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From milk to Hobelkäse (long version)
Text in PDF (32 KB)
Text in PDF (32 KB)
Source: Gstaad Saanenland Tourism
Version Summer 2012
From milk to Hobelkäse
Almost everything revolves around milk at the agricultural companies in the holiday region of Gstaad. Alpine cheese, Hobelkäse and mountain cheese are the top products. In order to be allowed to market their products under the relevant classification and the quality seal ‘Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)’ (Appellations of Origin), the producers must follow strict guidelines. These are stipulated in the performance specifications of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture (Office fédéral de l’agriculture).
The processing method determines the name
Alpine cheese is therefore a full-fat hard cheese made from raw Alpine milk with a hard, choice rind. It is round, has a diameter of 28 to 48 centimetres and weighs between 5 and 14 kg. When it is refined into Hobelkäse, it is transformed into extra hard cheese which is traditionally cut into thin slices with a slicer before being served (hence the name). Mountain cheese may only be sold as such if it was made in the valley.
The regulations start with the feed
The strict regulations for Alpine cheese and Hobelkäse start with the feed. The dairy cows are only allowed to eat what grows on the Alpine summer pastures. At least two weeks before moving to the Alpine pastures and thus also the start of production, the farmer must have stopped feeding silage to the cows. Also prohibited are feed supplements and substances which were produced using genetically modified organisms.
Wood fires are part of the performance specifications
Production is limited to the period of summer pasture feeding typical in the region and lasts from 10 May to 10 October at the most. Processing into Alpine cheese is done in a ‘Kupferkessi’ (copper pot) over a wood fire. It goes without saying that the hygiene regulations are also adhered to. A stamp on the rind makes the origin of the cheese traceable.
Rennet melts in the warm milk
The first step in the production of Alpine cheese is to heat up the milk in the large pot. Once 31° Celsius has been reached, the copper pot is taken off the heat. The dairyman then carefully stirs the rennet and kettle whey culture with the warm milk. Rennet is an extract of calf stomach which enables the milk to curdle. The fat whey, a bacterial culture, ensures proper fermentation during the production and maturation periods. The correct concentration of both components is a crucial factor for the quality later on. The milk is now left to curdle for half an hour. As soon as the mixture is thick enough, it is carefully turned using two ladles until the base is facing upwards. The dairyman then uses the so-called cheese harp to cut the mixture into rice grain-sized pieces, the curd. In order to prevent the grains from sticking together, it is necessary to stir vigorously.
Curd in the cheese mould
Once the first maturation process is finished, the pot is put back on the heat. The contents are stirred continuously and gradually 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. For the first hour, he presses, squeezes and turns the cheese at increasing intervals. The following morning, the newly made cheese is put in salted water for 24 hours and then stored in the cellar. 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 2012
From milk to Hobelkäse
Almost everything revolves around milk at the agricultural companies in the holiday region of Gstaad. Alpine cheese, Hobelkäse and mountain cheese are the top products. In order to be allowed to market their products under the relevant classification and the quality seal ‘Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)’ (Appellations of Origin), the producers must follow strict guidelines. These are stipulated in the performance specifications of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture (Office fédéral de l’agriculture).
The processing method determines the name
Alpine cheese is therefore a full-fat hard cheese made from raw Alpine milk with a hard, choice rind. It is round, has a diameter of 28 to 48 centimetres and weighs between 5 and 14 kg. When it is refined into Hobelkäse, it is transformed into extra hard cheese which is traditionally cut into thin slices with a slicer before being served (hence the name). Mountain cheese may only be sold as such if it was made in the valley.
The regulations start with the feed
The strict regulations for Alpine cheese and Hobelkäse start with the feed. The dairy cows are only allowed to eat what grows on the Alpine summer pastures. At least two weeks before moving to the Alpine pastures and thus also the start of production, the farmer must have stopped feeding silage to the cows. Also prohibited are feed supplements and substances which were produced using genetically modified organisms.
Wood fires are part of the performance specifications
Production is limited to the period of summer pasture feeding typical in the region and lasts from 10 May to 10 October at the most. Processing into Alpine cheese is done in a ‘Kupferkessi’ (copper pot) over a wood fire. It goes without saying that the hygiene regulations are also adhered to. A stamp on the rind makes the origin of the cheese traceable.
Rennet melts in the warm milk
The first step in the production of Alpine cheese is to heat up the milk in the large pot. Once 31° Celsius has been reached, the copper pot is taken off the heat. The dairyman then carefully stirs the rennet and kettle whey culture with the warm milk. Rennet is an extract of calf stomach which enables the milk to curdle. The fat whey, a bacterial culture, ensures proper fermentation during the production and maturation periods. The correct concentration of both components is a crucial factor for the quality later on. The milk is now left to curdle for half an hour. As soon as the mixture is thick enough, it is carefully turned using two ladles until the base is facing upwards. The dairyman then uses the so-called cheese harp to cut the mixture into rice grain-sized pieces, the curd. In order to prevent the grains from sticking together, it is necessary to stir vigorously.
Curd in the cheese mould
Once the first maturation process is finished, the pot is put back on the heat. The contents are stirred continuously and gradually 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. For the first hour, he presses, squeezes and turns the cheese at increasing intervals. The following morning, the newly made cheese is put in salted water for 24 hours and then stored in the cellar. 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
