Archive for the ‘Swiss’ Category
Vacherin Mont d’Or
March 17th, 2013 Posted 7:26 pm
Vacherin Mont d’Or is normally supplied in small, round, open topped, wooden boxes about 6 inches (15cm) diameter and wrapped in cellophane. Though bigger wheels are made, they are not particularly practical, for reasons that will become clear later. The uneven surface is a pale pinky yellow, dusted with white, yielding easily under pressure when ripe.
 Vacherin Mont d'Or This cheese is only available between September and March. The story goes, that it is made from milk from the same cows that normally goes into making Gruyère. However, during the winter months, the cows are brought down from their mountain pastures, put into barns for the winter and fed on hay. The result is the thicker creamier milk used to make this cheese. Breaking through the cellophane wrapping, releases a wonderful earthy aroma of pine, farmyard and mushrooms. Under the rind, the cheese itself is very gooey, almost liquid and needs to be spooned out carefully onto the chosen comestible vehicle. The texture is creamy and decadent with a smooth taste, full of subtle aromas of meadows and hay. Around the perimeter, the flavour becomes strong with the turpentine like flavour of pine sap from the spruce bark, that lines the box. This adds a wonderful edge to the character of this cheese. A traditional way of enjoying Vacherin Mont d’Or, is to make a hole in the top and pour in a spoonful of white wine. Then place the whole cheese into the oven for 20 minutes. This makes it even more liquid, into which chunks of bread can be dipped. Thereby turning it into a sort of instant fondue. Vacherin Mont d’Or is quite expensive, costing about £12 for the whole cheese, but is worth it. However, it should be noted that there is another cheese that goes by the name of Vacherin. This is not the same thing at all and is rather disappointing in comparison. |
Purchased from Cheese Please, Lewes.
Reviewed by Nick & Olympia, 2012.
(4/5)
Posted in 4 Stars - Very Good, Cow's milk, Soft, Swiss
Appenzeller
July 15th, 2012 Posted 8:25 pm
Made in the mountains of northeast Switzerland, Appenzeller is typically alpine in taste and texture, but as it ripens, it becomes so much more.
 Appenzeller Appenzeller is washed in herb imbued brine sometimes with added wine or cider. The hard rind is browny yellow often wrapped in printed foil from the manufacturer. The paste is a light golden yellow in colour with the occasional bubble. When young, it has a sweet buttermilk smell and a mild nutty flavour. As it ages, the sweet innocence of youth is lost to a lustful decadence, that is at the same time beautifully sensual and utterly filthy. There is something very sexy about Appenzeller, together with the smells of grass, milk and cowshed is a like a romp in the hayloft with the farmer’s daughter. |
Reviewed by Nick & Olympia 2012.
(5/5)
Posted in 5 Stars - Excellent, Cow's milk, Hard, Swiss