What’s The Difference Between Emmenthaler And Swiss Cheese?
Filed in Category Swiss Cheeses
From what I understand, Emmenthaler is a superior Swiss cheese from Switzerland and France and is made in part with unpasturzed milk so it’s hard to find in the US. Is this true?
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Emmental, Emmentaler, Emmenthal, or Emmenthaler is a Swiss cheese. It is sometimes known as Swiss cheese in North America, Australia and New Zealand, although Swiss cheese does not always imply Emmental.
The cheese originally comes from the Emme valley in the canton of Bern. Unlike some other cheese varieties, the denomination “Emmental” was not protected (“Emmentaler Switzerland®” is, though). Hence, Emmental of other origin, especially from France and Bavaria, is widely available. Even Finland is an exporter of Emmental cheese.
Emmental is a yellow, medium-hard cheese, with characteristic large holes. It has a piquant, but not really sharp taste. Three types of bacteria are used in the production of Emmental, Streptococcus thermophilis, Lactobacillus, and Propionibacter shermani. In the late stage of cheese production, P. shermani consumes the lactic acid excreted by the other bacteria, and releases carbon dioxide gas, which slowly forms the bubbles that make holes.
It features prominently in the cuisine of the United States where it is a standard cheese for use in the preparation of sandwiches, albeit often substituted by cheaper “Swiss cheese”, a processed cheese that is flavored to mimic true Emmentaler.
In cooking, it is often put on top of gratins, dishes which are then put in the oven to let the cheese melt and become golden-brown and crusty. It is also used for fondue.
Emmentaler comes from Switzerland. “Swiss” cheese is made in the US. It’s called Swiss cheese here, but was based on Emmentaler. You can get Emmentaler in the US, but since it is imported, it costs more. The taste differences are mainly from the milk differences.
The original starter culture for making “Swiss Cheese” was brought from Switzerland to Wisconsin around the 1850′s, by my great grandfather, Joseph. He started one of the first cheese factories in Wisconsin with his American version of Emmentaler, which became known as “Swiss” cheese, to give it a differentiation from other American cheeses. Plus the fact that it is a white cheese — not orange — he found it necessary to sort of explain why it looked different by saying it was Swiss.
Unfortunately, the factory and the money didn’t pass down to the next generation… or to me!