The traditional Swiss Gruyère cheese is a controlled origin product. That is, only cheese that is produced using certain technologies in a strictly defined place, namely in the cantons of Friborg, Jura, Vaud, and Neuchâtel, can be called that. has a spicy, slightly nutty flavor. If you see cheese with holes in the photo with the caption “Gruyère”, then this is the so-called French Gruyère.

There are several types of this cheese. Differences are determined, as a rule, by the aging period, on which the taste of the product depends. Soft Gruyere cheese is stored for 5 months, semi-salted - 7 - 8 months, salty - 9 - 10 months, and Gruyère of the highest grade is stored from a year. There is also a special variety of this cheese - Alpine Gruyère. It is produced only in the summer months right on the high Alpine pastures.

Unfortunately, Gruyere cheese is not always available, so you have to find analogues. The closest flavor to it is Emmental cheese. From Russian cheeses, Altai and Swiss cheeses will be a good substitute. It is worth remembering that the calorie content of Gruyere cheese is quite high, it is 413 kcal per 100 g of product. Therefore, those who adhere to a strict diet should consume this product in small quantities.

Despite the horror stories of nutritionists about the dangers of overeating, eating well on a holiday is a holy cause. Traditional Olivier, herring under a fur coat, aspic, goose in apples, what could be better. However, after a day or two, the body gets used to abundance and begins to be harmful, demanding something like that. Well, if you request a dish related to traditional Russian cuisine. However, he is often drawn to the exotic. And here people who are not too advanced in cooking, which are the majority among us, may encounter the problem of ingredients. Recipes often contain unusual, or even completely unfamiliar names. It happens that the names are familiar, but there is nowhere to buy exotic products or for nothing. Neither is a reason to forego the pleasure of trying a new dish. The main thing is to know how to replace products that were not at hand. To begin with, let's dwell on European cuisine, which is more familiar to the Russian body. For convenience, we divide the ingredients into several categories. Condiments and spices The most common are: Dijon mustard- prepared from ground mustard seeds with the addition of spices, wine vinegar and white wine. Mild in taste. Buying Dijon mustard is not difficult, it is quite affordable. As an alternative, horseradish-flavoured mustard is best. Balsamic vinegar- vinegar made from white grapes and aged in a wooden barrel for more than 12 years. You can use more affordable wine vinegar, or even better, insist the latter on herbs. provencal herbs- the most commonly used mixture of herbs in Italian and French cuisine. The composition includes basil, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, thyme, savory, tarragon. Instead of a ready-made mixture, you can limit yourself to a small amount of individual herbs from the list or cumin. oregano- a fragrant herbaceous plant better known to us as oregano. In Italian and Spanish cuisines, it is used in pizzas, dishes of tomatoes, cheese and eggplant. The closest relative of oregano is marjoram, which makes them interchangeable. Cheese European cuisine is unthinkable without cheeses. Among them are many famous and affordable: cheddar, gouda, feta, mozzarella, parmesan. However, there are more unusual ones, and not only by ear: Cheese cottage(Cottage cheese) - a type of fresh cheese. Perfectly replaced with granular cottage cheese. Gorgonzola(Gorgonzola) is a type of blue cheese. You can use any other blue cheese or a more economical option - Viola processed cheese. Gruyere(Gruyer) - Swiss spicy hard cheese. With the role of this cheese, domestic hard cheeses "Swiss" or "Altai" are completely eliminated. ricotta(Ricotta) - soft fat-free cheese. Do not hesitate to add fat-free cottage cheese to the dish. Mascarpone(Mascarpone) is a soft Italian cream cheese. It is widely used in desserts such as tiramisu. As an alternative, a mixture of cream and fatty cottage cheese is suitable. Vegetables and herbs The vast majority of vegetables and herbs used in European cuisine grows in our latitudes. True, there are those that not only do not grow in the garden, but are also rarely on sale. artichokes- perennial garden plant with fleshy flower fruits. It is not possible to replace them with something, however, in some cases, you can try to use pickled sweet peppers. capers- unblown flower buds of a caper plant. They are eaten canned or pickled. Instead of capers, chopped pickled cucumbers - gherkins are suitable. Arugula- a salad with a mustard flavor and a peppery-nutty note. Extremely useful and rich in vitamins. Instead of arugula, you can add spinach leaves or any other leaf lettuce, but you won’t be able to convey a peculiar flavor, the taste of the dish will be somewhat different. Shallot and Leek replaced with regular onions. As you can see, the most difficult thing is the names behind which quite ordinary products are hidden. The main thing is not to be afraid of experiments.

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Gruyère is a cheese that originated in Switzerland. It is considered a real attraction of this European country. Almost 30 thousand tons are produced annually. The features of this product, as well as how it can be replaced, will be discussed in our article.

The real Swiss cheese

Perhaps the phrase is a household word. It denotes a product, of course, cheese, of exceptional quality. And although quite recently two countries - France and Switzerland - argued where exactly they first began to make Gruyère, cheese since 2001 can officially consider Switzerland to be its legal, documented homeland. Moreover, a special commission assigned to it the status of “Appellation controlled by place of origin”. That is, only in this country (Switzerland) they have the right to produce cheese under this brand and call it Gruyère. It is believed that this product began to be made more than a thousand years ago. Just imagine how during this time the skill was honed and all the nuances of its cooking were taken into account. Maybe that's why Gruyère cheese is so popular in Europe and beyond.

Details about the taste and appearance of the product

A true Gruyère is a cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk. It is best if the raw material was obtained in the summer, when the cows graze on the famous and eat fresh, tasty grass. The consistency of the cheese is quite dense, there are no characteristic holes in it, and its ripening period is on average a year. But, despite this, already four months after production, the cheese can be eaten. Experts say that its taste resembles dry fruits, but as it ripens, it becomes more and more tart, pronounced, acquiring an “earthy” flavor. Of course, professional tasters know better what shades of taste and aroma this cheese should have. Otherwise, Gruyère is recommended to be used for making fondue (a traditional Swiss dish, very simple and tasty - pieces of bread, meat, etc. are dipped into the melted dairy product). In addition, it is an excellent addition to wine, as well as an addition to spaghetti, salads and other dishes where cheese is traditionally put.

What can you substitute for Gruyère cheese?

Of course, not everyone can find Gruyere cheese in stores. How to replace it if, for example, the recipe says that this particular variety should be used to cook the dish? Here is what experts advise: firstly, it should be borne in mind that Gruyère is very, therefore, an analogue should be sought with the same characteristic. Most of all, Emmental or Jarlsberg cheeses are suitable for replacing the Swiss delicacy. The first name is better known to Russian housewives - Emmental cheese can be found and bought in any large supermarket. Although, if you are looking for an even cheaper replacement, remember: Gruyere cheese is an analogue, in fact, of any hard cheese with a pronounced taste. That is, instead of it, you can put a product called “Russian” in the dish, although this will already be a little different. Still, nothing can replace the special, pronounced aroma of dried fruits.

The price of Gruyère cheese

It was mentioned that this product can be eaten already after 4 months of special aging. However, there is a clear gradation of this cheese depending on its age. So, if he is “turned” 4-5 months old, he has the name “sweet”, but if the cheese is already 7-8 months old, then it is already “semi-salted”, and one-year-old Gruyère heads are labeled as “top grade” or “reserve”. By the way, up to 12 liters of high-quality milk is used to produce 1 kilogram of the product. And the heads themselves, which would be better called heads, have a weight of 25 to 40 kilograms and a diameter of 55-65 cm. Therefore, you will not see such a product on sale in its entirety, as a rule, the heads are cut into large wedge-shaped pieces. Gruyère is quite expensive cheese, especially outside of its homeland. In Russian supermarkets, its price is about 300-400 rubles per pack of 200 grams, that is, from 1,500 thousand rubles per 1 kilogram. Usually it is exported already in vacuum packages with the corresponding inscription (Le Gruyere). Remember that the birthplace of real Gruyère cheese is Switzerland. Cheese, on the packaging of which any other country is listed, is not original. Only a dairy product produced in the Gruyere region can carry this name.

What dishes are traditionally prepared using Gruyère

As we have already mentioned, the most popular dish from this product is fondue. It is traditional for France and Switzerland. Perhaps only there residents can afford to buy from half a kilogram of this delicacy (and it takes no less for fondue) and dip slices of bread, ham and other products into it to taste. Due to the fact that the cheese melts perfectly, it is often used to prepare fillings and sauces, it does not clog the taste of other ingredients. By the way, it is Gruyère that is used in the classic recipe for a popular French dish - onion soup. It also goes well with meat dishes. This cheese is one of the most beloved in Europe. We hope that after reading the article you will be interested in trying this product, which is rightfully considered the pride of its region - the small canton of Friborg (Gruyère district) in Switzerland.

Gruyere cheese is a rather young variety that traditionally got its name from the area of ​​production. It's not as popular as cheddar or parmesan, but oh...

Swiss cheese "Gruyère": description, features, properties and interesting facts

By Masterweb

Switzerland is famous not only for watches and delicious chocolate, but also for excellent cheese. This country has long been entrenched in the status of a world producer of elite varieties of this dairy product.

Gruyere cheese is a rather young variety that traditionally got its name from the area of ​​production. It is not as popular as cheddar or parmesan, but definitely deserves special attention. Who knows, maybe this particular cheese will win your heart after the first bite.

Gruyere: interesting facts, description and origin

The cheese is made from the highest quality cow's milk, has a creamy yellowish color, a fairly dense texture and no holes. An interesting fact, but the first documentary mention of this variety dates back to 1115, and from the beginning of the 17th century, its official name, Gruyère, appears in the records. Like most Swiss varieties, it was named after the locality in which it is produced. Only those cheeses that are produced in the following cantons (settlement areas) can bear the name "Gruyère":

• Neustal;
• Friborg;
• Berne;

Nevertheless, this variety is considered young, because it received its official AOC status only in 2001 and from that moment it was included in the register.

Another interesting feature of this cheese is that it has a French "brother". French Gruyère includes Comte and Beaufort. Distinctive features of this cheese are: a more delicate texture and the obligatory presence of holes. According to reviews, Gruyere cheese is in no way inferior in taste to the most famous Swiss varieties, which is why it belongs to the category of the highest class and has the status of an elite one.

A find for real gourmets: the taste of the product

Gruyere can be attributed to the sweet varieties, however, like all cheese, it has a salty flavor. A distinctive feature is a pronounced creamy-creamy taste and subtle nutty tones. The taste of Gruyère cheese is greatly influenced by the aging period: over time, it acquires sharp and spicy notes with clearly perceptible earthy hues. The longer the exposure, the more complex the bouquet of taste and aroma of cheese becomes. Aging also changes the structure and consistency of the finished product: after 5 months, the cheese becomes heterogeneous, harsh and slightly grainy.

Secrets of making and aging cheese

The manufacturing technology is quite simple:

• Milk is heated to 34 degrees and combined with sourdough (thermophilic bacteria) and rennet. For the preparation of cheese, only copper containers are used.
• Gradually, the mixture curdles and separates into two fractions: whey and curd mass.
• The base is heated to a temperature of 54 degrees, the cooking process begins. It usually lasts no more than two hours. The test for readiness is carried out by checking the mass for stickiness and elasticity.
• Then the mass is filtered and pressed, which help to get rid of the remaining whey.
• Next, the process of soaking semi-finished cheese in saline begins, which lasts 24 hours. During this time, the mass manages to be saturated with salt only by half.

At this stage of cooking ends, and we have a delicate lightly salted semi-finished product at the exit. Next comes the no less intensive process of aging Gruyère cheese:

• The cheese is placed in storage, where a certain temperature and humidity are maintained throughout the ripening period.
• The first 10 days, the heads are constantly doused with saline and turned over, then this is done twice a week, and after, for three months, only once a week.

The first quality control of the cheese takes place after 4.5 months, each head is tested. If everything is in order, then the product goes on sale, if not, it remains in storage for further aging. Gruyere is divided into five types according to age:

• young soft - 5 months;
• semi-salted - up to 8 months;
• salty - up to 10 months;
• the highest grade - from 1 year;
• old - more than 15 months.

For every taste: features of Gruyère types

Each area of ​​cheese production has its own subtleties of manufacturing and aging, so each type of Gruyère acquires its own unique taste and specific features. Two types of cheese deserve special attention:

• Alpage - This species is very popular among lovers of pure organic products. After all, it is made only in the summer and only in the territories that are adjacent to the Swiss Alps.
• Premier Cru - famous for its exceptional taste due to the fact that it ripens exclusively in the Friborg caves under unique climatic conditions.

It is worth noting that this is a rather expensive pleasure, the price of Gruyère cheese in Moscow can reach 400 rubles per 100 grams. But believe me, it is worth that kind of money, because it is not only amazingly tasty, but also extremely healthy.

Let's take a look inside: a detailed analysis of the composition

This cheese cannot be called dietary, because it consists of a third of animal fats. It is very rich in protein - 29% per 100 g of the product, and the rest is water. But do not be afraid of the fat content of Gruyère, because basically these are polyunsaturated fatty and essential amino acids. Another useful component is ash, which has excellent adsorbing and antitoxic properties. Like any dairy product, Gruyere cheese is very rich in calcium - more than 1000 mg per 100 g of product. Also in the composition you can find the following useful components:

• B vitamins;
• phosphorus;
• selenium;
• sodium;
• potassium;
• magnesium.

Useful properties of cheese

The usefulness of this cheese increases in proportion to its age, the longer the exposure, the more valuable the product. Firstly, it is an excellent source of the most easily digestible protein, which is 100% broken down by our body. Secondly, hard cheeses are a source of rare elements, fatty acids and, of course, vitamins. Consider the effect of Swiss Gruyère cheese on the body:

• Increases the rate of cellular metabolism and regeneration processes. This significantly slows down aging and accelerates wound healing, for example, after operations.
• It has a good effect on the nervous system, improves memory and helps to cope with depression. In addition, eating cheese has a beneficial effect on sleep.
• Calcium strengthens bones and teeth, and also keeps muscles working.
• It has a beneficial effect on pressure, gives a lot of strength and energy.
• With regular use, it helps to increase hemoglobin levels.

In addition, it is a rather high-calorie and nutritious product, and therefore it is recommended for pregnant women, children and the elderly.

Can cheese be harmful?

You should not eat Gruyere cheese if you have been diagnosed with the following diseases:

• disorders in the work of the kidneys (nephritis, pyelonephritis);
• gastritis and increased acidity in the stomach;
• hypertension and heart problems;
• urolithiasis disease;
• allergy.

The use of the product in cooking

This is a very versatile variety: it goes well with spaghetti, salads and even simple sandwiches. The cheese melts well and retains a viscous texture for a long time, so it is indispensable in casseroles, julienne and fondue. Gruyère is excellent on its own and pairs well with fruit and various sweet wines.

What is a substitute for Gruyère cheese? If you like some special recipe, but your city has a problem with elite varieties of Swiss cheese, you can safely use cheddar, parmesan or pecorino - these varieties are most suitable as analogues.

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In mountainous Switzerland, a unique Gruyère cheese is produced with a unique taste and aroma. It is his taste and stages of production that are considered a role model, and millions of fans around the world support the proud title of leader among cheeses.

On the instructions of the editors, I go to the quiet Swiss canton of Friborg, because Gruyère cheese, and in French it is pronounced with an accent on the last syllable of Gruyère, is produced here, in the Gruyère district, after which it got its name.

Autumn is perhaps the best time to visit mountain cheese factories. Small two-story chalets proudly rise at the foot of the mountains, here and there you can see the families of farmers busy at work, tired cows, jingling heavy Swiss bells, idly looking around, calmly chewing the still green grass. A real unhurried idyll of high-tech agriculture!

Gruyère is produced in these small family cheese factories. Fresh milk is obtained here and a young cheese is produced with a dense yellow body without holes, which has a slightly pungent aroma and a bright, slightly nutty taste.

Since 2001, Gruyère has been awarded the AOC mark, which means the status of a product with controlled origin. Now Gruyere can only be called cheese that was produced in the canton of Friborg and some cantons in the neighborhood according to a specific recipe and regulated technologies.

For the manufacture of cheese, only fresh milk collected from the surrounding farms is used. Further, as many years ago, the milk is poured into a round copper vat and heated to 34 °C. There is also placed a starter made on the basis of rennet. Milk is curdled and separated into a rapidly hardening mass - the future cheese, and whey. Intensive mixing with a special device with stretched strings divides the curd mass into small grain fragments. Then it is heated at a temperature of about 50-55 ° C. The entire described process takes no more than 2 hours.

The readiness of the cheese mass is determined by a local cheese maker who controls the heating temperature, evaluates the appearance and takes samples, making a test for elasticity. At the end of the cooking process, the whey is drained, and the cheese mass is placed in special forms. In them, the cheese will be pressed to obtain the desired density, the appearance of the head and the complete removal of whey residue. After pressing, each head is placed in a salt bath for a day, this is how Gruyère goes through the salting process. This completes the first stage of production and the most important begins: the cheese is sent to storage for further maturation.

The complexity of the process lies in creating and maintaining certain conditions for proper maturation. The storage should have a cool temperature of about 12-14 °C, high humidity of 94-98% and no harmful microorganisms. The cheese maker regularly checks each batch, washing the heads with salt water and turning it over. For the first ten days this happens daily, then twice a week until the age of three months, and then once a week.

With this care, the rind of the cheese becomes hard and darkens, providing protection to the delicate cheese from the external environment. It is on it that bacteria can settle, so Gruyere crust is not eaten.

After the first months of maturation, each cheese head is checked and evaluated. In the same period, guests appear on the farms - representatives of large producers who buy young batches of cheese to organize further maturation in their production facilities. In fact, the interaction between the producer and farmers is much more intensive, producers finance the receipt and processing of milk, the purchase of equipment, and the like, but our article today is about the cheese itself.

So, to select their future cheeses, manufacturers send the most expensive specialists, because the inspection is carried out exclusively by the appearance and aroma of the heads, any cut breaks the integrity and is done extremely rarely. In the event of a mistake by specialists and the choice of low-quality samples, the company will not only lose some of its earnings, but incur huge losses, taking into account lending to farmers, and may become bankrupt.

But now the batches have been selected, young cheeses arrive in their new storage facilities for further maturation. New checks take place here, and cheeses are divided into streams. Some batches will spend just a few weeks here and, with a maturation period of 4-5 months, with the name “Gruyère soft” will go on sale.

Other parties will spend many months in storage and will delight lovers of mature Gruyères. And the most outstanding samples will move to special storages, which are owned only by the most titled producers, and will become cave-aged cheeses.

One of such global manufacturers of cave cheeses is the Emmy concern. His cheeses, ripened in the caves of Kaltbach, have become a calling card and a standard of the highest Swiss quality. Even outwardly, such cheeses are easy to distinguish from others: the rind becomes very dark, almost black, the cheese body is dense on the cut with small white patches, the aroma is bright and strong, it smells of dampness from the rind, one can say that the spirit of the caves has been preserved in it.

From the first slice, you understand that this cheese really has no analogues: a strong aroma not only does not interfere with tasting, on the contrary, it takes us from the cozy space of our house or restaurant to the time of our ancestors, who learned how to create unique hard cheeses from excellent Swiss milk. The body is damp, though hard, but elastic, it lends itself well to cutting. The slices are even, plastic, the taste is multifaceted, gradually opening up and difficult to describe.

It can be compared to the marvelous aroma of expensive selective perfumes, their first notes slowly open, transferring the initiative to the middle notes and further to the trail of the entire composition. So Gruyere, despite the invariably constant quality and taste, each time it reveals itself to us in a new way.

As already mentioned, Gruyère has fundamentally different flavors and, depending on the time of its ripening, there is a special indication for buyers in the name under the word Gruyère:

• Gruyere doux or soft has a ripening period of 4-5 months
• Gruyere reserve or reserve in translation, the highest grade, ripens from 8 months
• Gruyere vieux or old is aged for over a year, often over 1.5 years.

If it so happens that you have not tried not only cave-aged Gruyère, but also young Gruyère, we really envy you. Yes, yes, you were not mistaken, we envy and are very happy for you because very soon you will feel what we once experienced when we tried this amazing cheese for the first time. It is impossible to be indifferent to Gruyere, they love him and eagerly want to buy again, it is impossible to tear himself away from him! It contains all the best that can only be in cheese, it is an enjoyment of great taste and decoration of any table.