Swiss cheese: features, varieties and preparation description

For any foreigner, Switzerland is associated with a clock, as well as chocolate and cheese.And if France is known for its delicate soft cheeses, then Switzerland, on the contrary, has received worldwide recognition as a manufacturer of luxury hard and extra hard cheeses.

True Swiss cheeses are made from fresh milk, commonly used cow, a little less - sheep or goat. As a rule, in each region of this state they produce their own specialty cheese, whence the product gets its name. In most cases, manufacturers are small family shops, rather than large dairy plants, because for the inhabitants of this country cheese is not just a food product, but a real tradition, an integral part of life. Alpine milk product can only be solid or semi-solid, and remarkably, it has a rather long shelf life. It was this property that made it so popular in trade centuries ago - when neither refrigerators nor thermo backpacks were invented, and caravans with products moved for a long time under the scorching rays of the Mediterranean sun.

It is noteworthy that absolutely at most stages of the production cycle, work is done by hand, that is, manual work is used. Cheese cookers heat pasteurized milk in a large saucepan to +35 degrees for a long time, then add a special component that stimulates ripening, is filtered from the whey formed, salted and re-adjusted to +45 degrees, and then pressed. After these manipulations, the semi-finished cheese matures and goes on sale.

In addition, the following features are the hallmarks of a genuine product:

• a special mark of AOC corporate quality control;
• crust formation;
• a thick yellow color due to an increased percentage of fat;
• long shelf life (at least 12 months).

The taste of the product is bright, rich and spicy, it is served with rye bread and various vegetables.

Gourmets offer the following ideas of serving dishes:

• with ham and spicy pickled vegetables;
• with potatoes and stewed vegetables;
• in the form of muesla.

High-calorie Swiss cheese - 100 grams of the product contains 396 kilocalories, while the composition of BZHU includes: 2g of proteins, 32 g of fat, and there are no carbohydrates in this product. Cheese made in Switzerland has an excellent nutritional structure, it contains vitamins A, D, E, as well as the necessary folic and nicotinic acids. Quite a lot of vitamin B and trace elements in it - calcium, magnesium, as well as sodium, iron, cobalt and zinc. Such a qualitative composition determines the exceptional nutritional value and usefulness of the cheese product.

Real Swiss cheese is a storehouse of vitamins, so its food intake contributes to the normalization of the functioning of the digestive tract and optimizes brain function. Swiss cheese is often recommended to use in depressive states, severe nervous fatigue and prolonged insomnia. The therapeutic effect is due to the presence in it of tryptophan, which has the most beneficial effect on the central nervous system, well-being and mood of a person.

Cheese has accumulated quite a lot of phosphorus, which, together with calcium, helps to strengthen bone and muscle tissue, and in addition, is considered a fundamental element for teeth. It is extremely important for people of all ages.But it is especially important for children and adolescents in the period of active growth, as well as for people in adulthood, since, as a rule, the calcium content in the body decreases with age, and a variety of problems with the musculoskeletal system begin. According to the presence of vitamins E and A, the product takes the second place after butter, this is the reason for the beneficial effects on the organs of vision, the state of the mucous membranes, as well as a slight antioxidant effect.

As you know, everything needs measure. With frequent and excessive consumption of Swiss cheese is very high probability of increasing cholesterol levels and the development of obesity, since this product is characterized by increased caloric content. Do not lean on the products of patients with pathologies of the liver, stomach, and the pancreas. In addition, it is contraindicated to all those who suffer from severe intolerance to milk protein. The product of Swiss manufacturers should be used with caution in gastritis and ulcerative conditions in the acute stage, as it can create a serious load on the digestive system. And, of course, the product is not recommended for inclusion in the diet of those people who are actively struggling with extra pounds - during the period of weight loss, the reception of such cheese should be minimal.

In Switzerland, produced more than 400 varieties of cheese.

It is worth looking at the review of the most popular tastes.

• Gruyere - This is the most famous type of Swiss cheese. It belongs to solid products, has a brown crust and a pretty piquant rich smell with nutty notes. Cheese is so popular that it is even made in many other countries. For example, French Gruyere is widely represented in France, differing from Switzerland in the presence of large holes.
• Raclet - It is a creamy semi-hard cheese, which is used for melting in fondue. It is an oily product, with a delicate milky cream flavor and a slight odor. It is used for the second dish of the same name - the cheese is carefully melted in a special oven, then the resulting mass is scraped off and served along with the potatoes.
• Emmental - this is another semi-solid variety with creamy notes. Its hallmark is big holes. It is made from regular cow's milk, it is characterized by a sweetish aftertaste and is well suited for appetizing fondue along with Gruyere.

• Hobelkaze - This is an extra hard variety of cheese that has become a real brand. He acquired a world-renowned image in cooking due to the fact that he was served to the table rolled into a straw. This cheese is prepared by hand.
• Appenzeller - This is a very spicy cheese, smooth with small holes, made from raw milk of Alpine cows. For the first time this variety was released in the XVIII century. This cheese has a unique taste and smell, because it is quite saturated with cider, and also processed with spicy herbs.
• Teet de moine - This is an extra hard type of cheese that has a pleasant crumbly structure. In translation, its name means “monk’s head”, which is connected with the fact that the first manufacturers of this product were the servants of the church as early as the 12th century. According to the traditions adopted in the country, such cheese is not cut, but is carefully scraped with a sharp knife like chips.

• Waschren-Mont-d'Or - this is a rather peculiar cheese with a semi-liquid consistency. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk, it has an amber or red-brown mold rind.
• Washren Friburjuja - it is a semi-hard cheese brand, it has a very interesting nutty taste, a brown-brown washed crust is considered to be a distinctive feature. This type is ideal for fondue frying, but it is also often put on the dinner table as part of a cheese plate.
• Sbrinz - this is an extra-hard cheese that is characterized by a rich yellow-orange color.This species is considered elite, its full maturation lasts 3 years - during this period it acquires a light taste and rather dense structure.
• This - This is a gentle semi-hard cheese, taste like Gruyere, but slightly less spicy and more salty.

• Tilsiter this is a well-known yellow-colored cheese with small holes for Russians. They began to produce this species in the city of Tilsit, the Kaliningrad region, which at that time was part of Prussia. In Switzerland, its release was adjusted in the 1890s.
• Blusher - This is a rather soft cheese with blue mold, textured veins are carved in it. The taste is very specific - salty-sour-sweet, with unobtrusive mushroom notes and a taste of fruit and honey.
• Shabziger - This is an interesting type of light green cheese that is made with the addition of fenugreek sprouts. Its production is mastered in the XVIII century, in the people it is called "green Swiss cheese." As a rule, it is served to the table grated.

• Tom Voduaz - It is a rather soft product with a light moldy crust. It has a sharp aroma and a very piquant flavor, served with fruit.
• Belper knolle - This is one of the most "young", but at the same time unusual types of cheese. It has a crumbly texture and dumping of black pepper - which is why it is very popular with spicy food fans.

It is not so easy to prepare cheese according to the Swiss recipe, since it requires a lot of effort, special ingredients and considerable time. It is worth considering in more detail the recipe.

The following ingredients are required for cheese production:

• milk - 32 l;
• mixed starter - 2 tsp .;
• propionic acid bacteria - 1.2 tsp;
• calcium chloride - 5 ml;
• rennet component - 7.5 ml.

The process of making Swiss cheese involves several steps.

• Milk should be subjected to pasteurization, then cooled to + 30 degrees. After that, you need to dial in two containers of 50 ml of cool water. In the first you need to enter the preparation of calcium chloride, and in the second - a special rennet component. After that, both mixtures should be divided equally, the first parts should be poured into the prepared milk (half of its volume should also be taken).
• Then you must wait for the ripening of the clot. To achieve this, it is necessary to cover the container with a lid and leave it at the usual temperature for half an hour. After this time, a cheese clot will be visible - a gel-like structure with a thick layer of cream whey. It should be subjected to checking for cleanliness of the fracture - a small incision is made at an angle with a knife and the clot is partially lifted. If the edges look aligned, and the cut is immediately filled with serum, this means that further manipulations can be made. If the product is not ready - it should be kept for another 15–20 minutes.
• The resulting clot must be cut into small cubes with a side of 1.5 cm and gently stir, bringing the temperature to +45 degrees. In this state, the workpiece should be maintained for half an hour, after which the fire is turned off, but the mass must be stirred for another 30 minutes.
• After all the actions carried out, it is necessary to drain the serum. Cheese grain must be shifted to the drainage tank, wrapped and placed in a warm place - there it should be, while preparing the second portion of milk.

• With the second half of the blank, the same manipulations should be done, after which a new portion of the future cheese should also be added to the first already cooled portion and thoroughly mixed so that there is no difference between the layers. The mass must be sealed, cover with a lid and leave for the final self-pressing for 20-25 minutes.
• After a set time, the cheese is taken out, turned over and pressure testing begins, then it is placed in a brine based on the proportion: for every 0.5 kg of the product it is salted for 3 hours, that is, for example, the head is 1 kg in brine for 6 hours.After that, the cheese should be removed, turned over and left again for the same time.
• At the end, the cheese dries - as a rule, it takes 5-6 days in a cool place, for example, in the refrigerator. After that, it is moved to other conditions with a gradual increase in temperature to +22 degrees. Thus, the cheese is treated for a month. During this time, his eyes appear, he significantly increases in size, and the shape becomes more rounded.

How to make Swiss cheese, see the following video.