I’m an easy straightforward person with uncomplicated tastes – I simply like the BEST! I want them hard, with a distinctive smell, not so aggressive, and with a divine saltiness which just stays in your mouth after having it. When they’re young, they’re sort of nutty and creamy, but the older they get, they are more assertive, more earthy, therefore more complex and interesting they become. And if you are thinking what I’m thinking, you’d know I’m referring to that delectable Gruyere Cheese!
If there is one semi- hard cheese that should be part of the repertoire of a cheese platter, none can surpass the richness of the GRUYERE. After all, their kind comes from Switzerland, home of yodelers and secret bank accounts.
There are two basic types of hard cheeses, where one is uncooked, pressed, and eaten when it’s still mild and springy. The second type, which is how Gruyere is made, is cooked where the milk is heated up to a high temperature. The curds are placed in their hoops or molds then a weight is pressed down to assist the draining process of the whey. It is then salted in brine for eight days. After being pulled from the brine, the cheese is ripened for two months at room temperature. Once the cheese has been ripened, it is aged for three months to one year. It is generally agreed that the more the cheese is aged, the better the flavor will be, with young gruyere having a slightly sharp raw flavor which will temper with age. Gruyeres often have holes not larger than a pea.
Only gruyere made in the Gruyere region of Switzerland can be labeled as such, with French relatives of Gruyere going by other names including Comte and Beaufort.
Once cut, the hard cheeses will dry out even when tightly wrapped, so buy big rather than small chunks and use as soon as possible. When storing, wrap firmly in plastic wrap and store in fridge.
Gruyere is best eaten fresh. But when heated it becomes stretchy therefore is good in broiled dishes. It is best used also in fondue especially if it is combined with other cheeses.
Gruyere is best paired with dried and fresh fruit, fruit cheeses and nuts.
Hard cheeses like the Gruyere are made in classic recipes like the cheese souffle, cheese straws, cheese sauce, Swiss Cheese Fondue, Gnocchi ala Romana, Gougere, Cauliflower Gratin among others.
Before I go on, why not grab yourself your own gruyere cheese from the gourmet cheese shop you will find online, the Ideal Cheese Shop. They have the best Gruyere cheese your money can buy. Am sure shipping will be quicker than you expect. And while waiting for the recipe which I shall share with you next week, just savor the taste of that hard, nutty flavor. And before you realize it, your palate would have been tantalizingly aroused and would be wanting for more…Believe me, I know!