Each filtering bag swiss cheeses in recent times they have become a benchmark and clear example of sustainability. The Alpine country has been concerned for hundreds of years about maintain the cheese tradition based on respect for the environment, animals and responsible production, maintaining the indisputable quality of its products.
Thus, cheese amanates find in Switzerland one of the most succulent origins with which to delight the palate, since in this country more than 430 varieties of cheese are produced per year. Today in Summum, we make a special trip to the meadows of the Swiss valleys to bring you a tour of some of the references with AOP designation or what is the same, certificate of Swiss origin, essential. Le Gruyère, Sbrinz, Tête de Moine, Emmentaler and Appenzeller, all of them made in a traditional way according to centenary recipes and based on raw milk from cows fed with herbs from its valleys and mountains; how to pair these different delicacies andsome of the best addresses in Spain to enjoy them. From the recognized Poncelet Cheese Bar Madrid with its diamond-shaped cheese cellar, to a Seville classic in the Triana neighborhood or a chalet in the very Alps in Calpe.
Gruyere
The cheese Le Gruyère AOP It is one of the best known in Switzerland worldwide, and is still made in a traditional way today. It is delicate, vigorous and has a pronounced aroma. With a more or less salty note, the fruity tastes that dominate can vary according to the production area. It may have small holes, although contrary to popular belief, these are sparse and no larger than a pea.
Connoisseurs and gourmets appreciate this cheese for its typical aroma and extraordinary taste. A hard cheese that has been made for centuries near the small town of Gruyères, in the canton of Friborg and that continues to this day according to a traditional recipe in the cheese factories of this region of western Switzerland.
“Le Gruyère AOP must appear on every cheese board”, it stands out Nicola Polinelli, Marketing and Communication Director of Cheeses of Switzerland. “It is an exquisite food and allows the preparation of a large number of dishes, although it does not necessarily have to be cooked. Delicious cold, it can be enjoyed as a dessert or as a snack with crusty bread. In addition, its excellent melting behavior makes it irreplaceable for fondue, the most international dish of Swiss gastronomy ”, he explains.
Sbrinz
It is considered one of the oldest cheeses, although its origins are not known with certainty. The Sbrinz AOP is an extra-spicy hard cheese from central Switzerland with a centuries-old tradition. 26 selected dairies from the valley and the Alps produce it daily with raw milk, rennet and top quality salt. Its maturation lasts at least 18 months: the longer the aging, the more aromatic and spicy the cheese becomes.
As Nicola Polinelli points out, “this tasty cheese, with body and character, It can be tasted in three different ways: at 18 months it can be cut into very thin rolls. It is usually eaten grated for pasta, in small pieces, accompanied by wine, thinly sliced, or simply with bread and butter “, explains the expert.
As a note, the Sbrinz is cut with the help of a special, small, pointed knife, thanks to which uneven pieces of cheese are breaking off. Its dough and texture also make it perfect for gratins and risottos.
Monk’s head
El Tête de Moine AOP, literally monk’s head, is a cylindrical cheese made from semi-hard raw milk, lubricated, weighing about 800 grams, with a very fine mass that melts slightly in the mouth. It is not cut, but is made into fine rosettes with a scraping tool such as the girolle. Scraping increases the surface of the cheese that comes into contact with the air. On the one hand, this changes the structure of the cheese mass and, on the other, allows the full development of the aromatic and melting taste. The monks of the Bellelay monastery, in today’s Bernese Jura, were already scraping their Tête de Moine with a knife. According to tradition, the cheese served the monks already in the twelfth century as payment.
Freshly milked milk from Swiss cows gives this cheese an incomparable flavor. It is produced in less than ten village cheeseries in its region of origin, according to the strict specifications of the AOP, and is kept on spruce boards for at least two and a half months.
“Tête de Moine rosettes are best scraped straight out of the refrigerator. It owes its strong and particular flavor to the rich grass and is a typical product of its “terroir”. From smooth, unctuous flavor and semi-consistent cutIt is particularly appreciated in aperitifs, where it can be presented with the girolle, decorated with grapes or dried fruit. It can also be used to decorate canapés, salads or desserts ”, explains Polinelli.
Emmentaler
Probably the most typical characteristic of the Emmentaler AOP are their holes. They are the size of cherries and walnuts and are formed during the ripening process.
This famous cheese gets its name from the valley with the river Emme in the canton of Bern. The production of this cheese dates from the XNUMXth century. It is currently produced in about 111 dairies of villages from untreated milk from cows that eat grass and hay. The round wheels have a diameter of 80 to 100 cm and a weight of 75 to 120 kg. Size, tradition and exceptional quality make this product the undisputed “king of cheeses”.
Nicola Polinelli points out that “the Emmentaler AOP is usually consume cold in pieces or in sheets. It’s also great as a tasty ingredient in hot cooking. ”
Appenzeller
The cheese Appenzeller® It is one of the great Swiss cheese specialties. Switzerland’s most aromatic cheese is produced by hand from more than 700 years ago, according to an ancient tradition. The soft, hilly landscape between Lake Constance and the Säntis massif, with its rich and healthy grass, is the ideal base for the natural raw milk used in making this cheese. The strictly limited production area guarantees the uniqueness of this specialty, as it can only be produced in the canton of Appenzell and in parts of the cantons of St.Gallen and Thurgau.
Its unique flavor is due to the care it receives for at least three months with an herbal brine whose composition is a strictly kept secret.
Where to enjoy them?
Cities like Madrid, Barcelona, A Coruña, Calpe o Seville They have some spaces that take us to the country where cheese is almost an art. Its menus are loaded with flavors and aromas and typically Swiss dishes, such as raclette or fondue. Here are some of them:
– Poncelet Cheese Bar
Calle José Abascal, 61 (Madrid)
It was born as a local specialized in artisan cheeses from small national and European producers and today it has more than 300 varieties of cheese.
– La Fondue de Tell
Calle del Divino Pastor, 12 (Madrid)
A typical place in the Swiss mountains, decorated with carved wood, colorful stained glass, Alpine horn, cowbells and even a cuckoo clock.
– Basel Restaurant
Carrer de San Antoni Maria Claret, 211 (Barcelona)
Founded in 2002, Basel is a genuinely Swiss restaurant specializing in fondues and cheese raclettes of 100% Swiss origin.
– La Carassa
Carrer del Brossolí, 1 (Barcelona)
Hidden in a narrow street in the Born district of Barcelona, you will find this restaurant dominated by a decoration full of antiques and a bohemian atmosphere that give it a special atmosphere.
– Las Viudas Cheese Bar
Nicaragua Street, 2 (A Coruña)
It is defined as the first cheese bar in A Coruña and is a must for all fans and lovers of cheese. In his letter there are more than fifty national and international references.
– The Swiss house
Calle Jardín, 9 – Calpe (Alicante)
It is a small corner of the Swiss country in Calpe, Alicante. And it is that the restaurant resembles the typical Swiss chalet in aesthetics and also in its specialized cuisine in which to find the traditional dishes of the country.
– Bar Juan Carlos
Calle Febo, 6 (Sevilla)
In the heart of Seville’s Triana neighborhood, we find this mythical place founded in 1993 by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez where you can find 120 different types of cheese and to accompany them, with more than 80 different types of beers from all over the world.