alpine cheese

High-altitude curd product

Alpine cheese refers broadly to cheeses made in or styled after those from the European Alps—typically firm, aged varieties produced from the milk of cows grazing mountain pastures.

The category includes Gruyère, Emmental, and Comté, characterized by nutty, complex flavors and excellent melting properties.

Alpine cheeses work beautifully in fondue.

Swiss AlpsMountain range through Switzerland
nuttyEccentric or almond-flavored
EmmentalHoley Alpine cheese
creamySmooth and rich
rindTough outer covering

raw milk · Gruyère · Beaufort · cow's milk · summer pastures · wheel · mountain huts · brining · melt · cave · earthy · culinary tourism · rennet · Fontina · terroir · mountain · raclette · cellar

Categories

cheeseAmerican, asiago, brie, cheddar, gouda
Alpine foodfondue, raclette, rosti, Emmental, spatzle
Alpine Pasturesalp, grazing, grazing land, meadows, pastures
mountain cheesesEmmental, Beaufort, Raclette, Fontina
rustic foodsbarley soup, bean soup, rye bread, potatoes, cabbage
AllgauNeuschwanstein

Opposites

geographic origin/terroir

alpine cheeseprocessed cheese

Manufactured dairy spread

cheese product · Velveeta · spray cheese · American cheese · cheese spread

production method/artisanship

alpine cheeseprocessed cheese

Manufactured dairy spread

Velveeta · cheese product · cheese food · spray cheese · cheese whiz

flavor and texture profile

alpine cheesefresh cheese

Curds before maturation

cream cheese · cottage cheese · ricotta · mozzarella · string cheese

Family

cheese, alpine

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G