Vacherin Fribourgeois: Secret Ingredient in Swiss Fondue

Cheese Atlas — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 04:02:08 +0000

From the canton of Freiburg

Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP is a Swiss semi-soft cheese made with raw cow’s milk in the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg.

Also, it is known as Freiburger Vacherin by the German-speaking locals. In addition to those regions in Switzerland, this cheese is also made in the Jura Mountains across the border in France.

Grazing on alpine wildflowers

It all begins with the milk. In order to make this cheese, local artisans use fresh, raw milk from Fribourgeois cows. Moreover, the cows graze on Alpine grass and wildflowers from late spring to summer.

Presently, there are only a small number of artisanal cheesemakers who are authorised to make this cheese. As a matter of fact, they release it for consumption at different ages. Indeed, you can enjoy the Classic at 6-12 weeks. And Rustic up to 25 weeks.

Serving guide

Overall, this cheese is an excellent table cheese with its flavour ranging from buttery to nutty.

However, it truly comes into its own when melted in a fondue. Actually, it is a traditional ingredient in “Fondue Moitié-Moitié”. This classic Swiss recipe consists of half Gruyère and half Vacherin Fribourgeois.

Substitutes for Vacherin Fribourgeois

Can’t get your hands on this gorgeous Swiss melter? Raclette and Emmentaler are two great substitutes.

The post Vacherin Fribourgeois: Secret Ingredient in Swiss Fondue appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Gruyère: Switzerland’s Most Famous Cheese

Cheese Atlas — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 07:04:21 +0000

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.

Thank you for reading

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