Swiss blue cheese. The most delicious Swiss cheeses. Processed Swiss cheeses

Switzerland has become the birthplace of more than 450 varieties of cheese, natural goat's and cow's milk is used for their preparation. Swiss cheese is worth buying for its creamy taste, delicate texture and high health value - this product will appeal to both children and adults. On sale is a choice of solid, semi-solid types, select the appropriate option from the catalog and place an order.

The most popular varieties of Swiss cheese

Among the variety of Swiss cheese in Moscow, several varieties are in special demand:

  • Gruyere. It is a firm yellow cheese that has a salty taste with a sweetish creamy undertone. It melts easily, so it is well suited for making fondue.
  • Raclette. This is a component of a traditional Swiss dish, it is more often used in grated and melted form. It is a semi-hard variety with a pleasant creamy texture.
  • Tete de Moine. The name translates as "monk's head" - it is a semi-hard cheese with a dense texture, spicy aroma and delicate taste. To cut it, it is customary to use a special knife - it removes “cheese chips” in the form of beautiful roses.

These are just some of the varieties that can be purchased using the catalog of the LA MARE online store. Check out the price list and make sure that the prices for Swiss cheese will be profitable and affordable.

Online purchase conditions

It is offered to buy elite cheese products from Switzerland with home delivery: place an order online and receive your purchase in the shortest possible time. You can order any quantity of goods, high quality and impeccable freshness are guaranteed due to the observance of storage conditions. Wholesale deliveries are also possible: place an order for a cafe or restaurant on favorable terms

In Switzerland, 99% of cheeses are made from cow's milk. This country has strict environmental requirements, manufacturing rules, control. Most Swiss cheeses are relatively fatty, so they taste good. The aroma of some seems unusually sharp, but there are also low-smelling varieties. All cheeses are divided into very hard hard, hard, semi-hard, soft, melted.

Classification of Swiss cheeses

Cheeses with high hardness

This national pride, adored by gourmets, is replaced by Parmesan for the Swiss. It is believed that this is the oldest cheese in Europe. Production is concentrated in the center of the country, distributed among forty small cheese dairies. The raw material is unpasteurized cow's milk from one region, rennet and salt. Hardeners, dyes are not used.

Products are exported from the region after maturation (in 18-22 months). This cheese has been produced either since the 70th or 1200. The color of Sbrinz is creamy, the texture is layered, brittle, the aroma is not very bright, pleasant, rich, the taste is not too salty.

This cheese can simply be eaten on bread and butter, grated for pasta, used in pizza (if it doesn't seem too expensive). Sbrinz is paired with wine, sold in bars and sliced. With the first option, a kilogram costs 30-35 francs, with the second, it costs 10 francs more.

Hobelkase

The Hobelkase variety of Swiss cheese is produced in the Alps. The production technology is extravagant. The cheese is boiled over a fire, it is cut into long, thin plates and rolled into a kind of tube. Consumed on its own, with pasta, salads, added to scrambled eggs, casseroles, lasagna, sauces.

Parmesan

Cheese "Parmesan Swiss" belongs to the premium class. Produced by hand from natural milk of cows grazing in the meadows of the Alps. Feature - the presence of calcium crystals. Consists of milk, natural rennet, sourdough, salt, aged for a year.

The texture is brittle (it crumbles during cutting), so for cheese platter it is chipped off with a knife. The taste is delicate, delicate, nutty, spicy aftertaste, fat content up to 45%. It is used as a separate dish, added to pasta, soups, pizza. salads.

Hard Swiss cheeses

Emmentaler

This variety was born in Bern. The name is not certified, it is used by cheese-making enterprises in many other countries, the raw material is pasteurized milk. This variety has a yellow color, many large holes (thanks to the bacteria P. Shermani, which are added at the final stage of production), not too sharp, but piquant taste.

It is used in cheese platters, on sandwiches, in appetizers, salads, forms a beautiful crust when baked. Production technology of Swiss hard cheese Emmentaler

AOC Emmentaler Switzerland became AOC (Authenticated Origin Enterprise) in 2006. The "genuine" Emmental is produced in small rural enterprises. The heads are round, with a natural crust. The production uses raw milk, water, starter cultures of natural origin, salt. When made in winter, the color is paler, the heads are smaller. The reason for this lies in the content of cows on hay.

It takes about a thousand liters of milk to get one head. It heats up, starter cultures are added. The precipitate is mixed, placed in a hoop shape, and pressed. After a while, the diameter of the hoop decreases. The cycle is repeated 6, sometimes more, times. Quality is determined after six months, a year by tapping.

The Premier Cru variety is aged for 14 months. This variety was the winner of the 1.7 thousand competitors in the championship, which was held in 2006 in Wisconsin. Now he has been given a place in the Bern Museum. The cost of a kilogram is from 26 francs.

Gruyere

The color of the young cheese is creamy, the taste is sweetish, with a hint of nuts, it changes with the extension of maturation. The product with an exposure of 5-12 months has cracks, holes, making the structure granular. The taste is more complex, more specific, more earthy, but not overpowering. Used in baking, onion soup, fondue, ham sandwiches. In grated form, it is added to pastas, salads.

Production of Swiss Gruyère cheese

Since 2001, this cheese has been subject to authenticity control, the production is determined by law. The most critical stage is maturation, so special requirements are imposed on the cellars. The microclimate is close to the conditions of natural caves (humidity 94-98%). If the indicator is lower, the cheese dries instead of aging. With higher humidity, the heads become sticky, as if dirty.

Types of Gruyère cheese

There are many varieties of this cheese, according to the aging period they are divided into soft (at least 5 months), Réserve (from 10 months). Sold "organic" species, varieties that are produced in the Alps, and only in summer. Premier Cru is aged for a year and 2 months at a humidity level of 95%, a temperature of 13.5 ° C. This variety has been awarded the title of the best at world championships three times. A kilogram can be bought for 20 francs.

Schabziger

For the first time this variety was made by monks, the manufacturing process is described in the fifteenth century. Now production is concentrated in Glarus County. The milk of cows is raw, skimmed, blue fenugreek is added.

Easy Swiss Schabziger Cheese Recipe:

  1. The milk is heated
  2. natural acid is added to separate Ziger (a special type of whey).
  3. After being pressed into molds, it is stored for up to 8 days, then dried from two months to six months.

On sale comes with the brand of the manufacturer. Exported as a green variety of Swiss cheese. Keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks. It is most often consumed grated, with buttered bread. Suitable for adding to noodles, making fondue.

Semi-hard cheeses

Appenzeller

This variety is spicy, produced in the locality with the same name. The first time was made by monks in the eighth century. The duration of the documented history is more than 7 hundred years. It is aged in brine with herbs, sometimes with wine or cider, which retains the palatability and forms a crust. Each manufacturer has his own recipe, kept secret.

The cheese has a straw color, a golden crust, tiny holes. The aroma is strong or light (depending on the aging time), with a hint of nuts or fruits. The cost of a kilogram is from 17 francs.

Three varieties are available for sale:

  • Extra (black label);
  • Classic (silver label);
  • Surchoix (gold label).

Bundner Bergkase

Production is established in the canton of Grisons, the name translates as mountain cheese. Cow's milk is used as raw material, but only from animals grazing above a kilometer in the mountains. The taste is determined by alpine herbs, used in cheese platters, salads. It can be added to meat and vegetable dishes to add richness to the aroma. The price of a kilogram is from 21 francs.

Tessiner Alpkase

The first time Alpkäse was made in the 12th century in the Ticino region. In order to continue production in the summer, the locals moved the cows to pastures in the mountains. Over time, dairy cattle began to graze at different heights.

Long distances and exposure time forced to develop a special production technology. This cheese is distinguished by the method of production, the composition determined by the flora of the alpine meadows.

Raclette

Swiss Raclette cheese is considered the best if you want to cook a dish of the same name. Sold in bars or square pieces. In the latter version, it is intended for a raclette dish, which has a surface for frying meat on top, and molds for melting cheese on the bottom. This variety has a creamy texture, outstanding taste, pleasant aroma.

The history of Walliser Raclette is very interesting. They say that a resident of the canton of Valais Leo decided to warm up the cheese in cold weather. This is considered the birth of the dish, popular throughout Switzerland. Since raclette is made in winter, most of this cheese is delivered to stores in cold weather. Variants with garlic, pepper are offered. A kilogram can be bought for 25 francs.

It is known from history that this variety was prepared already in the year 400 BC, used as money. The official name was given in 1974. The production facilities are located in the Valais region and only local raw milk is used. Compliance with the recipe and originality is guaranteed by a certificate. The status also ensures that the animals are kept in conditions that meet the requirements.

Tete de Moine

Literally, the name translates as "the head of a monk." It is due to the area of ​​invention, manufacture. This is Bellelay Abbey from the territory of the canton of Bern, belonging to the French. Modern cheese dairies are also located in the mountains. When consumed, this cheese is scratched with a knife to fully reveal the original, delicate aroma.

Swiss cheese production

The name was given by the French revolutionaries 2 centuries ago. They kicked out the monks, found heads of cheese in the cellar, an interesting association appeared (scraping was reminiscent of the movements when shaving tonsure).

This variety is produced from raw milk. One head weighs from 0.8 to 2.5 kilograms. Most often it is cylindrical, the height is 70-100% of the section. Production is regulated by law, outside of Switzerland this variety is considered a symbol of the Jurassic region.

Since 1982, the device for scraping has been produced. This is an axis that sticks into the head, and the blade rotates around it. The device has become a good advertisement for popularization. The price depends on the form. A kilogram of an uncut head costs 25 francs, a kilogram of thin rosettes 48 francs.

Vacherin Fribourgeois

The production of hard is located in Friborg, the taste is sour, it changes with the extension of the ripening period. Used in fondue.

There are 6 types of these cheeses:

  • Classic (aging period from 6 to 12 weeks);
  • Mountain (aging period 9 to 25 weeks);
  • Extra (aging period from 12 weeks);
  • Alpage, Country (ageing 12 to 25 weeks);
  • organic Bio (ageing period from 9 weeks).

Vacherin Mont d'Or is soft, seasonal, with a greyish-yellow rind. Produced in the district of Jur, fat content 45-50%. For sale, it is packed in round wooden boxes, so it can be served as fondue after heating in the package.

In the production of Vacherin d'alpage, milk from cows grazing in the mountains is used, so its taste is the brightest. They make it in a pot on a fire, it is rarely found on sale. With prolonged exposure, the smell of ammonia appears. A kilogram costs from 20 francs.

Tilsiter

This variety was produced in the 19th century by the Westphal family, brought to the settlement from the Emmental Valley. In Sovetsk (formerly Tilsit) a building of those times has been preserved. Later it turned out that the initial ingredients were not available. Yeast began to be used for fermentation, because of which the aroma became fuller, more intense. The name of the variety was given by the name of the town.

Tilsiter has a medium-density structure, randomly distributed holes. For the production of commercial varieties, pasteurized milk is used with the addition of cumin and pepper. The peel is yellow, relatively dark, the fat content is from 30 to 60 percent. This cheese goes well with dark beer, rye bread. Tilsiter is used to make cubes for salads, it is added to sauces, potatoes, hamburgers, homemade pies.

The production of three variants according to the updated recipe has been launched:

  • with a strong odor (fresh milk is used in production);
  • soft (made from pasteurized milk);
  • Rahm-Tilsiter (cream is added to pasteurized milk).
    The cost of a kilogram is from 20 francs.

Semi-soft Swiss cheeses

Reblochon

It was originally a semi-hard French (Savoy) cheese made from milk that was secretly milked. Inside the mass is creamy, the crust is dry, the color is from gray to orange, the aroma is deep, nutty. When ripening up to 8 weeks, the fat content is 45%. A traditional dish with Reblochon is called Tartiflette (potato casserole with bacon).

Vacherin Mont d'Or

Production is not limited to Switzerland, but also comes from part of the Jur region located in France. Raw materials have been controlled by the state since 1981. Fat content 45-50%, it is delivered to stores in round wooden boxes, sometimes it is sold heated. The texture is like a cream. This is a dessert cheese, gourmets consume it warmed up with bread, potatoes. The cost of a kilogram is from 23 francs.

Soft

tomme vudoise

Invented in the 17th century in the region between the lakes Yur and Zhu. Production is located in Geneva and the district of Vaud. The taste of the young product is creamy, neutral, soft, rustic after maturation (with the aroma of grass, fresh milk).

The structure is soft, melting, covered with mold of red, sometimes white color, the crust is thin. Peppers, truffles, basil, hazelnuts are often added. Suitable for cheese platter, used as part of a salad, stewed vegetables, sometimes served with jerky, ham, white wine. Locals fry this cheese, bake it in the oven.

This is an expensive cheese, sold in semicircular shapes. Species with garlic, herbs are offered. A kilogram costs from 30 francs.

This cheese is cheap as it is made from whey. The taste is reminiscent of ricotta, the locals add piquancy by smoking in the oven.

Soft Swiss cheeses are less well-known due to their short shelf life making transportation difficult. Most of the varieties are not exported, they are supplied to local shops. In addition to Gala, these are Fontalino, Risler Paulin, varieties in the names of which there is Vasherin.

Processed Swiss cheeses

Types of processed cheese from Switzerland:

  • sausage - easy to cut;
  • briquette - from rennet fatty cheeses (up to 70% fat), spices can be added that change color and taste;
  • chunky - each small piece is packed separately;
  • in the form of a paste - moist, greasy, easily smeared.

The production of such cheese is profitable due to the ease of inventing new recipes, cheap raw materials, and ease of transportation. More important is the possibility of processing illiquid assets. Swiss processed cheeses are loved and appreciated all over the world, they are used on sandwiches, with salads, in sauces, mashed soups. Sweet varieties are added to pastries, desserts.

Unknown varieties include Büschiumdacavra and Zincarlin. The first is made from raw goat milk, quickly heated to 57-68oC. The second grade is old (more than 100 years old), cows' milk is used in production, to which a little goat's milk, salt, and pepper are added. Ripens in a cave, rubbed daily with wine. The taste is sharp, tart. The locals eat it with jacket-boiled potatoes.

Benefits of Swiss cheeses

  1. Most varieties of Swiss cheese are organic, the close location of the raw materials eliminates the need for synthetic additives.
  2. In the mountains it is impossible to establish intensive, large-scale production. There is an opinion that soon in Switzerland they will stop making cheese by hand. The reason is the abundance of cheaper products on the shelves.
  3. Cheese makers think that cheese has long been not just a product to satisfy hunger. Handmade products are rather a delicacy that can decorate a festive table.
  4. In Russia, the consumption of Swiss cheese is increasing; in 2018, 2,731 tons were imported. Reviews of Swiss cheeses indicate that this is a worthy replacement for Italian and French, which have disappeared from the shelves due to sanctions. The Russians call them tasty, real. These are elite products, incomparable with mass ones.

  • Switzerland

5 days / 4 nights

Bern – Zurich

In Switzerland, a huge variety of cheeses are produced: hard, soft, produced in a village cheese factory and at a cheese factory; cheese, cut into thin slices, cubes, flowers; melted cheese, in which slices of bread are dipped or simply served with hot potatoes, etc. Most often, the names of cheeses correspond to one or another geographical name, where they are produced. We invite you to make an unforgettable gastronomic journey and become a connoisseur of Swiss cheeses by tasting the most famous of them.

  • Day 1 – 3: Bern

Arrival in Bern. Transfer to the hotel.

  • Hotel Bellevue Palace Bern 5*.

Excursions from Bern:

  • "Emmental"- Swiss cheese king. It is so famous all over the world that sometimes it is simply called "Swiss cheese". Emmental is famous for its holes, which have become in some way his "calling card". We invite you to the cheese factory of 1741, where cheese is still made according to old technologies. During the tasting, you will taste not only the classic Emmental, but also its different types.
  • "Gruyere" the famous Swiss cheese. It has been made from fresh cow's milk in the vicinity of the town of Gruyères since the 12th century. Gruyère has a sweet but slightly salty taste that changes with age. The young cheese is creamy with a nutty flavor, but with age the taste becomes more earthy and complex. You will see this for yourself during a visit to the cheese factory in Gruyères, and you will also get great pleasure from walking through the village of Gruyères and visiting the castle of the same name.
  • "Tete de Moine"- the name of the cheese, literally meaning "monk's head", comes from the place of its invention and production - Bellelay Abbey, located in the canton of Bern. The cheese is made from the milk of cows grazing on the fragrant and spicy pastures of the Jura Mountains. Such is the taste of the cheese - fragrant and spicy. This cheese is unusual in its shape and way of tasting. It is eaten in a non-standard way: it must be carefully “scratched” with a knife in order to fully reveal its delicate aroma. We are pleased to invite you to visit one of the smallest cheese factories. You will not only get acquainted with the production, but also try the cheese with such an unusual name. .
  • Day 4 – 5: Zurich

Moving to Zurich. Transfer to the hotel.

  • Hotel Baur au Lac 5*
  • Dolder Grand 5*
  • Widder 5*
  • Park Hyatt Zurich 5*
  • Glockenhof 4*

Tours from Zurich:

The famous cheese of Eastern Switzerland - Appenzeller, originally from the village of Appenzell. The cheese is made from fresh cow's milk and has a fairly strong taste. Moreover, only the milk of local cows grown on pastures between the Kotstanz lakes and the Santis massif is used. During the manufacturing process, the cheese is cleaned with special brushes and soaked in brine from mountain herbs, the recipe of which is kept in the strictest confidence. You will visit a cheese factory where the famous Appenzeller has been produced for more than 700 years.

Cheese Premier Cru

  • Emmentaler Switzerland Premier Cru- Cheese aged for at least 14 months in damp cellars. This cheese won the world title in Wisconsin (USA) at the World Cheese Championship in 2006.
  • Le Gruyere Premier Cru- Produced and matured only in the canton of Friborg. Aged 14 months in wet caves. It is the only cheese that has won the title of the best cheese in the world at the WORLD CHEESE AWARDS in London three times: in 1992, 2002 and 2005.

Types of Swiss cheeses:

Extra hard

  • - Sbrinz
  • - Hobelkase

Solid

  • - Emmentaler
  • - Gruyere/Greyerzer
  • - Schabziger

Semi-solid

  • - Appenzeller
  • - Bundnerbergkäse
  • - Mutschli
  • - Raclette
  • - Tete de moine
  • - Vacherin fribourgeois
  • - Tilsiter

Semi-soft

  • - Vacherin mont d "or

Soft

  • - Gala

Interesting Cheese Facts

The famous cheese dish fondue, originally from the Swiss canton of Vaud. It was invented by shepherds who were supposed to make a hot dinner from three products at hand - cheese, bread and wine. For fondue, cheese (Emmental and Gruyere) is melted together with wine and spices in a cast-iron pot, and then slices of bread are dipped into the resulting hot mass, planted on a special long fork with two prongs. Born in the mountain pastures of Switzerland, today fondue has become one of the main treats of European cheese restaurants.

There is a special type of cheese that is produced only in the summer in the Swiss Alps - "fromage d" alpage " (alpine cheese). It is made from the milk of cows grazing in alpine meadows and has a much brighter taste. It is often made in a pot over a fire in some remote chalet in the Alpine meadows, and can be found for sale in the Alpine villages.

The cost of the services of an interpreter, assistant and guide in Zurich, description of excursions in German Switzerland, the cost of transfers from Zurich, a car with a driver available in Zurich, with the cost of services of an interpreter, assistant and guide, with departure from Bern, description of excursions with departure from Bern: on request.

Our unique developments in the field of organizing individual routes and many years of experience in implementing successful programs are at your service!

We wish you a successful trip with EV Style Travel!

For any foreigner, Switzerland is associated with watches, as well as chocolate and cheese. Moreover, if France is known for its delicate soft cheeses, then Switzerland, on the contrary, has received worldwide recognition as a manufacturer of elite hard and extra-hard cheeses.

What it is?

True Swiss cheeses are made from fresh milk, usually cow's milk is used, a little less often sheep's or goat's. As a rule, each region of this state produces its own special kind of cheese, from where the product gets its name. In most cases, the producers are small family workshops, and not large dairy plants, since for the inhabitants of this country, cheese is not just a food product, but a real tradition, an integral part of life. The Alpine milk product can only be solid or semi-solid, and remarkably, it has a rather long shelf life. It is this property that made it so popular in trade centuries ago - when neither refrigerators nor thermal backpacks were invented, and caravans with food moved for a long time under the scorching rays of the Mediterranean sun.

It is noteworthy that absolutely at most stages of the production cycle, work is done by hand, that is, manual work is used. Cheese makers heat pasteurized milk in a large saucepan to +35 degrees for a long time, then add a special component that stimulates fermentation, filter it from the resulting whey, salt it and again bring it to +45 degrees, after which it is pressed. After these manipulations, the semi-finished cheese ripens and goes on sale.

When purchasing products from Swiss manufacturers, you should pay attention that a real branded product must mature for at least 3 months and have a fat content of at least 50%. It is usually pierced with small oval holes.

In addition, the following distinguishing features are signs of a genuine product:

  • a special sign of AOC firm quality control;
  • the formation of a cheese crust;
  • dense yellow color due to an increased percentage of fat content;
  • long shelf life (at least 12 months).

The taste of the product is bright, rich and spicy, it is served with rye bread and various vegetables.

Gourmets offer the following dish serving ideas:

  • with ham and spicy pickled vegetables;
  • with potatoes and stewed vegetables;
  • in the form of muesli.

Composition and calories

Swiss cheese is high-calorie - 100 grams of the product contains 396 kilocalories, while the composition of BJU includes: 2 g of proteins, 32 g of fat, and there are no carbohydrates in this product. Cheese produced in Switzerland has an excellent nutritional structure, it contains vitamins A, D, E, as well as folic and nicotinic acids necessary for the body. It contains quite a lot of vitamin B and useful trace elements - calcium, magnesium, as well as sodium, iron, cobalt and zinc. Such a qualitative composition determines the exceptional nutritional value and usefulness of the cheese product.

It is extremely important that tryptophan is present in the composition of Swiss cheese - this is a special amino acid that stimulates the production of the hormone of joy - serotonin, as well as the sleep hormone - melatonin.

Benefit and harm

Real Swiss cheese is a pantry of vitamins, so eating it helps to normalize the functioning of the digestive tract and optimizes the functioning of the brain. Swiss cheese is often recommended for depression, severe nervous fatigue and prolonged insomnia. The therapeutic effect is due to the presence of tryptophan in it, which has the most beneficial effect on the central nervous system, well-being and mood of a person.

Quite a lot of phosphorus has been accumulated in cheese, which, together with calcium, helps to strengthen bone and muscle tissue, and in addition, it is considered a fundamental element for teeth. This is extremely important for people of all ages. But it is especially important for children and adolescents in a period of active growth, as well as for people in adulthood, because, as a rule, with age, the calcium content in the body falls, and a wide variety of problems with the musculoskeletal system begin. By the presence of vitamins E and A, the product ranks second after butter, which is the reason for the beneficial effect on the organs of vision, the condition of the mucous membranes, as well as a slight antioxidant effect.

As you know, everything needs a measure. With frequent and excessive use of Swiss cheese, the likelihood of an increase in cholesterol levels and the development of obesity is very high, since this product is characterized by high calorie content. Do not lean on products for patients with pathologies of the liver, stomach, and pancreas. In addition, it is contraindicated for all those who suffer from severe milk protein intolerance. The product of Swiss manufacturers should be used with caution in gastritis and ulcerative conditions in the acute stage, as it can create a serious burden on the digestive system. And, of course, the product is not recommended for inclusion in the diet for those people who are actively fighting extra pounds - during the weight loss period, the intake of such cheese should be minimal.

Varieties

More than 400 varieties of cheese are produced in Switzerland.

It is worth dwelling on the review of the most popular flavors.

  • Gruyere This is the most famous type of Swiss cheese. It belongs to solid products, has a brown crust and a rather piquant rich smell with nutty notes. The cheese is so popular that it is even made in many other countries. For example, French Gruyère is widely represented in France, which differs from Swiss in the presence of large holes.
  • Raclette- This is a creamy semi-hard cheese that is used for melting in fondue. It is an oily product, with a delicate milky-creamy flavor and a slight smell. It is used for the second course of the same name - the cheese is carefully melted in a special oven, then the resulting mass is scraped off and served with potatoes.
  • Emmental- This is another semi-hard variety with creamy notes. Its distinguishing feature are large holes. It is made from ordinary cow's milk, has a sweet aftertaste and is well suited for an appetizing fondue along with Gruyère.

  • Hobelkase is an extra-hard variety of cheese that has become a real brand. He acquired a recognizable image in cooking all over the world due to the fact that he is served at the table rolled up into a tube. This cheese is handmade.
  • Appenzeller is a very savory cheese, smooth with small holes, made from raw milk from alpine cows. This variety was first released in the 18th century. This cheese has a unique taste and smell, as it is quite heavily saturated with cider, and also processed with herbs.
  • Tete de Moine It is an extra-hard type of cheese that has a pleasant crumbly texture. In translation, its name means "monk's head", which is due to the fact that the first manufacturers of this product were the ministers of the church back in the 12th century. According to the traditions accepted in the country, such cheese is not cut, but carefully scraped off with a sharp knife like shavings.

  • Vasrin-Mont-d'Or- This is a rather peculiar cheese with a semi-liquid consistency. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk and has an amber or red-brown moldy rind.
  • Vasren Friborgois- This is a brand of semi-hard cheese, it has a very interesting nutty taste, a brown-brown washed crust is considered a distinctive feature. This type is ideal for frying fondue, but it is also often put on the dinner table as part of a cheese plate.
  • Sbrinz It is an extra-hard type of cheese that has a rich yellow-orange color. This species is considered elite, its full maturation lasts 3 years - during this period it acquires a slight aftertaste and a rather dense structure.
  • etiva This is a soft, semi-hard cheese that tastes like Gruyère, but slightly less spicy and more salty.

  • Tilsiter This is a yellow-colored cheese well known to Russians with small holes. They began to produce this species in the city of Tilsit, the Kaliningrad region, which at that time was part of Prussia. In Switzerland, its production was launched in the 1890s.
  • Bluchatel- This is a rather soft cheese with blue mold, textured veins are cut into it. The taste is very specific - salty-sour-sweet, with unobtrusive mushroom notes and a hint of fruit and honey.
  • Schabziger- This is an interesting type of cheese of a light green hue, which is made with the addition of fenugreek sprouts. Its production was mastered back in the 18th century; people call it "green Swiss cheese". As a rule, it is served to the table grated.

  • Tom Vaudois- This is a fairly soft product with a light moldy crust. It has a sharp aroma and a very spicy aftertaste, served with fruit.
  • Belper Knolle- This is one of the "youngest", but at the same time unusual types of cheese. It has a crumbly texture and a sprinkle of black pepper, which is why it is very popular among fans of spicy dishes.

How to cook?

Making cheese according to the Swiss recipe is not so easy, because it requires a lot of effort, special ingredients and a lot of time. It is worth considering the recipe in more detail.

To make cheese, you will need the following ingredients:

  • milk - 32 l;
  • mixed sourdough - 2 tsp;
  • propionic acid bacteria - 1.2 tsp;
  • calcium chloride - 5 ml;
  • rennet component - 7.5 ml.

The process of making Swiss cheese includes several stages.

  • Milk should be pasteurized and then cooled to +30 degrees. After that, it is necessary to collect 50 ml of cool water in two containers. In the first one, you need to introduce a preparation of calcium chloride, and in the second - a special rennet component. After that, both mixtures should be divided equally, pour the first parts into the prepared milk (you should also take half of its volume).
  • Then you need to wait for the maturation of the clot. To achieve this, it is necessary to cover the container with a lid and leave at normal temperature for half an hour. After this time, a cheese clot will be noticeable - a gel-like structure with a thick layer of creamy whey. It should be checked for cleanliness of the fracture - a small incision is made with a knife at an angle and the clot is partially lifted. If the edges look aligned, and the incision site is immediately filled with serum, this means that you can proceed to further manipulations. If the product is not ready, it should be kept for another 15-20 minutes.
  • The resulting clot must be cut into small cubes with a side of 1.5 cm and gently stir, bringing the temperature to +45 degrees. In this state, the workpiece should be maintained for half an hour, after which the fire is turned off, but the mass must be stirred for another 30 minutes.
  • After all the steps taken, it is necessary to drain the serum. The cheese grain must be transferred to a drainage container, wrapped and placed in a warm place - it should be there while the second portion of milk is being prepared.

  • The same manipulations should be done with the second half of the workpiece, after which a new portion of the future cheese must also be added to the first already cooled portion and mixed thoroughly so that no difference is noticeable between the layers. The mass must be compacted, covered with a lid and left for final self-pressing for 20-25 minutes.
  • After the set time, the cheese is removed, turned over and its pressing begins, then it is placed in brine based on the proportion: for every 0.5 kg of the product it is salted for 3 hours, that is, for example, a 1 kg head is in brine for 6 hours. After that, the cheese should be removed, turned over and left again for the same time.
  • Finally, the cheese dries - usually takes 5-6 days in a cool place, such as a refrigerator. After that, it is moved to other conditions with a gradual increase in temperature to +22 degrees. Thus, the cheese is processed within a month. During this time, his eyes appear, he significantly increases in size, and the shape becomes more rounded.

Do not forget to turn the product every three days. After 30 days, the cheese can be returned to the refrigerator, where it must finally ripen. As a rule, it takes at least 3 months.

See the next video for how Swiss cheese is made.

The Swiss land is rich in its national culinary masterpieces. Along with incomparable chocolate, wine and bread, the whole world admires the fragrant Swiss cheese. More than 450 varieties of this product are known. The vast majority of cheeses are made from cow's milk, and only a small proportion from sheep's and goat's. The high quality and excellent taste of the national cheese is guaranteed by strict production rules, quality control and environmental restrictions. Swiss cheeses are high in fat and therefore have a pleasant creamy taste.

History of cheese factories

The production of this fermented milk product in Switzerland has a long history. The first mention of it is found in the 1st century BC. e. At first, young curd-type cheeses were produced. This product was made exclusively from sour milk. The production of harder varieties became possible only after the discovery of rennet in the 15th century, which was produced from the stomach of ruminants. In historical documents, the famous hard cheese Gruyère was first mentioned in 1110, and Emmental in 1200. Cheese making in the Swiss Alps has been the main source of income since the Middle Ages. In 1815, the world's first factory for the industrial production of Emmental cheese was opened in Switzerland. Today, the country exports this national product to almost all countries of the world in huge quantities.

Types of swiss cheese

Swiss cheeses are usually divided into the following types:

  • Extra hard and hard cheeses - Sbrinz (Sbrinz) can be considered a typical representative of the first type, and Gruyere (Gruyère) of the second. Made from raw milk, these aged cheeses have a fat content of at least 45%. Hard cheeses ripen for a long time, approximately 12-18 months, depending on the variety. Hard cheese is versatile in cooking and gastronomy. It is ideal for fondue and hot toast, as well as an appetizer for wine. Proper packaging and storage allows it to stay fresh for up to four weeks.
  • Semi-hard cheeses - a representative of this type is Emmentaler (Emmental), Raclette (Raclette), Appenzeller (Appenzeller) or Tilsiter (Tilsiter). Cheeses of this type have a high fat content and a sharp specific aroma and taste. Semi-solid varieties are produced using pasteurized milk, and they are kept for 3 to 6 months. Semi-hard cheese is good as a snack, as well as for preparing a hot national Swiss dish "Raclette".
  • Soft cheese is usually made from pasteurized milk. It is characterized by high humidity (about 50%) and a short ripening period of up to several weeks.

Types of soft cheese

1. Blue cheese is a typical example of Suisse Brie and Camembert. These are fatty cheeses covered with a crust of special white mold, which gives the product a piquant "mushroom" taste.

2. Processed cheeses are produced by remelting hard varieties with the addition of various ingredients (nuts, herbs, spices, olives, etc.). During the ripening process, such cheese is washed with salt water, resulting in a characteristic brown crust. Examples of processed cheese are Munster (Munster) and Vacherin Mont d'Or (Vacherin Mont d'Or).

Creamy varieties are unripe cheeses that are ready to eat as soon as they are made. They are made from pasteurized milk and have a different fat content. The most famous varieties of young cream cheese are Formaggini (Formagini), Petit Suisse, as well as all curd cheeses. Cream cheese is used to make the famous Cheesecake, and also as a filling and sauce.

Goat and sheep products

Goat and sheep cheese are the smallest group of Swiss cheeses. Such cheeses are most useful due to the quality composition of goat's milk, rich in vitamins and minerals. They are prepared without pasteurization of milk, which allows you to save all the useful properties of the original product.

Most Swiss cheeses, like the national bread, are cantonal in nature, that is, they are produced only in their own canton and are essentially unique. The peculiarity and value of such cheeses is that they are prepared only with the use of milk from local cows, which guarantees them high quality and environmental safety.



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