Alpine cheese is now a well known term that stands for excellent quality, but what is so special about it? Cheese sommelier Esther Infanger from the Cheese factory reveals the secret.
What is special about alpine cheese
A short explanation of what makes the alp cheese so special is quickly found.
Alpine cheese is produced directly in the alpine cheese dairies in the summer. Some alpine cheese dairies process only the milk they produce themselves, while others process the milk from several alps. The fresh, spicy and healthy herbs and grasses of the alpine pastures result in a tasty raw milk that is gently cheesed without long transport routes. Exactly these special nutrients of the alpine herbs and grasses on the alp also result in an increased proportion of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the alpine cheese.
Alpine cheese is characterized by these special properties and often primitive and elaborate production methods. On the alp the cheese is also often stored in natural cellars. Due to the limited production time, alp cheese is not available indefinitely and is therefore a seasonal product.
The term alp cheese is clearly defined and there are also regions that have an AOP (protected origin) certificate.
