Imported Swiss Cheese

[navlys]

I love(d) imported swiss cheese. The brand I liked in Florida suddenly tasted bland??? Maybe it was me thought I. Then recently my favorite brand here in Pa. lost it's sweet and nutty taste. It so happens I had some of the same brand from 2 different delis and even my husband tasted the difference. Putting on my detective hat I discovered my delicious "imported" swiss cheese is now being made in the US. Also the real imported cheese is made with unpasteurized milk which I guess is a no no here. How one deli had the real thing is a mystery to me and you can imagine how knowledgeable the deli manager was when I spoke with her. All she could talk about was the shortage problem. I'm now stepping off my soap box.

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[aaronatthedoublef]

Hi! It's been a long time. Hope everyone is well.

Swiss cheese is sort of an American invention. I was doing some contract work for a Swiss company and it drove them nuts that most of us think this is Swiss and, even worse, a picture of Swiss cheese has become the universal symbol for "cheese". It was hilarious to see my normally calm, cool, colleagues loose it over "Swiss cheese".

That said they always liked Gruyere and Emmantaler. Those are pretty common here. There is also Fontina and Fontal but I like the Italian versions of those better than the Swiss.

I think Raclette is typically used for things like fondue.

Where I live these are raw cheeses and haven't been pasteurized. So you may want to check for that if you are, like my wife, concerned about non-pasteurized dairy.

[navlys]

I like the cheese made with unpasteurized milk. I think the Finlandia cheese which I liked is now being made in the US with pasteurized milk which takes away from the flavor. I'll have to try the Emmantaler . Finlandia is good in a sandwich.

[Mike Nolan]

My understanding (confirmed by Google) is that raw milk cheeses must be aged at least 60 days to be sold in the USA. The local cheesemaker at the farmer's market makes a couple of raw goats milk cheeses, she's won a number of awards for her cheeses.

That which we call Swiss cheese is usually mass produced and bland. But it's not just because it is made from pasteurized milk.

I keep a little pre-sliced Swiss (usually Sargento) on hand for sandwiches, but I never cook with it.

For cooking purposes I buy 5 pound bags of whole milk mozzarella at Sams (about the only place I can find mozzarella that isn't part-skim), and I buy Havarti in 2 pound blocks (pre-sliced) at Costco.

Sams for years had an excellent 4 cheese blend, a mixture of shredded parmesan, romano, asiago and provolone, but they've stopped carrying it. Instead they have a shaved cheese blend (parmesan and asiago, as I recall) that was a major disappointment. I went out and bought some tubs of shredded asiago and romano and use that with some Kraft parmesan (which I'll probably replace with another brand once it is gone.) Not as good, but tolerable.

[BakerAunt]

It's good to see you posting again, Aaron!

[navlys]

If you tried the real imported Finlandia regular (not lacy)cheese you would not find it bland. I think your comment about the 60 day requirement for raw milk explains why they use pasteurized milk instead.

[Italiancook]

I like Sam's Jarlsberg cheese in place of Swiss. I don't know whether Jarlsberg is a form of Swiss cheese, but they taste similar to me.

[Mike Nolan]

Jarlsberg is usually classified as a Swiss-like cheese, but true Jarlsberg come from Norway, although there are licensed cheesemakers for it in Ireland and in Ohio.

[BakerAunt]

Sigh. All this cheese talk makes my mouth water. I've had to confine myself to low-fat mozzarella and 2% pre-grated cheddar cheese, along with feta (both the cow's milk variety and the goat milk). I particularly miss gouda.

[chocomouse]

Smoked Gouda puts a lot of Joy in my life!! My favorite by far. I'm sorry for your loss.

[Author]

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