Sbrinz cheese is a traditional cheese in Switzerland. It is made from milk and is produced mostly in the central regions of the country. It is used very widely in Swiss cuisine, replacing Parmesan.
History of Sbrinz cheese
This type of cheese is one of the oldest and most famous cheeses in Europe. An official website of the people who make this cheese says that this is exactly the cheese that Pliny the Elder had in mind when he wrote about the "cheese of the Helvetians". However, according to newer and more reliable Eastern sources, the making of this cheese began in 1530, when it is mentioned in documents of the state archive in Bern. There are two versions of the origin of this cheese:
- The first states that this cheese gets its name from the very name of the city where it is made - Brienz, which is located near Bern;
- The second version says that this cheese first began to be produced in Lombardy, and in the language of one of the local dialects "sbrinzo" meant "very hard cheese";
In 2001, Sbrinz cheese received the status of a product of controlled origin. According to this certificate, the people producing this cheese are obliged to follow the technology for making it, without adding any additives and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Nowadays, Sbrinz is made in the regions of Obwalden, Bern, Lucerne and Niedvalen, as well as in provinces such as Zut, Aargau, and St. Gallen. This cheese is made in a total of forty-two factories, the largest producer being the company Sbrinz Kase GmbH.
Manufacturing method of Sbrinz cheese
Sbrinz, as we have already said, is quite a hard cheese that has a dark golden rind and a yellowish and dense, hard interior. It is made only and only from cow's milk, which is of Swiss origin. The process in which the cheese matures can last up to 3 years. As a result of its longer maturation, its inner part becomes quite hard and for this reason a very special knife must be used to grate the cheese.
Regardless of its firmness, however, this cheese has a very pleasant and delicate nutty flavor that has a slight hint of caramelized sugar and smells of English flowers and grasses. Sbrinz is made in flat and round wheels that are 45 to 75 cm in diameter, 12 to 17 cm in height and weigh between 25 and 45 kg.
This cheese is low fat which is around 40% in 100 g of product. This 100 g contains another 30 g of protein, 33 g of fat and no carbohydrates.
And here are some delicious suggestions in which you can use the delicious Sbrinz cheese:
- baked cheese;
