Culture and History, Society
and Science, Nature and Enjoyment
Portfolio
Culture and History, Society
and Science, Nature and Enjoyment
Portfolio
Culture and History, Society
and Science, Nature and Enjoyment
Portfolio
Culture and History, Society
and Science, Nature and Enjoyment
Portfolio
Culture and History, Society
and Science, Nature and Enjoyment
Portfolio
Our films deal with topics from culture and history, society and science, nature and enjoyment. We show a topic with all its facets and the historical and cultural backgrounds and illuminate it from different angles. We do not simply string facts together, but weave the stories together and create suspense with a dramaturgy familiar from feature films.
- All Over the World
- English Films
- Culinary Delicacies
- Society
- Culture & History
- Nature
- Swissness
- Animals
- Wine & Co
- Science
Fritz Hug ? Das Tier wie ich es sehe
Fru?her kannte jedes Kind die Tierbilder des Schweizer Ku?nstlers Fritz Hug (1921-1989). 30 Jahre nach seinem Tod ist es still geworden um ihn. Der Film erzählt die Geschichte eines hochbegabten, engagierten, populären und auch kommerziell erfolgreichen Ku?nstlers, der das Tier zu seinem Lebensthema machte.Mit einem innovativen eigenen Ansatz stellte er Tiere dar als Vertreter ihrer […]
Leonardo da Vinci and the Portrait of Isabella d'Este
For 500 years it was not known whether Leonardo completed the portrait of Isabella d'Este, whose sketch is hanging in the Louvre. Expert appraisals of the painting in Lugano show similarities with Leonardo da Vinci's working method and place the age at the time of the Renaissance. For the first time, the pictures of the expertise are published in this film. The Italian Emidia [...]
Wild Orchids in Switzerland
Vor hundert Jahren gab es noch tausende von wilden Frauenschuh-Orchideen in der Schweiz. Durch die Zerstörung des Lebensraums und durch Wilderei ist er inzwischen fast ausgestorben. Passionierte Experten aus der Schweiz, England und Holland beschlossen, der Natur nicht einfach ihren Lauf zu lassen, sondern die Pflanzen im Gewächshaus zu kultivieren und in die Wildnis zurückzubringen. […]
Georgia – Myths and Modernity
Georgia, the country in the Caucasus, has its own language and writing and is known as the cradle of wine. The traditional choirs and folk dances are important for its identity. Georgia is one of the oldest Christian countries and also the most modern in the region. After a successful fight against corruption, everyday life and bureaucracy are fully digitalised. The [...]
Greek Heroes
Paminos turned down a career as a management consultant and founded an online company that has already created more than a hundred jobs. Maria lost her job, became self-employed and is now a successful PR woman. Panos, a chemist, and his brother Thanos, an economist, never thought they would produce an olive oil of the highest quality. Not a few of the good [...]
The Secret of Italian Cuisine
A risotto with sea urchins in the Gulf of Naples, light sea cuisine in Liguria, braised rabbit in Piedmont and fresh pasta in Emilia-Romagna. The great thing about Italian cuisine is the regional diversity, the rich culinary heritage and the passionate chefs who are always refreshing the traditional recipes with new ideas. In Italy, you can enjoy [...]
Antique Handycraft
Is it nostalgia or a return to quality? The traditional craft seemed to be dying out. Now young people have rediscovered it, and experienced craftsmen are still happy to pass on their know-how. This preserves a piece of culture and history that would otherwise be irretrievably lost. Is it still possible today - or again - to live from craftsmanship? […]
Wein ? die Zukunft heisst Bio
Nettle and rock crystal for healthy vines: At the Austrian Nikolaihof Winery, wine has been produced biodynamically for 40 years. The success proves the winegrowing family right: Weinpapst Parker gave their Riesling a sensational 100 points. The Fattoria Lavacchio in Tuscany has also been working organically since the seventies and this is something that American wine lovers in particular appreciate. The Campogrande wine from [...]
Heilende Pflanzen ? Phytotherapie
Es gibt ein Kraut gegen alles. Weißdorn bei Herzproblemen, Johanniskraut bei Depressionen, schwarze Kohosh für die Wechseljahre – die Heilung mit Pflanzen ist für viele Menschen eine Alternative. Allergiker profitieren von sanften Kräutermedikamenten, und die Phytotherapie ist auch eine gute Ergänzung zu Antidepressiva bei Burnouts. Frauen haben schon immer Kräuter verwendet.
Innovation ? die Schweiz an der Spitze
Switzerland has the most patents per capita, spends more on research and development than other countries and is attractive to the most capable minds from around the world. It is a global and European leader in terms of innovation, thus securing the basis for its prosperity. How did this small country manage to [...]
Gartenträume
A piece of nature, with flowers, your own vegetables and a cozy place to relax is a dream of many. We visit stately villa gardens by the lake, family gardens, roof terraces in the old town, natural and medicinal herb gardens. All of them reflect the character of the owners, who tell of their passion for gardens: the political journalist in his elegant city garden, the author in her biotope full of [...]
Vom Alphorn zur Viehschau ? Schweizer Volksbräuche
The historical militias in the Blenio Valley recall the Battle of Beresina, where Ticino soldiers fought for their lives in Napoelon's army. Horse races are held at the Marché Concours in Saignelégier in the Jura and the best Franches-Montagnes horses are awarded prizes. Flag waving and alphorn sounds are two traditions that are now being cultivated again. The musician and alphorn maker Tobias [...]
Zitronen ? Kultur und Küche
Lemon harvest like a hundred years ago on the Amalfi Coast in the Gulf of Salerno / Ernesto Iaccarino from the Restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 in Sant'Agata cooks with fruit from his own garden / Filigree creations of citrus fruits in the Restaurant Steirereck in Vienna / Rare varieties in the imperial citrus collection in Schönbrunn Palace / Lamb, fish and Moroccan chicken: […]
Engelskinder ? Sterben am Lebensanfang
The death of a child before or immediately after birth is a shock for the parents, which they find difficult to cope with. In the past, children were removed as quickly as possible without their parents seeing them, and the youngest children often ended up in hospital waste. Many parents still suffer from this trauma years after the death of [...]
Swiss Castles
Tarasp Castle in the Lower Engadine, Spiez Castle on Lake Thun, Chillon Castle on Lake Geneva and the castles of Bellinzona: the four castles from all the language regions of Switzerland stand for the great wealth of architectural monuments from the time of knights and nobles. Each castle has its own special appeal. The castles of Bellinzona were a defiant bulwark against [...]
Aussichten ? die schönsten Panoramen
Sunrise on the Rigi: an unforgettable experience that already fascinated Goethe. The Harder Kulm near Interlaken is a box seat for the view of the triumvirate of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. On Monte San Salvatore, where monks once accompanied those condemned to death to the scaffold, you have a 360-degree panoramic view over Lake Lugano. In less than [...]
La Sardegna ? Isola dei centenari
In Sardegna ci sono più persone che altrove che vivono per avere più di cento anni e rimanere in salute. Qual è il segreto di questa lunga vita? Giovanni Vacca ha da poco compiuto cento anni e sta ancora scherzando. Mariantonia Loddo, 103 anni, è orgogliosa delle sue belle mani e canta della gioventù che […]
Auf der Suche nach der verlorenen Küche
In keinem lateinamerikanischen Land sind die Indios und ihre Kultur so gründlich ausgerottet worden wie in Mexiko. Giorgio und Alicia de Angeli sammeln Rezepte der prähispanischen Küche. In Lappland schreibt Laila Spik ein Buch über altes, nur mündlich vorhandenes Wissen über die traditionelle Esskultur. Am Fuss des Monte Rosa im Piemont bäckt Eugenio Pol ein […]
Our Beloved Cats
The research of Dennis C. Turner on the interaction between cats and humans shows that cats can lighten depressive moods. In Rome, women care for neglected cats and make propaganda for the sterilisation of domestic cats. The blind Roman cats Balbina and Watson have found a new home in Switzerland. Cats are complicated patients,
Olivenöl ? das Geschäft mit dem grünen Gold
Good olive oil has its price. Beware of cheap oils from the supermarket, not everything is extra virgin that is labelled so. Label fraud is not an isolated case. How do you get a good olive oil? Escape to the front: Oliveti d'Italia oil can be traced from the bottle to the olive grower on the internet. Italian olive oil is considered the best. […]
Pizza – The Most Successful Fast Food
Naples is the home of the real pizza. Every year at the pizza festival the best pizzerias are awarded. To the great surprise of the Neapolitans, a pizzeria from Japan is among them. Red tomatoes, white mozzarella and green basil: the national colours on the pizza for Queen Margherita gave the most famous pizza its […]
How to Understand Horses
In order to understand horses, one must know their natural behaviour. The wild horses of Dülmen have been observed for many years and this has revolutionized horse keeping. Sex and love in horses. Research of the Swiss National Stud in Avenches shows that horses choose the genetically suitable one when they have a free choice […]
Sardinia – Island of Centenarians
In Sardinia there are more people than elsewhere who live to be over a hundred years old and stay healthy. What is the secret of this long life? Giovanni Vacca recently turned one hundred years old and he is still joking. Mariantonia Loddo, 103 years old, is proud of her beautiful hands and sings about […]
Italian Pasta
Tortellini, tagliatelle and ravioli: Bologna and Emilia-Romagna are the strongholds of fresh pasta. Aromatic herbs play an important role in Ligurian cuisine. For the Trofie al Pesto, the basil is cut by hand. Pasta production in Gragnano near Naples has a long tradition. Thomas Verdillo of Tommaso’s Restaurant in Brooklyn, grandson of emigrants from Naples, […]
Smart Donkeys
Five thousand years ago the donkey was domesticated. The last wild specimens are very rare and extremely endangered. The Basel Zoo coordinates the European breeding programme for Somali wild donkeys. Especially around the Mediterranean, the donkey was indispensable as a workhorse, but now it has had its day. In Cyprus there are hundreds of old […]
A Culinary Journey Through Sicily
Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, Spaniards and French have conquered and ruled Sicily over the centuries and left traces of their culture, also in the cuisine. Streetfood in Palermo: In the markets you can eat fried rice balls, raw sea urchins and tripe. Spanish influenced are the Empanadas, the stuffed dumplings. The sweet and sour caponata […]
Sex work – Criminalise or Legalise
«We don’t want your help,» says the sex worker Undine from Hamburg, «because we do our work voluntarily.» Together with colleagues, she has founded a professional association that works for the recognition of sex work as a profession. The prostitutes defend themselves against feminists and politicians who demand a ban on sex buying like in […]
Stories from Ticino
The chestnut is something like the "national fruit" of the Ticinese. The preservation of the centuries-old trees is a science in itself. But even apart from the chestnut and its many ways of preparation, Ticino cuisine is rich in surprises. Chocolate mousse prepared with olive oil, the goat sausage Cicitt or sweet wine combined with folk art are native to Ticino.
Stories from Valais
The Valais is famous for its Valais rye bread and its marble from the Binn Valley. For over 200 years, it has been extracted exclusively for research purposes: the Lengach marble contains many rare minerals, some of which were only discovered here. But the Rhone Valley has much more to offer: for example, a sherry, the so-called glacier wine. Or [...]
Sweets from Switzerland
Engadin nut cake and Toblerone are famous all over the world. Swiss confectioneries are also very popular in Sicily. And chefs and artists in this country are always looking for new creations: Mousse au chocolat with olive oil is an example of the combination of pleasure and health, while chocolate art makes collectors' hearts beat faster.
Christmas Tales
Weihnachtsstimmung für Zürcher Kinder. Das Märlitram mit Samichlaus und Engeln dreht seit mehr als fünfzig Jahren seine Runden durch die beleuchtete Innenstadt. Bei Johann Wanner in der Altstadt von Basel findet man alles für den Weihnachtsbaum, vor allem den traditionellen von Hand hergestellten Baumschmuck aus Glas. Das Krippenspiel «Zäller Wienacht» ist ein Klassiker. Szenen der […]
Stories from Jura
Vacherin Mont-d'Or from the Vaud Jura is a cheese of the finest quality. Together with Rösti, it is a dish that unites the French and German-speaking Swiss. In the Vallée de Joux, a guitar maker has made a simple but ingenious invention. Thanks to the soundboard, a loudspeaker made of local sound wood, you can listen to music as if you were in a concert hall. Ferdinand Berthoud [...]
Kirsch, Rivella and Ricola
The high-trunk cherry trees in the canton of Zug are endangered. An association is fighting for the "Zuger Chriesi". The fine aroma of cherry pie is just as popular with the Pope and the English royal family as it is with the people of Zug. It doesn't always have to be whisky. Even the Scots are enthusiastic about Zug Kirsch. Social day at Rivella. The staff of the beverage factory collect [...]
Living Tradition - Swiss Folk Customs
Wild guys with wooden masks, the Tschäggättä, are up to mischief at Fasnacht in the Lötschental. Huge fire carts drive through the old town of Liestal in the Chienbäse procession. On 1 March, the children of Guarda ring out the winter with cowbells. The Chalanda Marz in the Engadine became famous through the story of the Schellenursli. The Good Friday procession in Mendrisio bears witness [...]
The Artificial Ear and Other Things to Hear
Bill Clinton broke a taboo by confessing to hearing difficulties. Hearing loss is widespread and will increase, and not only among older people. Discos, rock concerts, Walkmans and loud cars can also trigger early hearing loss in young people. Hearing loss is seen as a stigma, the hearing aid as unaesthetic. On average, hearing impaired people wait thirteen years too long [...].
Twins
A freak of nature, a curiosity, an object of research: twins have always fascinated us with their amazing similarity and their mysterious symbiosis. From "doppelte Lottchen" to "AnnaannA", twin stories are very popular. Twin research is looking for answers to the question of whether environment or hereditary factors shape people more. For example, it was found that arthrosis and [...]
Patents for Women: Female Inventors
Inventions by women are more common than one might think. All too often, however, women inventors were forgotten and their creations were attributed to a man or even stolen. Today, there is a growing awareness that humanity cannot afford to let half of its talents lie idle. Women inventors tell of the pleasure and frustration of their work.
Healing with Hypnosis
More and more doctors, psychotherapists and dentists are working with hypnosis. The ancient healing method is now a recognised therapy and sometimes the last chance to discover unconscious causes of illness. Hypnosis can relieve pain. Hypnosis also helps in severe cases of fear of the dentist. Hypnosis as therapy has nothing to do with show hypnosis. This fascinates [...]
Health from Nature
Longer beautiful, young and healthy through vitamins, minerals and bioactive substances. Everyone knows it, but people don't stick to it enough: you should eat more vegetables and fruit to reduce the risk of illness. But even five portions a day are often not enough. Do top athletes live unhealthily? During peak performance, they are exposed to a particularly large number of harmful "free radicals". […]
Dracula is Alive!
Dracula, the vampire from Transylvania, has fascinated people since Bram Stoker's 1897 novella. What is true about the story? On the trail of Draculea Vlad Tepes, the model for the bloodsucking vampire, we met Tibor Kalnoky, a real count of old blood, in Transylvania. His family has returned to Romania after 50 years of exile. The area [...]
Everything Made of Paper: Art and Preciousness
Paper is philosophy: in Japan, paper has ritual significance. The handmade fan became a symbol of the highest perfection of paper art. The computer programme of a US physicist for the folding art of origami is also Japanese-inspired. Paper is dummy: In the 19th century, luxury paper flourished. We dive into the glittering world of congratulation cards, stand-up picture books and poetry albums. Paper is ephemeral: Thousands [...]
Everything Made of Paper: From Papyrus to Banknotes
Wafer-thin toilet paper or sheets for the laser printer: it is impossible to imagine everyday life without paper. Sophisticated new types can look like plastic, are waterproof and have scent barriers. Watermarks are particularly secure on banknote paper. Traditional paper comes from Japan or Nepal: Asia is the cradle of paper. Handmade sheets are also experiencing a renaissance in this country. In the 500-year [...]
The New Lust for the Middle Ages
Is the longing for an ideal world behind the medieval boom? Medieval markets and jousting tournaments are springing up like mushrooms. The largest tournament at Kaltenberg Castle attracts tens of thousands of spectators with medieval romance and breathtaking feats on horseback. A new attraction can be found at Runneburg Castle in Thuringia. A huge catapult hurls forty-kilogram chunks of stone through [...]
Foam and Fragrance - Soap
Soap is experiencing a renaissance. After liquid soaps, people are turning to the natural product, for example the famous soap from Marseille. How healthy is soap for the skin? The owner of the last soap factory in Vienna has been making soap for fifty years and swears that it makes the skin as soft as silk. A handmade Sicilian soap consists of [...]
Perfume
The medieval town of Grasse in southern France was once the cradle of perfumery and not for nothing the setting for Patrick Süskind's novel. Today there are still a few small perfumeries where you can delve into the art of perfume making. The jasmine of Grasse has a distinctive scent, but the fields are disappearing because production [...]
Sensual Pleasures - The World of Aphrodisiacs
Oysters and chocolate, truffles and saffron, celery and vanilla have one thing in common: they promote the desire for love. Heavenly dishes made from aphrodisiac ingredients. The great encyclopaedia of love remedies: Damiana, ephedra and yohimbe are plants from faraway countries that awaken the sex drive. But be careful: what puts women in the mood can make men's dreams shrink. The best aphrodisiac is the [...]
Angel's Wings
You feel them or see them, they are called or are suddenly there. For a singer and a priest, it is not a question of whether angels exist or not, because they are accompanied by them every day. Whether angels, saints or Madonnas: In Val Gardena in South Tyrol, sacred woodcarving has a long tradition. What began as [...]
Oh mein Papa! 100 Jahre Paul Burkhard
The world hit "O mein Papa" from the musical "Der Schwarze Hecht" or "Die kleine Niederdorfoper", which made folk actor Ruedi Walter immortal as Heiri, but also the nativity play "Zäller Wienacht" have become classics. Paul Burkhard, who could celebrate his hundredth birthday in 2011, was an enormously diverse and popular composer. The new production of the Niederdorf Opera [...]
From Little Genius to Nobel Prize Winner
About two per cent of the population are highly gifted, another ten per cent belong to the highly gifted. Contrary to popular belief, these talents do not always prevail. Motivation, the will to achieve and, above all, a suitable cultural environment are just as important. Without support from school and home, talents can atrophy and gifted children can become aggressive [...]
Children: From Birth to Kindergarden
Education starts at the cradle. No sooner is the child born than the stressed parents ask themselves what they are doing wrong. It's not so bad, says bestselling author Remo Largo. His conclusion is as simple as it is demanding: a good role model is the best upbringing. Practice makes perfect: from violin-playing toddlers and newly minted dads, [...]
I Have Been Adopted
Daniel Kronen, manager of a multinational company, had been adopted as a child. He always knew this, but it was only when he was over forty that he began to take a real interest in his origins. With the support of his adoptive parents, he searched for his birth parents. He was lucky: both were still alive, the mother in Switzerland and [...]
Adoption as a Chance
From the children's home in Russia to the farm in Tuscany. Fifteen-year-old Pietro, born on the Volga, adopted in Italy, eventually wants to know where he comes from. Triple happiness: a Swiss family and their three adopted children. Two of them are biological siblings. Did my mother hate me? Uncomfortable questions of an adopted child and how to answer them. Experts [...]
The Emigrants - Germans in Switzerland
Cars with German licence plates are pushed aside and flashed away, and when the German football team loses, the Swiss cheer. The German immigrants are hard-working and well-educated, they are the pillars of the Swiss health system, and yet they are not particularly liked. With time, the Germans understand Swiss German, but when they try to speak it, it is [...]
Together Instead of Alone
New models of living in old age are becoming increasingly popular. The "Haus im Viertel" in Bremen offers living with services in the middle of a lively neighbourhood, where neighbourly help is emphasised and old people can remain independent for a long time. In Zurich, fifty people live in the largest retirement home community in Switzerland in their own flats, but with shared activities: "55 plus", the successful pilot project [...]
When Love Gets Old
The courage to make a new start pays off. Divorced Erika and widower Justus have sex every day and enjoy it to the fullest. The fathers of the family Reinhard and Josef dared to come out and are happier than ever. Margrit Mondavi, the widow of wine magnate Robert Mondavi, thinks back to their romantic love. What they all have in common: they [...]
Neither Man Nor Woman
Früher nannte man sie Zwitter oder Hermaphroditen: Menschen die mit uneindeutigem Geschlecht zur Welt kamen. Eines von 2000 bis 5000 Kindern ist intersexuell, hat also Merkmale beider Geschlechter. Lange Zeit machte man solche Kinder gleich nach der Geburt zu Mädchen oder Jungen. Sie wurden routinemässig im Kindesalter an den Genitalien operiert. Heute weiss man, dass […]
Children of Priests
Many Catholic priests have problems with celibacy, have a secret girlfriend or maybe even a child. The fatherless upbringing of priests' children leaves deep traces and much suffering. Nevertheless, the Church is unwavering in its adherence to celibacy. Affected priests and women and children of priests talk about their lives.
What Boys Need
They are getting worse and worse at school and causing more and more problems. What is wrong with our boys? Experts like Allan Guggenbühl and Remo Largo warn against the pathologisation of boys and call for more active fathers and a school with more practice instead of theory. Boys train social behaviour in projects. In martial arts, they learn how to [...]
Sexarbeit ? Verbot oder Toleranz?
«We don't want your help,» says the sex worker Undine from Hamburg, «because we do our work voluntarily.» Together with colleagues, she has founded a professional association that campaigns for the recognition of sex work as a profession. The prostitutes defend themselves against feminists and politicians who demand a ban on buying sex like in Sweden. The Swedish model is considered [...]
The Joy of Wine
Red wine has a reputation for being healthy. But what about white wine? Is organic wine even healthier, or is it just a question of alcohol content? Either way, the biodynamic white wines from the Nikolaihof are a real treat! Bestselling author Nicolai Worm talks about wine and its effects on health. Corks are a problem: A corked wine [...]
Wine Between Tradition and Technology
Italy is one of the most diverse wine countries and has more than 2000 grape varieties. Unfortunately, only a few of them are still cultivated. At the San Felice winery in Tuscany, 300 old varieties are cultivated and studied with a view to possible cultivation. Barolo is one of the most famous and expensive wines in the world, but also much discussed. What [...]
Whisky - Cult Drink from Scotland
Whisky means enjoyment, relaxation, tradition. There are many special occasions for life-lovers to celebrate the amber-coloured cult drink, whether with friends in the pub or at home by the fireside. But whisky also means peat bog, clear water, green hills. No other drink belongs to a nation as much as whisky belongs to Scotland. For the Celtic ancestors [...]
Port – The Sweet Wine from Portugal
It has names like Graham's, Taylor's, Burmester and Niepoort. Port, or Vinho do Porto, originated in Portugal, but it was the English, Germans and Dutch who made it famous in the world. The red-golden and rarely lemon yellow Port is a wine for special occasions, to be enjoyed slowly. It is drunk as an aperitif or late [...].
The Cork Story
Cork harvest in Portugal. Every nine years, the trees are peeled by specialists. It does not harm the tree, just as it does not harm the environment. Cork oaks are the basis of an ecosystem without which whole swathes of land would become desolate. Cork taste in wine is a perennial topic. Whether plastic bottle tops are better is still debatable, but the demonisation of cork [...]
Sherry – Golden Wine from Spain
Sherry or Jerez, the amber-coloured Spanish sweet wine, belongs to the culture of Andalusia like flamenco, bullfighting and thoroughbred horses. It is also inextricably linked with tapas, the philosophically and culinary interesting little dishes to which a glass of sherry adds that certain something. Sherry is a capricious, sensitive and independent wine. Its secret lies not [...]
Sweet Dreams
Sweets, to round off a fine meal or as a comfort in between meals, are irresistible. The oldest sweetener known to mankind is honey. Robert Posta's Miel de Cru, an exquisite honey made from the blossoms of rosemary, lime, lime and lavender, comes from Provence. Lavender honey is the secret of nougat. André Boyer, fifth generation maître [...]
Olive Oil – delicious and healthy
The olive tree is the emblem of the Mediterranean, and the delicious olive oil is the basis of the famous Mediterranean diet. For thousands of years, the production process remained almost unchanged, but now a technical revolution is underway. The old stone mills are increasingly being replaced by high-tech, stainless steel and computers. But the best way to harvest the delicate fruit is [...]
Cold and Delicious – Ice Cream
Sicily is the home of ice cream. Ice cream from Mount Etna was used centuries ago to make the famous granita, a mixture of ice cream and fruit that Sicilians like to eat for breakfast. From there, sorbet and gelato began their triumphal march around the world. In the 19th century, it was emigrants from the Veneto who created the [...]
Saffron – The Red Gold
In the Middle Ages, it was used to colour church windows, and theft was punishable by death. Even today, saffron is the most expensive and most counterfeited spice. A kilo of 300,000 saffron threads costs as much as gold. In Iran and around the Mediterranean from Greece, the flowers are picked before sunrise and plucked and dried the same day. […]
Chocolat Makes You Happy
In the 19th century, Swiss chocolate from Cailler and Suchard to Lindt and Sprüngli gained its reputation as the best in the world. Milk chocolate and so-called conching, the production of melting chocolate, are Swiss inventions. The cradle of gianduja, chocolate made from cocoa and hazelnuts, lies in Piedmont, where the best hazelnuts in the world [...]
Our Daily Bread
Brot ist zum Massenprodukt geworden. Dank Tiefkühltechnologie statt Zusatzstoffen kann es auch bei industrieller Produktion natürlich und von hoher Qualität sein. Handwerkliche Bäckereien haben es heute schwer. Findige Bäcker haben Strategien gegen das Bäckerei-Sterben entwickelt. In der Schweiz produziert ein Bäcker besondere Spezialitäten aus frisch gemahlenem Korn und ursprünglichen, sehr gesunden Getreidesorten. Brot für Wiener […]
Vanilla – Queen of Spices
Vanilla, the rainforest orchid, is one of the few sources of income for farmers in Madagascar. Through direct trade, they improve their meagre income and preserve the rainforest at the same time. Fertilising, stamping, harvesting, all by hand and therefore so expensive. Vanilla, brought from Mexico by the French, has no natural pollinator in Madagascar. The farmers' wives pollinate [...]
Pizza, The Most Successful Fast Food
Naples is the home of the real pizza. Every year, the best pizzerias are awarded prizes at the Pizzafest. To the great surprise of the Neapolitans, a pizzeria from Japan is among them. Red tomatoes, white mozzarella and green basil: the national colours on the Queen Margherita pizza gave its name to the most famous pizza. In New York, Italian emigrants made [...]
Honey – Sweet and Healthy
The exclusive varietal honeys of South Tyrolean beekeeper Andrea Paternoster make a grand entrance in the star cuisine of Alfredo Russo in Turin. Sensory expert and journalist Patrick Zbinden shows how to taste honey and how to tell when it is no longer edible. Biologist Katharina Bieri knows hundreds of pollen types by heart. They are small works of art of the [...]
Italian Pasta (German Version)
Tortellini, tagliatelle and ravioli: Bologna and Emilia-Romagna are the strongholds of fresh pasta. Aromatic herbs play a major role in Ligurian cuisine. For the Trofie al Pesto, the basil is cut by hand. Pasta production in Gragnano near Naples has a long tradition. The three-star restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 has given the classic pasta [...]
Con amore e gusto – The History of Italian Cuisine
Tortellini, tagliatelle and ravioli: Bologna and Emilia-Romagna are the strongholds of fresh pasta. Aromatic herbs play a major role in Ligurian cuisine. For the Trofie al Pesto, the basil is cut by hand. Pasta production in Gragnano near Naples has a long tradition. The three-star restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 has given the classic pasta [...]
A Culinary Trip Through Sicily (German)
Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, Spaniards and French have conquered and ruled Sicily over the centuries and left traces of their culture, also in the cuisine. Street food in Palermo: in the markets you can eat fried rice balls, raw sea urchins and tripe. Empanadas, the filled dumplings, are Spanish-influenced. The sweet and sour caponata made of vegetables, capers and olives [...]
Cocoa – Potion of the Gods
Chocolatiers are worried: the Criollo, the noblest cocoa variety, is threatened by disease. Researchers are looking for resistant plants. When trading on the stock exchange, the differences in quality and taste of the cocoa are hardly taken into account. Direct sales bring fairer prices and a secure income for the cocoa farmers. Cacao Nacional grows in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador. […]
Turin - Magic and Modernity
Many things began in the Olympic city of Turin: cinema, fashion, chocolate and the car industry. Turin is unjustly one of Italy's lesser-known cities. The magnificent palazzi and boulevards with French nobility are unique, historic coffee houses and shops invite you to stroll and linger. In Turin and the surrounding area you will find an exquisite [...]
The Blue Wonder – Jeans
Jane Birkin was once an advertiser for Lee Cooper. Today, her daughter Lou Doillon designs an entire collection of denim for the century-old English jeans brand. From design to production: how jeans are made. Whether rapper or banker, granddaughter or grandmother, everyone has at least one pair of jeans in their wardrobe, and people still define themselves by the brand. […]
Sardinia – Island of Centenarians (German)
In Sardinia there are more people than anywhere else who live to be over a hundred years old and stay healthy. What is the secret of this long life? Giovanni Vacca recently turned a hundred and still makes jokes. Mariantonia Loddo, 103 years old, is proud of her beautiful hands and sings of the youth that [...]
Dogs Smell Everything
Victims of earthquakes, people buried in avalanches, drugs or accelerants: a dog practically always finds them and is superior to technical devices to this day thanks to its extraordinary nose. The dog has around forty times more olfactory cells than humans, it sees with its nose, so to speak. After an alarm, it takes no more than 15 minutes for the search dogs of the Swiss [...]
White Tigers and Fiery Horses
Der Stuntman Jackie Venon bringt seine Pferde dazu, trotz Fluchtinstinkt und Angst vor dem Feuer durch Flammen zu galoppieren. Die weissen Tiger des Zirkus Barum anerkennen den Zirkusdirektor und Dompteur Gerd Siemoneit als ihren Herrn. Jackie Venon und Gerd Siemoneit sind erfahrene Tierlehrer. Sie kennen die Eigenheiten ihrer «Mitarbeiter? genau, suchen das Vertrauen der Tiere […]
Women and Horses - Story of a Passion
Cuddly toy and friend: the horse is the great adolescent love of girls, until the first boyfriend appears. Ninety percent of the riding schools are frequented by girls. But only very few make it to the top. Two Swiss girls are among them: Géraldine Knie and Lesley McNaught Maendli. The film starts at 32:54.
How to Understand Horses (German Version)
To understand horses, you have to know their natural behaviour. The wild horses of Dülmen were observed for many years, and this has revolutionised horse husbandry. Sex and love in horses. Research by the Swiss National Stud in Avenches shows that when horses are free to choose a mate, they select the genetically suitable one and fertility increases significantly. Horses are athletes, money machines, [...]
Don't Be Afraid Of Dogs
German law bans certain dog breeds that are designated as dangerous. The result is overcrowded animal shelters with dogs that are difficult to place. In Switzerland, the focus is on prevention. In puppy classes, dogs of all breeds are socialised and at the same time dog owners learn how to train a four-legged friend. The project "Prevent a bite" takes away children's fear of dogs. No [...]
Stars on Four Paws
Young foxes, a lynx and a hyena are the stars of Astrid and Gerhard Harsch's film animal school. The audience's favourite at Filmpark Babelsberg is the doe Schoko from the fairytale film "Brüderchen und Schwesterchen". All for one. Eight chickens under the direction of animal trainer Tatjana Zimek play the chicken of an advertising campaign for fresh eggs from the farm. […]
Vets on the Border
Six Chihuahuas are moving to New Zealand, in sealed boxes, with passports and twenty pages of travel documents. What to consider when transporting animals. Whether snakeskin shoes, giant clams or ivory jewellery, illegal trade in products from protected species is uncovered again and again. The import of animal products from non-European countries is prohibited. Nevertheless, air passengers stow meat in their suitcases, from [...] Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Pet Therapy
A teacher brings her two dogs to class and notices that the children help each other more and are calmer. Often it takes an animal to open the door to dementia patients in nursing homes who hardly react to people any more. At Haus Hardt in Wuppertal, ponies are allowed in the sickroom and dogs on the sickbed. Large [...]
Animals in the Circus
Tigers, lions and panthers, once the stars of the ring. According to today's knowledge, keeping big cats in circuses in a species-appropriate manner is extremely difficult. Circus Knie has such high standards for animal husbandry that predator acts are rarely seen. Elephants in the circus are difficult to keep. To make their lives as comfortable as possible [...]
Is the Honey Bee dying?
Beekeepers are sounding the alarm. Millions of bee colonies are perishing, thousands of hives are suddenly empty. The pollination of most edible plants is the business of the honey bee. What happens when they die out? Will humans really only have four years to live? Bee research is looking for solutions. But it is a race against time. Blame [...]
Giants from Asia – a Future for Zoo Elephants
Relocation of the elephants: In the new elephant park at Zurich Zoo, the animals can move freely in a family group day and night. For this, keepers and elephants learned a new "language" for communication without direct contact. Is keeping elephants in the circus a discontinued model? How Circus Knie is rising to the challenge. In Knie's children's zoo in Rapperswil, too, [...]
Roses
His roses travel around the world. Peter Beales collects historic roses and has bred some of the most beautiful modern roses. The Rosarium in Sangerhausen, Germany, has survived two world wars. With 8000 species of roses, it is the largest rose garden in the world. The botanical garden in Göttingen has a unique collection of dog roses. Research into their complicated [...]
Truffles and other mysterious mushrooms
White truffles from Alba, increasingly rare, increasingly expensive. On a truffle hunt with Franco Martinetti, gourmet from Turin. How to recognise real truffles. On the road with a Swiss importer. Truffle recipes from Piedmont. Myth or truth? Truffles for more love lust. They come out of the dark: Chinese noble mushrooms from Central Switzerland. Poisonous or edible? Mushroom inspections avoid nasty surprises. The [...]
Beautiful Gardens in Zurich
Zurich is a paradise for garden lovers. The mild climate between the hills around the lake is ideal for garden lovers and also allows Mediterranean plants to overwinter. Wonderful private gardens are hidden here, from enchanted villa gardens with oriental flair to the secluded terraces and battlements of the old town, from stately lakeside properties and from the beguilingly fragrant Rosarium to allotment gardens, [...]
Urban Farming
More than half of the world's population already lives in the city, and more and more people are growing their own vegetables on rooftops, backyards and brownfield sites. The new urban gardens are models for a greener city. Honey, chickens and fresh vegetables can be found in the middle of New York. With 4000 square metres, the Brooklyn Grange Farm is one of the [...]
Beauty From Nature
Like Madonna, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman, more and more women prefer cosmetics without synthetic substances and petroleum products / Visit to the traditional companies Weleda and Dr. Hauschka / Dyeing hair without chemicals is possible, but not all products deliver what they promise / Natural cosmetics are booming: With 5.5 per cent annual growth, they are constantly expanding their market share [...]
Smart Donkeys (German Version)
Five thousand years ago, the donkey was domesticated. The last wild specimens are very rare and extremely endangered. Basel Zoo coordinates the European breeding programme of the Somali wild donkey. Especially around the Mediterranean, the donkey was indispensable as a work animal, but now it has had its day. In Cyprus, there are hundreds of old donkeys that are used in agriculture [...].
Rosina Kuhn – Artist and Cat Lover
The Zurich painter Rosina Kuhn ventures into a subject that she had long left on the side because it was often kitschy: the cat. She chooses brush and ink and paints wonderfully vivid pictures of her own cat.
Orchids – Tricky and Mysterious
Sexual deception through scent, colour and masquerade: How orchids mislead their pollinators. Orchid growers: Two brothers take on the role of pollinators and play with shapes and colours. Jewellery for Europe's living rooms: Millions of the fashionable orchid Phalaenopsis are produced in Holland. They smell of cinnamon and vanilla, but also of carrion and algae. The scent researcher [...].
