From milk to Hobelkäse (short version)
Text in PDF (29 KB)
Text in PDF (29 KB)
Source: Gstaad Saanenland Tourism
Version Summer 2010
From milk to Hobelkäse (cheese served thinly sliced)
The Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture has strict guidelines for the production of Gstaad Alpine cheese and Hobelkäse. Compliance therewith is rewarded with the quality seal Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC). The guidelines range from the cow feed to the storage of cheese.
The first step in the production of Alpine cheese is to heat up the milk in the large copper pot. Once 31° Celsius has been reached, it is taken off the wood fire. The dairyman then carefully stirs the curdling agent (rennet) and kettle whey culture into the warm milk, which ensure proper fermentation during the production and maturation periods.
The milk is heated up over a wood fire
The milk is now left to curdle for half an hour. As soon as the mixture is thick enough, it is carefully turned. The dairyman then uses the so-called cheese harp to cut the mixture into rice grain-sized pieces, the curd. In order to prevent it from sticking together, it is stirred vigorously from then on.
The curd is put into cheese moulds
Once the first maturation process is finished, the pot is put back on the heat. The contents are stirred continuously and heated to a temperature of 52° Celsius. The dairyman uses a towel to remove the curd from the liquid and transfers it into the cheese moulds. The following morning, the newly made cheese is put in salted water for 24 hours and then stored in the cellar.
A maturation period of two to three years
Every day for the next six months, it is rubbed with salted water. To transform Alpine cheese into the world-famous Hobelkäse, the cheese is washed, rubbed with oil and stored. After two to three years, the ‘gold of the Alps’ has reached an optimal stage of maturity.
Note for the editorial teams
The following person will be happy to answer any
questions you may have:
Kerstin Sonnekalb
Public Relations Manager
Gstaad Saanenland Tourism
Promenade 41
CH-3780 Gstaad (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 33 748 81 20
Fax +41 33 748 81 83
k.sonnekalb@gstaad.ch
www.gstaad.ch
For more press releases and images of the holiday region
of Gstaad, go to www.gstaad.ch, Category Press
Version Summer 2010
From milk to Hobelkäse (cheese served thinly sliced)
The Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture has strict guidelines for the production of Gstaad Alpine cheese and Hobelkäse. Compliance therewith is rewarded with the quality seal Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC). The guidelines range from the cow feed to the storage of cheese.
The first step in the production of Alpine cheese is to heat up the milk in the large copper pot. Once 31° Celsius has been reached, it is taken off the wood fire. The dairyman then carefully stirs the curdling agent (rennet) and kettle whey culture into the warm milk, which ensure proper fermentation during the production and maturation periods.
The milk is heated up over a wood fire
The milk is now left to curdle for half an hour. As soon as the mixture is thick enough, it is carefully turned. The dairyman then uses the so-called cheese harp to cut the mixture into rice grain-sized pieces, the curd. In order to prevent it from sticking together, it is stirred vigorously from then on.
The curd is put into cheese moulds
Once the first maturation process is finished, the pot is put back on the heat. The contents are stirred continuously and heated to a temperature of 52° Celsius. The dairyman uses a towel to remove the curd from the liquid and transfers it into the cheese moulds. The following morning, the newly made cheese is put in salted water for 24 hours and then stored in the cellar.
A maturation period of two to three years
Every day for the next six months, it is rubbed with salted water. To transform Alpine cheese into the world-famous Hobelkäse, the cheese is washed, rubbed with oil and stored. After two to three years, the ‘gold of the Alps’ has reached an optimal stage of maturity.
Note for the editorial teams
The following person will be happy to answer any
questions you may have:
Kerstin Sonnekalb
Public Relations Manager
Gstaad Saanenland Tourism
Promenade 41
CH-3780 Gstaad (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 33 748 81 20
Fax +41 33 748 81 83
k.sonnekalb@gstaad.ch
www.gstaad.ch
For more press releases and images of the holiday region
of Gstaad, go to www.gstaad.ch, Category Press
