Fresh Swiss milk from contented cows grazing on lush meadows: the starting ingredient is the same in every region of Switzerland. But what emerges from it in the dairies could not be richer in variety. There’s the world- famous Emmentaler AOC; spicy Appenzeller®; smooth, soft Vacherin Mont d’Or AOC; tangy cheeses such as Sbrinz AOC; aromatic ones like Le Gruyère AOC; Tête de Moine AOC, which can be shaved into ornate rosettes; plus around another 450 unmistakeably original Swiss cheeses.
Needless to say, a country with such a variety of cheeses offers a great range of cheese-based culinary creations – from the cheese bombs known as Malakoffs to toasted cheese slices and cheesecakes, and from raclette to the famous fondue. For in Switzerland, cheese is not just cheese, but a living slice of popular and gastronomic culture.
A must for cheese lovers is a visit to a weekly market to see the stands of the farmers and cheese makers stacked high with wheels of cheese, many of which have been made in summer pastures.
Needless to say, a country with such a variety of cheeses offers a great range of cheese-based culinary creations – from the cheese bombs known as Malakoffs to toasted cheese slices and cheesecakes, and from raclette to the famous fondue. For in Switzerland, cheese is not just cheese, but a living slice of popular and gastronomic culture.
A must for cheese lovers is a visit to a weekly market to see the stands of the farmers and cheese makers stacked high with wheels of cheese, many of which have been made in summer pastures.
