What Are the Different Kinds of Swiss Cheese and How Do They Differ?

The term, “Swiss cheese,” actually refers to a family of cheeses. The variety we are most accustomed to buying, the pale yellow product with large holes is called Emmentaler, and is manufactured here in the United States. The big holes come from the release of carbon dioxide during the process of fermentation.

The second most popular variety of Swiss cheese is Gruyere, which is a hard cheese that is a product of the French speaking area of Switzerland. It is a popular variety used in cooking because it melts very smoothly and has a mild taste with just a bite of flavor. It is commonly used in fondue recipes, with French onion soup, and on French dip sandwiches.

The hardest of the Swiss cheese varieties is Sbrintz. This product is as hard as Parmesan and is often mistaken for it. Incidentally, Sbrintz is the oldest cheese made in Europe, dating back to 70 AD.

Made in the Appenzell region of Switzerland, Appenzellar is a semi-hard product that is sold at various stages of aging, which affects its taste. It is soaked in a brine of herbs with wine or cider vinegar, giving the cheese a fruity taste.

Schabziger is made with skim milk and is basically fat free. During production, it is usually shaped into a cone and the addition of the herb blue melliot turns the cheese an odd green shade. Schabziger, like Gruyere, is a great ingredient for fondue recipes, and is sometimes mixed with butter to create a cracker spread.

A nutty, pungent variety is Tete de Moine. This was once known as Bellebay, in honor of the monastery where it was made; the name was changed after the French Revolution. This is such a strong tasting and smelling cheese, that it is best served in very thin slices.

Raclette is a softer variety that is named for the way it is most often prepared. Sliced thin and baked on cookie sheet, it melts into a thin, bubbly treat that is usually scraped off the pan and spread on crackers or potatoes.

In all, there are 450 different kinds of Swiss cheese, classified as hard, semi hard, extra hard, semi soft, and soft. The fundamental difference in the production of these varieties is the amount of moisture used in the production process. Harder varieties are usually packed into molds and aged for a longer period of time than the softer products.