What is emmentaler cheese?
Emmentaler is an alpine-style cheese made from cow's milk that originates from the Swiss town of Emmental. This semi-hard, golden yellow cheese has a mild flavor – slightly nutty, buttery, and fruity – and is recognized for its marble-sized holes. Emmentaler cheese melts easily and uniformly, making it perfect for sauces and fondues. Traditionally, emmentaler is made in large copper kettles and pressed into wheels that weigh as much as 200 pounds before it is aged from 4 to 14 months.
Why does emmentaler have holes?
The famous holes, or "eyes," in emmentaler cheese come from carbon dioxide bubbles produced by the bacteria that are introduced in the cheesemaking process to give the cheese its flavor. As the cheese hardens, these bubbles turn into air pockets which appear as holes when the cheese is sliced.
What is alpine-style cheese?
Alpine-style cheeses are a family of semi-firm to hard cheeses that were originally made in the mountains of Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, and northern Italy. Alpine-style cheese is traditionally made in large wheels that promote a longer shelf life and enable to cheese to be transported down the mountain with greater ease.
What's the difference between emmentaler, and swiss cheese?
Emmentaler is made in Switzerland, so they are technically Swiss-style cheeses. But the name "swiss cheese" is actually an American version of emmentaler and other alpine-style cheeses that was created by Swiss immigrants to America in the mid-1800s. Emmentaler comes from the Emmentaler Valley in Switzerland and is a semi-hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, with a mild, nutty, buttery, and somewhat fruity flavor. American swiss cheese also has eyes and a nutty, buttery flavor, but is much milder than its Swiss counterparts.