Swiss Flashcards
APPENZELLER
Made from cow’s milk
Country of origin: Switzerland
Type: hard, artisan
Texture: firm
Rind: washed
Flavour: fruity, nutty
Aroma: strong
Alternative spellings: Appenzeller Classic, Appenzeller Surchoix, Appenzeller Extra
Appenzeller cheese, from the Appenzell region in northeast Switzerland, is a hard cow’s milk cheese with a rich history spanning at least 700 years. Currently, over 70 dairies make this cheese, each following a unique brine wash recipe.
During the curing process, an herbal brine - sometimes enhanced with wine or cider, is applied to the cheese wheels. This not only imparts distinct flavours to the cheese but also contributes to its preservation while developing a golden-coloured rind. The cheese boasts a straw-coloured appearance, adorned with tiny holes and a lustrous rind. Characterized by a strong aroma, it offers a nutty or fruity taste that can vary from mild to tangy, depending on the duration of ageing.
Appenzeller is sold in three varieties:
Classic - mild and spicy cheese is aged 3-4 months (Silver label)
Surchoix - strong spicy cheese is aged 4-6 months (Gold label)
Extra - extra spicy chees is aged 6+ months (Black label)
LE GRUYÈRE AOP
Made from unpasteurized cow’s milk
Country of origin: Switzerland
Type: hard
Fat content: 49-53%
Texture: compact
Flavour: sweet
Aroma: earthy
Vegetarian: no
What is Gruyère AOP?
Gruyère AOP (Gruyère), is a hard Swiss cheese named after the Swiss town of Gruyères, in Fribourg. It is a traditional, creamy, unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese.
What do AOC and AOP mean?
In 2001, Gruyère gained the “AOC Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (in English it means controlled origin designation), which became “AOP Appellation d’Origine Protégée” (in English: Protected Designation of Origin) as of 2013. This means that the entire production must follow the AOP specifications, from the milk production and collection to the maturing process.
What does Gruyère taste like?
The natural, rusty brown rind of Gruyère is hard and dry. The cheese has a darker yellow hue compared to Emmental, yet its texture is more dense and compact. Gruyère offers a sweet and slightly salty taste. When young, the cheese is creamy and nutty, but as it matures, the texture becomes earthy and complex, marked by small cracks. A fully aged cheese, typically aged between 5 months to a year, exhibits small cracks and a grainy texture.
