Zug),” says Heini. In his research, he was able to interview Heiri Höhn’s niece. She also considered 1915 to be plausible for the year the cake was invented. The FOAG recognised the history of the Zuger Kirschtorte and concluded that the cake was distinctive, thanks to its diamond pattern and layer of icing sugar.
More alcohol than in the past
The PGI product specification is based on the original recipe from 1915. “The cake was not as tall then as it is today, due to the shortage of goods in World War I. Everything was in short supply, so they saved on everything, even the size of the cake,” says Heini. What’s more, vanilla powder was used in the oldest recipes, but that’s not allowed for the PGI. The cake also contained considerably less kirsch when it was first invented. Today’s recipe is much more generous.
Two tricky moments during production
The experienced confectioner explains that the production process is not ‘a piece of cake’, in spite of the product specification. For example, the biscuit base shouldn’t be too porous or the kirsch will run off. Instead, it should have air pockets that retain the liqueur. The second challenge is the cream. The temperature must be just right, so that the cream is smooth and binds well with the edge of the cake. If the cream is too cold, it won’t bind. As a result, the edge will fall off when the cake’s cut or, at the latest, when it’s eaten. “Good confectioners know this. But you still see this mistake a lot,” says Heini.
Registrations and product specifications can be consulted by the public at www.blw.admin.ch (in German, French and Italian). Copyright: BLW
Persons wishing to register a PGI must meet the following conditions, which are checked by the FOAG.
The designation to be protected must apply to one single product.
It must refer to a product with a specific geographical origin (e.g. Zuger Kirschtorte).
The designation must be used by a producer and/or group of manufacturers.
It must refer to a product that is clearly distinguishable from others in the same group.
It must be well known or designate a product that has a historical and/or traditional character.
The IPI, other federal offices and the respective cantonal authorities liaise with the FOAG regarding applications. One reason for this is that Swissness criteria also apply to PGIs. For example, 80% of the available raw materials must come from Switzerland. The PGI criteria are checked at least once a year by a certification body.
