Switzerland: The Land of a 1000 Cheeses

You have come to enjoy the Swiss Raclette and Fondue cheeses that Swiss House Shop has imported fresh to Hong Kong but Switzerland is also known for many other excellent cheeses from various regions of Switzerland. We are proud to bring you a selection of some of the most famous cheeses from Switzerland, including the Appenzeller, Gruyere, Tilsiter, Tete-de-Moine and yes, the one with the big holes – the Emmentaler cheese. Allow us to introduce you to the Emmentaler and its origins:

Emmentaler, often referred to as "Swiss cheese" or the "King of Swiss Cheeses" is a yellow, medium-hard Swiss cheese that originated in the area around Emmental, Canton Bern. It has a savory but mild taste. The famous cheese from the valley with the Emme river in the canton of Bern got its name. There the cheese production can be traced back to the 13th century. Emmentaler AOP is today produced in around 120 village dairies from fresh, untreated milk from cows that eat grass and hay but never see silage. One kilogram of cheese takes about 12 liters of milk. Any additives and genetically modified ingredients are strictly prohibited.

The round cheese loaves have a diameter of 80 to 100 cm and weigh 75 to 120 kg. Size, tradition and outstanding quality make the Emmentaler the undisputed “King of Cheeses” worldwide. Emmentaler is usually enjoyed cold in pieces or slices. But it is also ideal as a tasty ingredient in warm cuisine. The most typical feature of the Emmentaler AOP are its holes. They are cherry to nut-sized and arise during the cheese curing process (they are not drilled into the cheese as some have you believe…)