Swiss Sweets and Starry Skies: Our Epic Cultural Week Journey!

Kia ora, whānau! What an incredible week we have had celebrating the diverse cultures that make our community so vibrant and special. This year, our class took a deep dive into the stunning landscapes and delicious traditions of Switzerland. From the snow-capped Alps to the cozy kitchens of Swiss bakers, we’ve learned so much about the heart of Europe. It’s been a week filled with “Mata Riki” (tiny eyes) looking toward new horizons and bellies full of international treats!

The Ultimate Highlight: Making Carac Tarts

The absolute standout of our Swiss exploration was getting hands-on in the kitchen to bake authentic Carac tarts. These classic Swiss pastries are as beautiful as they are tasty, featuring a small, shiny tart shell filled with a rich, velvety dark chocolate ganache. We worked carefully to prepare the pastry using a mix of flour and ground almonds for that perfect crunch. The real magic happened when we topped the tarts with a vibrant green fondant and finished them with the iconic chocolate dot right in the center. Seeing the tray of bright green tarts was a “wow” moment for everyone—they looked almost too good to eat!

Swiss Displays and Matariki Lanterns

Our classroom was truly transformed with some amazing visual displays that bridged the gap between Switzerland and Aotearoa. The Swiss table display, organized by Grady, Priah, and Pretty, featured a fantastic physical “Switzerland” sign created by Grayson and Nemani. We showcased a range of Swiss “nibbles” ideas, including Biberli (honey-spice treats) and Schinkengipfeli (savory ham croissants). To make the week even more special, we connected our cultural learning to the local season by working on Matariki lanterns. Sophie and Sharlize led the team in refining these beautiful star-inspired designs, which reminded us of the importance of remembering the past and planning for the future a value shared across many cultures.

What’s Next: The Rest of our Cultural Week Adventure

We still have so much to share from our journey! Here is what you can look forward to in our upcoming posts:

• A Taste of the Alps: A deeper look into our Swiss Bites showcase, including the secrets to a perfect cheese fondue and the history of Biberli dough.
• Voices of the World: Reflections on our class speeches, where students like Eli, Tobey, and Brad’lea shared their research on different global traditions.
• Matariki Stars & Science: How we used science to create casein plastic star ornaments for our Matariki celebration.
• The Swiss Travel Guide: A showcase of the travel brochures created by Kenzie, Lucas, Ivy, and Joel to help you plan your own imaginary trip to Switzerland.
• Final Reflections: What Cultural Week taught us about being global citizens here in Aotearoa.                                    
• It was a very fun week to have and i think we should do more things like this so everyone is included