Muesli

Developed around 1900 by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital,[4] it has become a common breakfast cereal dish.

[10] It was introduced around 1900 by Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital,[4] where a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables was an essential part of therapy.

[10] The original Bircher-Benner recipe consists of the following ingredients: The dish was prepared by mixing the cream and honey or condensed milk with the soaked oats and lemon juice and, while stirring, grating the whole apple into the mixture.

[14][15] The preparation of home-made muesli varies according to the tastes and preferences of the cook, but the basic proportions are around 80% grain, 10% nuts and seeds and 10% dried fruits.

Dry packaged muesli can be kept for many months and served quickly after mixing with milk, filmjölk, yogurt, coffee, hot chocolate, fruit juice or water.

[19] Cafes, restaurants and chefs in the English-speaking world often use the label Bircher muesli to distinguish their dishes from the store-bought variety, indicating it has been prepared in a manner based on the original recipe – with grated fresh apple, lemon juice, cream and honey – rather than just being poured from a packet and having milk added.

In English-speaking countries, these connotations have led to the coinage of terms linking muesli to social liberalism and the middle classes.