Gruyère cheese

Gruyère (UK: /ˈɡruːjɛər/, US: /ɡruːˈjɛər, ɡriˈ-/, French: [ɡʁɥijɛʁ] ^ⓘ; German: Greyerzer, Italian: Groviera) is a hard Swiss cheese that originated in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, and Berne in Switzerland. It is named after the town of Gruyères in Fribourg. In 2001, Gruyère gained the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), which became the appellation d'origine protégée (AOP) as of 2013.

Quick Facts Country of origin, Region, town ...

Gruyère
Country of origin	Switzerland
Region, town	Canton of Fribourg, Gruyères
Source of milk	Cows
Pasteurized	No
Aging time	5–12 months (typical)
Certification	Swiss AOC 2001-2013 Swiss AOP since 2013
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Gruyère is classified as a Swiss-type or Alpine cheese and is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavour that varies widely with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming more assertive, earthy, and complex as it matures. When fully aged (five months to a year), it tends to have small cracks that impart a slightly grainy texture. Unlike Emmental, with which it is often confused, modern Gruyère has few if any eyes,^[1] although in the 19th century, this was not always the case. The small cracks that can develop in Gruyère cheese are often referred to as "eyes." These eyes are round or irregularly shaped holes that are formed during the aging process. It is the most popular Swiss cheese in Switzerland, and in most of Europe.^[2]

Gruyère is used in many ways in countless dishes. It is considered a good cheese for baking, because of its distinctive but not overpowering taste. For example in quiche, Gruyère adds savoriness without overshadowing the other ingredients. It is a good melting cheese,^[3] particularly suited for fondues, along with Vacherin Fribourgeois and Emmental. It is also traditionally used in French onion soup, as well as in croque-monsieur, a classic French toasted ham and cheese sandwich. Gruyère is also used in chicken and veal cordon bleu. It is a fine table cheese, and when grated, it is often used with salads and pastas. It is used, grated, atop le tourin, a garlic soup from France served on dried bread. White wines, such as Riesling, pair well with Gruyère. Sparkling cider and Bock beer are also beverage affinities.^{[citation needed]}

Traditional production of Gruyère (left) vs industrial production (right)

To make Gruyère, raw cow's milk is heated to 34 °C (93 °F) in a copper vat, and then curdled by the addition of liquid rennet. The curd is cut up into pea-sized pieces and stirred, releasing whey. The curd is cooked at 43 °C (109 °F), and raised quickly to 54 °C (129 °F).

The whey is strained, and the curds placed into moulds to be pressed. After salting in brine and smearing with bacteria,^[4] the cheese is ripened for two months at room temperature, generally on wooden boards, turning every couple of days to ensure even moisture distribution. Gruyère can be cured for 3 to 10 months, with long curing producing a cheese of intense flavour.

Sérac, a whey cheese, is a historical by-product of the manufacture of Gruyère.^[5]

Affinage

An important and the longest part of the production of Gruyère in Switzerland is the affinage (French for 'maturation').

According to the AOC, the cellars to mature a Swiss Gruyère must have a climate close to a natural cave. This means that the humidity should be between 94% and 98%. If the humidity is lower, the cheese dries out. If the humidity is too high, the cheese does not mature and becomes smeary and gluey. The temperature of the caves should be between 13 and 14 °C (55 and 57 °F). This relatively high temperature is required for excellent-quality cheese. Lower-quality cheeses result from temperatures between 10 and 12 °C (50 and 54 °F). The lower the temperature, the less the cheese matures, resulting in a harder and more crumbly texture.

Gruyere (as a Swiss AOC) has many varieties with different age profiles, and an organic version of the cheese is also sold. A special variety is produced only in summer in the Swiss Alps and is branded as Le Gruyère Switzerland AOC Alpage.

Generally, one can distinguish the age profiles of mild/doux (minimum five months old) and réserve, also known as surchoix (minimum ten months old). In Switzerland, other age profiles can be found, including mi-salé (7–8 months), salé (9–10 months), vieux (14 months), and Höhlengereift (cave aged), but these age profiles are not part of the AOC.

L'Etivaz is a very similar Swiss hard cheese from the canton of Vaud. It is made from raw cow's milk and is very similar to aged Gruyère in taste. In the 1930s, a group of 76 Gruyère producing families felt that government regulations were allowing cheesemakers to compromise the qualities that made good Gruyère so special. They withdrew from the government's Gruyère program, and "created" their own cheese - L'Etivaz - named for the village around which they all lived. They founded a cooperative in 1932, and the first cheese cellars were built in 1934.^[18]

The French Le Brouère cheese, made in nearby Vosges, is considered a variant of Gruyère.^[19]

Γραβιέρα (graviera) is a popular Greek cheese which resembles Gruyère and is an EU Protected Designation of Origin. There are Naxian varieties (produced from cow's milk) that tend to be milder and sweeter, and various gravieras from Crete, which are produced from sheep's milk.

Kars gravyer cheese is a Turkish cheese made of cow's milk or a mixture of cow's and goat's milk.^[20] Gruyère-style cheeses are also produced in the United States, with Wisconsin having the largest output, and in Bosnia under the name Livanjski sir (Livno cheese).

• Culinary Heritage of Switzerland – Encyclopedia of Swiss cuisine
• List of cheeses – List of cheeses by place of origin
• Swiss cheeses and dairy products
• Gruyère cream, another dairy product from the same region
• Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in Rome, known locally as La Groviera (literally The Gruyère); so known because it is "full of holes", referring to the stereotype of Swiss cheese.