Undoubtedly, Le Gruyère is Switzerland most famous cheese. This historic semi-hard cheese is indelibly linked to the Swiss Alps.
Always made with raw milk
Le Gruyère is a traditional semi-hard cheese made with raw cow’s milk by a select number of artisanal cheesemakers in Switzerland.
Its origins date back to the early 12th century in the district of La Gruyère. The AOP now restricts its production to the Cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura and Bern. Moreover, Fribourg is home to the tiny village of Gruyères, where cheese has been made for more than 800 years.
Made in large copper vats
Firstly, the cheesemaker adds starter cultures and rennet to the raw milk in a large copper vat. It only takes about 40 minutes for a dense mass of curd to form. They then cut the curd and gently heat it to 57° (135°F) for 45 minutes.
Thereafter, the maker pumps the curd and whey into large round moulds inscribed with Le Gruyère AOP. Each wheel is then pressed for about twenty hours before being placed in a salt bath for 24 hours.
How Gruyère is matured
After three months in the dairy, they transfer the wheels to maturing cellars for a slow maturation process. Over the next 5 to 18 months, an affineur will regularly turn the wheels over and brush them with salt water.
Between 6 and 9 months of age, this famous cheese has a soft and refined taste with sweet notes. From 10 months onwards, it is referred to as Réserve and has a full-flavoured and aromatic taste. Some wheels will be matured up to 18, or even 24 months for even more robust flavours.
How to pair Le Gruyère
Enjoy this famous Swiss cheese with a glass of Pinot Noir. It is also a spectacular melter and will excel in a cheese toastie.
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