Patrick Oconnell
Swiss cheese is a delightful treat for any cheese lover. With its unique character, nutty flavour, and iconic holes, it is a staple in gourmet dishes, cheese boards, and fondues. Switzerland boasts a wide variety of hard, semi-hard, and soft cheeses, with the well-known Appenzeller being one of the spiciest and most popular. For those looking to indulge in this dairy delight, there are numerous options available, from shopping at specialty stores and local farmers' markets to ordering online from retailers such as Marky's and GoudaCheeseShop.com, which offer a diverse range of authentic Swiss cheeses delivered straight to your door.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Online Stores | GoudaCheeseShop.com, Markys.com, Curedandcultivated.com, Babyswiss.com |
| Local Stores | Specialty stores, farmer's markets |
| Cheese Types | Appenzeller, Gruyère, Raclette Suisse, Tête de Moine, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOC, Le Gruyere AOP Surchoix, Schnebelhorn, Challerhocker, JUMI Truffle Raclette, Hornbacher, Sbrinz Alpage AOP, Raclette Classic, Hoch Ybrig, Le Gruyere AOP Gourmino Reserve, Flat Mansh Extra, Classic Swiss |
| Cheese Characteristics | Spicy, nutty, smooth texture, creamy, sweet, strong aroma, large wheels, aged, raw milk, holes ("eyes") |
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What You'll Learn
Online retailers
There are several online retailers that offer Swiss cheese for delivery. Here are some options:
GoudaCheeseShop.com
GoudaCheeseShop.com is a family-owned enterprise with over 50 years of experience. They offer a wide range of Swiss cheeses, including well-known varieties and regional specialties. Their selection includes Appenzeller, Gruyère, Raclette Suisse, and Vacherin Fribourgeois AOC, among others. The website allows you to add a personal message to your order, making it ideal for gifting. They also provide vacuum packaging to ensure the cheese stays fresh during delivery.
CuredandCultivated.com
CuredandCultivated.com offers a variety of Swiss cheeses at different price points. They have a range of products, including Le Gruyere AOP Surchoix, Schnebelhorn, Challerhocker, JUMI Truffle Raclette, and Appenzeller Classic. The website provides ratings and reviews for each product, making it easier to choose the right cheese for your taste preferences.
Markys.com
Marky's is a well-known online retailer that offers premium Swiss cheese with overnight delivery. Their Swiss cheese is crafted using traditional methods, featuring a smooth texture and a slightly nutty taste. Marky's cheese is made with high-quality milk and undergoes a meticulous aging process, resulting in an authentic taste of Switzerland. Their Swiss cheese is suitable for gourmet dishes, cheese boards, and fondues.
MurraysCheese.com
Murray's Cheese boasts an unparalleled selection of top cheeses from around the world. They offer various Swiss cheeses, including Baby Swiss from Guggisberg Cheese, which is a Grand Champion Winner of the United States Championship Cheese Contest. Murray's Cheese also carries other artisanal products, ensuring a unique culinary experience.
These online retailers provide convenient options for purchasing Swiss cheese, allowing you to explore different varieties and have them delivered directly to your doorstep.
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Local speciality stores
Speciality cheese stores often source their products directly from local dairy farms or artisans, ensuring that you get access to the unique flavours of the region. These stores may also offer a wider variety of Swiss cheeses, including well-known varieties and countless regional specialties. For instance, you may be able to find the popular and spicy Appenzeller cheese, which is hand-rubbed with a secret spice mixture during maturation.
Another famous Swiss cheese you might find at a speciality store is Gruyère, named after the Swiss town of Gruyères. Gruyère has a sweet, nutty taste and is ideal for cheese fondue. A special variant, Gruyère Kaltbach, is ripened in the moist sand caves of Kaltbach, resulting in an intensely rich and spicy flavour.
If you're looking for a more mild and creamy Swiss cheese, you might consider Baby Swiss, which pairs well with crackers, salamis, apples, dried fruit, and nuts. Local speciality stores may also offer other Swiss cheese varieties like Emmi, Raclette Suisse, or Tête de Moine, each with its own distinct flavour and texture.
When visiting a local speciality store, you can inquire about the sourcing of their cheese, the cheesemaking methods employed, and any unique characteristics of the Swiss cheese they offer. This can enhance your understanding and appreciation of Swiss cheese and its rich heritage.
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Farmers' markets
At farmers' markets, you can find vendors who carry a variety of Swiss cheeses, such as the well-known Emmentaler AOP, with its nutty flavour and characteristic "eyes". These holes are a result of the unique fermentation process, developed by skilled cheesemakers, and are now considered indicators of traditional Swiss quality. The smooth texture and mild, buttery taste of Emmentaler AOP are achieved through the traditional ageing process, which has remained unchanged for over 700 years.
In addition to Emmentaler AOP, farmers' markets may offer other Swiss cheese varieties, such as those produced by local Amish and Mennonite communities in Ohio. This cheese, known as Amish Swiss cheese, is made using a time-honoured process brought over from Switzerland. It closely resembles the original Swiss Emmental Cheese and is an excellent, more affordable alternative to Gruyere cheese. The Amish Swiss cheese made in Northeastern Ohio is considered superior to mass-produced Swiss cheese due to the use of traditional methods and high-quality milk from grass-fed cows.
When visiting farmers' markets, look for vendors who specialise in cheese, such as Fromart, which offers a range of local and Swiss cheeses, or Murray's Cheese, which boasts an unparalleled selection of artisanal cheeses from around the world. These vendors often work closely with cheesemakers to ensure their stock is fresh and perfectly matured, allowing you to indulge in the distinct flavours and rich heritage of Swiss cheese.
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Swiss cheese types
Switzerland produces over 475 varieties of cheese, with about 99% of Swiss cheeses made from cow's milk. The remaining share is made from sheep and goat milk. The best-known Swiss cheeses are of the class known as Swiss-type cheeses, also known as Alpine cheeses, which are hard or semi-hard cheeses with distinct characteristics. These include:
Emmental
Named for the Emme Valley in the German-speaking canton of Bern, Emmentaler has been made from raw cow's milk since the 12th century. It is one of the most recognisable Swiss cheeses due to its large "eyes", which develop during maturation. Emmentaler is offered in eight different expressions of ripeness, ranging from a minimum of four months to more than 14 months.
Gruyère
Arguably the most famous Swiss cheese, Le Gruyère AOP is constantly imitated, leading consumers to often mistake the generic, alpine-style cheese found on supermarket shelves for the legendary wheels produced since the early 12th century. Named for the walled city in Fribourg canton, authentic Gruyère is made from raw cow's milk.
Appenzeller
Appenzeller is another well-known Swiss cheese that is made in the Appenzell region of Switzerland.
Sbrinz
Considered one of Europe's oldest cheeses, Sbrinz has been made in central Switzerland for over two millennia. Today, only 42 dairies in central Switzerland make Sbrinz from raw Swiss Brown cow's milk. It is a superb grating cheese and can be used in dishes such as creamy soups, chowders, risotto, and schnitzels.
Tête de Moine
Tête de Moine is an excellent choice for a cheese board, and its bold flavours and texture make it great for cooking with. Try it melted over roasted fingerling potatoes, mixed with warm cream and herbs for gnocchi, or topping a burger.
Swiss cheeses can be purchased from various retailers, including Guggisberg Cheese, Murray's Cheese, and The Cheese Professor.
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Swiss cheese pairings
Swiss cheese is a versatile treat that can be paired with a variety of foods and drinks. The mildly nutty flavour of Swiss cheese makes it a great companion to crackers, dark breads, salami, dried fruits, and nuts.
A traditional pairing with Swiss cheese is raw and pickled onions, which complement the flavour of the cheese. You can also opt for slightly sweetened confits and jams made from onions or shallots. On the more intense end of the spectrum, caramelized and roasted onion flavours go well with Swiss cheese, especially when paired with savoury additions.
Swiss cheese is also well-suited to bitter foods such as bitter chocolate and bitter greens. A classic sandwich combination is ham and Swiss cheese with mustard on rye bread.
When it comes to drinks, Swiss cheese pairs well with port, sherry, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling.
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Frequently asked questions
You can buy real Swiss cheese online from websites like Marky's, Murray's Cheese, Goudacheeseshop.com, and Curedandcultivated.com. You can also try your local farmer's market.
There are hundreds of different types of Swiss cheese, including hard, semi-hard, and soft varieties. Popular types include Appenzeller, Gruyère, and Raclette.
Swiss cheese typically has a nutty flavor and a smooth, creamy texture.
