VATICAN CITY, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- The Swiss Guard, ceremonial defender of Vatican City, has released a cookbook of favorite dishes of recent popes.

Buon Appetito, Swiss Guard reveals the culinary preferences of Pope Francis and his two predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI and John Paul II. Not surprisingly, the book suggests they prefer classic meals from their respective home countries of Argentina, Germany and Poland.


Pope Francis is a fan of "dulche de leche," a milk pudding, and "colita de cadril," a grilled steak, says the book, published this week. While the 110-man Swiss Guard is most famous for its Renaissance-style uniforms, its day-to-day involvement in Vatican life is included in the book, the idea of David Geisser, 24, a guard member and former professional chef.

"The idea came from our commandant about two years ago. He checks out the background of new recruits and he saw that Geisser had published a couple of cook books in Switzerland," Swiss Guard Sgt. Erwin Niederberger, a former pastry chef, told the British newspaper The Telegraph. "The book reveals a lot about the daily lives and the history of the Swiss Guard."

The book was launched Wednesday. It is published in German, but an English version is planned.