You may be wondering about how to find the best swiss cheese. You should know that you can choose from a variety of types including Emmental, Appenzeller, L’Etivaz, and Vacherin Fribourgeois. This article will explain the differences between these cheeses and what to look for when buying one. For more information, see the related articles. You can also read about different cheese-making processes in Switzerland.
Emmental
When it comes to cheese, you can’t go wrong with an Emmental. This delicately flavorful cheese is a beautiful pale yellow with distinctive holes and a hard, thin rind. It is sold with paper bearing the cheese’s producer’s name. The cheese is often served cold, sliced into a gourmet sandwich, or served in a fondue. It is available in both fresh and aged varieties, and the taste is fruity and acidic.
Appenzeller
The smooth, firm texture and slightly fruity, tangy flavor of Appenzeller Swiss cheese are what make this hard, crumbly Swiss cheese so popular. Its intense aroma and taste are complemented by its milky, creamy interior. The flavor is complex, ranging from nutty to spicy, with a long, lingering finish. The cheese is made in cylindrical molds, with a cake weighing between six and eight kilograms.
L’Etivaz
Known as a hard, highly cured cheese, L’Etivaz is made from raw cow’s milk in the alpine mountains of the canton of Vaud. The cheese is matured in alpine caves, where it is infected with aromatic herbs and is a unique culinary experience. The cheese has a long history, and its production is regulated by a cooperative, which ensures the highest quality and a strict AOP status.
Vacherin Fribourgeois
The rich and creamy texture of Vacherin Fribourgeois is the hallmark of a classic Swiss cheese fondue. This creamy and slightly firm cheese has a rich, fruity aroma and pronounced flavors. Its consistent milkiness is balanced by notes of hay and nuts. The flavour is complex but not overwhelming. For a milder, more delicate version, try its lighter cousin, Gruyere.
L’Etivaz is a name-protected cheese
This delicious cheese is a traditional specialty from the Swiss Alps. The cows are milked on mountain pastures at 1,000 to 2,000-metres above sea level and the cheese is naturally rich in Alpine herbs and flora. The cheese has a fruity undertone and is made on 130 mountainside farms between Lake Geneva and Les Diablarets. It is aged in copper cauldrons over wood fires, the same method cheesemakers used 500 years ago.