Just want to be ready for my trip. What local delicacies should I be on the lookout for?

Hi Hazel, What part of Switzerland are you traveling to? I live in Luzern, and there is a wide variety of food here. I find that there are a lot of Italian restaurants here! Typical Swiss food you ask? There is alpenmakronen, translated to alpine macaroni is delicious. It's potaotes, apples, onions, in a heavy cream sauce served with a "side" of applesauce. There is also rosti, quite similar to hasbrowns. The bigger cities tend to have breweries as well- do you like sausages and such?

1. Bratwurst
2. Cervelat
3. Rosti (like hash browns)
4. Raclette
5. Hafe Chabis (served at the local fair)
6. local pastries (especially around fair time)

Thanks. The alpine macaroni sounds great. Yes, we love all types of meat and sausage. We also like tasting different beers or other liquors. You just don't hear alot about Swiss beer or liquor over here in the USA. All the beers seems to be from Germany, Holland, or England, and all of the liquors seems to be from the UK.

Rösti (potatoes), Berner Platte (sauerkraut, beans, pork) Zurcher Geschneltetzeltes (veal in cream sauce), Leckerli (sweets), Bündnerfleisch (dried beef meat), fish from the lakes, Papet vaudois (sausage with potatoes, leek, cabbage), etc...

Hazel! Don't forget the chocolate! I know there are Lindt stores popping up everywhere in the US, but you should not miss the Spruengli shop if you have the chance. Even if you just "window shop" you will be glad you looked!

You can find rösti everywhere in Switzerland, but one of the ways of referring to German speaking Switzerland as opposed to French speaking Switzerland is to talk about being on the other side of the "rösti border".

If you're planning on being in either Geneva or Zurich, stop into Teuscher Chocolates, IMO, the best!

Enjoy your trip, Switzerland is a beautiful and friendly country (I am prejudiced, 1/2 Swiss!)

Toblerone, which is apparently not that popular in Switzerland itself, but adored throughout the rest of Europe!

At Spruengli get those lovely little pastel colored macaroons. Mmmmm. And Lindt now has a dark chocolate bar with chili! You can get it at any grocery store (except Migros, they have their own brand of chocolate but not as good). And while everyone in the US knows about fondue, I didn't know about raclette until I moved over here. It is a giant block of cheese which is melted next to heat and the cheese is scraped onto your plate which is then served with potatoes, pickles and onions. I love this dish!

In Interlaken, I once had 'kaseschnitte mit schinken und ei'. Not a cholesterol in sight!

Just an addition:
Steak tartare is very popular in Zürich.