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pot luck

“Cheese Wiz Sasha Davies Loved her Aged Appenzeller”

This week in Pot Luck, we get our monthly cheese fix from resident Cheeze Wiz Sasha Davies of Cheese by Hand. She’s all about Aged Appenzeller. Never had it? Read on and learn more and then try some. You’ll never have regular old Swiss cheese again.

Name: Aged Appenzeller
Origin: Canton Appenzel, Switzerland
Producer: Various
Milk Type: Raw cow
Style: Mountain cheese, cooked and pressed
Age: 4-9 months

Aged Appenzeler in Caves 

The Producers:
One of my first cheese-focused trips was in Switzerland. Through the generosity of one of our vendors, an importer of beautiful Swiss cheeses, I was connected with a string of fantastic Swiss cheese producers. One of the most inspiring stops was at the home of the Pfisters. The Pfister family has been making traditional, aged Appenzeller for generations (this is not the stuff with a yellow rind and a silver sticker on the top). They live in a true cheese house where their home is above the cheesemaking room and their basement is the cheese cellar or cave.

Lucky for us, Mrs. Pfister worked as a travel agent and spoke near perfect English so we were able to get a full tour and ask all of our questions. All of the dairies that supply their creamery with milk are within a tight radius- in fact as you approach the Pfister home you pass through lush, green pastures flecked with gray cows. Milk is delivered to the Pfisters from the surrounding dairies each morning, and transformed into Appenzeller. Although the Pfisters use traditional methods for making the cheese, there have been technological advances for example the pneumatic press that dominates their cheese room.

But there were processes in use that reminded us where they had come from too- consider the brine “tank” which was an in-ground concrete structure teeming with brine that has been marinating for thirty years. Yes thirty. This means that from time to time they will add water and salt to bring it back up to level but that there is a mix of bacteria in there that has been brewing for decades.

Their operation was a classic example of carrying tradition forward while adopting modern practices where useful.

The Cheese:
Aged Appenzeller reminds me of all my favorite qualities in mountain style cheeses. The pate is creamy in the mouth and there is a wonderful range of flavors from sweet, like Swiss cheese (Emmenthaler), to vegetal and a bit pungent. This cheese melts beautifully and adds killer depth to any fondue.

At the Pfisters, Appenzeller is made in a copper vat, the curds are cut quite small and cooked before being pressed into the molds and then pressed by the pressurized machine overnight. Wheels are then flipped and pressed for a few more hours before being plunked into the brine tank. Once removed from the brine tank, the cheeses are washed with a morge, a combination of brine and desirable bacteria. Many producers are somewhat secretive about their morge recipe as this will determine what bacteria develop on the rind. The cheeses are washed and turned daily at first and then the care decreases slowly over the next 8-12 months while the cheeses age.

The washing and aging encourages a full bouquet of flavors and make this cheese taste like a full meal instead of a morsel of preserved milk.

Pair with:
Wines- On the red front this wine can handle some tannins and even a bit of juicy fruits. Merlot is a nice way to go, maybe Culraithin Merlot 2001 ($25) from South Africa with some nice almost chocolate notes. Whites are another story- I would recommend a wine with a bit of acidity to cut through the creamy texture and stand up to the cheese. Try the J&h Selbach Saar Spatlese Riesling 2007 ($16) from the Mosel region of Germany.

Beer- Bring on the hops. The bitterness will be tempered by the sweet flavors in the cheese and the cream will help too. I recommend Titan’s The Great Divide IPA from Colorado.
Condiments- I would almost always want to have savory accompaniments with this cheese. Pickles are high on the list. Pickled onions, cornichons, etc.- something reminiscent of Raclette accoutrements.

Available at:
Murray’s Cheese: 254 Bleecker Street
Artisanal Cheese: www.artisanalcheese.ccom

Even if other shops don’t have this specific mountain cheese check out Stinky Brooklyn and Formaggio Essex for great alternatives!

—Sasha Davies

 

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Posted: November 20, 2008

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