Appenzeller cheese is a hard cow’s milk cheese from Switzerland with a tangy, fruity flavor. It has a controlled designation of origin and is made by 75 secretive dairies. The cheese is unique due to its saline solution and is available in three versions. It pairs well with fruity wines and fresh fruit.
Appenzeller cheese is a hard cow’s milk cheese from the Appenzell region of Switzerland. It has a distinctive tangy, slightly fruity flavor that pairs well with fresh fruit, some wines, and other cheeses. Like many traditional cheeses, Appenzeller cheese has a controlled designation of origin, which means that only cheese made in a particular way by certain producers can be labeled as Appenzeller cheese. The cheese is available in specialty stores and through direct importers with varying strengths, depending on the ripening.
The history of Appenzeller cheese is very old. Fiscal documentation dating back to the 14th century speaks of the cheese and its producers. Modern Appenzeller cheese is produced by 75 highly secretive dairies, each using slightly different production techniques. Like other cheeses, Appenzeller begins with a heating process to separate the curds from the whey. The curds are pressed into large molds to create the wheels of cheese, which are dipped in a saline solution before being aged and sold.
What makes Appenzeller cheese highly unique is the saline solution, which includes a blend of herbs and spices. These saturate the cheese, giving it a distinct and unusual flavor. Additionally, the cheese is washed regularly in wine or cider as it hardens, also adding a fruitiness to the cheese. Three versions are available: classic, surchoix and extra. Classic is lightly aged, with a milder flavor, while Extra is the strongest, with an intense flavor and pungent aroma.
Traditionally, Appenzeller is made with whole milk from cows that have grazed in the same fields used to produce the herb brine for the cheese. Many consumers believe that the best Appenzeller comes from summer milk, which comes from cows that eat minimal hay and tends to be high in fat. In appearance, Appenzeller cheese has a pale yellow body, interspersed with small holes that can become as large as peas. The rind is a little darker and should be stamped with information about the dairy the cheese came from.
The cheese pairs very well with Riesling and other fruity whites. A wine rich in fruit aromas will complement Appenzeller cheese while smoothing out the acidity of the cheese. The cheese can also be slightly tangy, which is why it complements Riesling so well. It can also be eaten with slightly tart sweet fruits such as apples, or paired with cheeses to form a cheese platter.
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