Discover How Swiss Farmers Make World-Famous Cheese
Do you ever think about the process behind Swiss cheese production? Aside from needing milk and time, it is a craft honed over hundreds of years. The whole journey is integrated with pure productivity and finesse, from fresh alpine milk to matured cheese wheels.
From Milk to Cheese: Step by Step
It all begins with fresh milk—about 50 liters of it—to produce a single 5kg wheel of cheese. Many traditional farms still stick to the old ways, with some even heating the milk over an open fire. Here’s a closer look at how the transformation happens:
- Curdling the Milk – Rennet is added to help the milk solidify. Within roughly 40 minutes, it thickens into curds.
- Cutting the Curd – A special tool called a harp is used to slice through the curds, breaking them into uniform pieces to ensure consistent texture.
- Heating – The curds are heated again for about 50 minutes, which helps separate more whey from the solid parts.
- Shaping & Pressing – The curds are wrapped in cheesecloth, and in keeping with tradition, cheesemakers often hold the corners of the cloth in their mouths while working. The cheese is then placed into molds and pressed to remove any remaining liquid.
- Salting & Aging – Once shaped, the cheese is soaked in a salt bath for several weeks. As it ages, bacteria naturally break down proteins, releasing amino acids and ammonia, which contribute to the cheese’s strong aroma and deep flavor.
What Makes Alpine Cheese Unique?
Not every cheese is Alpkäse or Alpine cheese. To bear that title, it needs to be manufactured in the Alps and requires the use of milk extracted from cows that are allowed to graze in high pastures. The diverse blend of grass, along with its wild flowers, gives the cheese its rich and unique flavor.
So, the next time you savor Swiss cheese, whether it is fondue or a simple, fresh loaf of bread, take a moment to appreciate the effort and passion that went into it. It truly is a symbol of Alpine heritage.
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