GRUYERE SUISSE

It is from the cantons of Fribourg, Neuchatel and Vaud the famous Swiss Gruyère is produced. The Swiss Gruyère belongs to the family of cooked pâte (dough) cheeses with brushed rind. Its appearance dates back to the 9th century when the Count de Gruyère established his family in the Canton of Fribourg. The French also have a Gruyère that is produced in Savoie, Bourgogne and Franche-Comté regions but his history is somewhat different. The word comes from gruyer a tax collector in the Middle-Age that accepted cuts of wood or cheese in term of payment.

Today the French have the tendency to employ this word on all cheeses cooked and pressed that are presented in a large form. The cheese is made from raw cow’s milk and matured for at least six months. Its form is a large wheel, 40 to 65 centimeters in diameter with a thickness of 10 centimeters and weighing from 20 to 50 kilograms. The original Swiss Gruyère has an ivory colored pâte (dough) that is slightly sticky due to the saltiness. Its taste has a sweet, salty flavor with undertones of fruits and nuts. At one time the cheese use to show a large distribution of tiny holes, today these holes are a charm of the past, but one may see the occasional horizontal fissure under the rind. This is a truly great cheese and a gourmet’s delight at the end of a meal with raisins or fresh figs. Another excellent accompaniment is nuts and slices of pears.