Page 42 - Deli Business June/July 2020

CHEESE CORNER
Switzerland produces over 750 varieties of cheeses. That’s a lot of production for such a small country, considering one can travel end-to-end by train in
less than eight hours. The alpine landscape of Switzerland plays a strong role in the endurance of the cheese industry. So it’s no surprise that for every person, there are five cows and that half of the dairy milk produc- tion goes into making cheese. Yes, truly it’s quite the cheesy country. The architects of this glorious product? Swiss Brown cows can be seen almost everywhere in sum- mer, where they graze on the lush buffet of green grass that covers the alpine meadows from May to October.
One of the Alp’s most recognized cheeses, Appenzeller, originates from the Eastern region of Switzerland where alpine herdsmen having been making it for over 700 years. The charming historic village of Appenzell is nestled within the rolling hills of Appenzell Innerrhoden, the smallest canton of Switzerland. The village, with a population of 7,000, is considered to be the cultural center of the canton. Time- honored traditions centered around dairy
farming are still practiced where visitors can attend local events and festivals, such as the cattle drive up to the alpine pastures in May. This is where a procession of deco- rated dairy cows, with bells, of course, are led by herdsmen wearing traditional festive costumes. Once the cows reach the pas- tures, the herdsmen sing yodeling songs.
A Storied History
When an abbatial estate was built in 1071, cultivation and settlement began tak- ing place in the mountain valleys, which led to farming on the Alpstein Alps. Farmers tended their alpine green meadows that were mainly situated on the sunny side of hills between 500 and 1,000 meters above sea level. Grazing during the summer, lead- ing the cows to the grasslands of the Alps was a method of protecting the fodder crops in the lower valleys.
The first mention of a hard cow’s milk cheese was noted in a document written in 1282, when the people of Appenzell used the cheese they produced as a tithe to the church, thus giving it to the monks at the Abbey of St. Galen. The cheese was highly regarded for its unique spicy flavor derived
from an herbal brine and rub placed on the rind surface as it aged. Each farmer devel- oped their own distinctive brine based on their environment, passing down the rec- ipe within the family. Cheese was a main staple of food and main source of income, making anything to do with the lifestyle of producing cheese a valuable skill and trade, including management of the pastures.
42 DELI BUSINESS JUN/JUL 2020