Gruyère cheese

Gruyère(UK:/ˈɡruːjɛər/,US:/ɡruːˈjɛər,ɡriˈ-/,French:[ɡʁɥijɛʁ];German:Greyerzer,Italian:Groviera) is a hardSwiss cheesethat originated in the cantons ofFribourg,Vaud,Neuchâtel,Jura, andBerneinSwitzerland. It is named after the town ofGruyèresin Fribourg. In 2001, Gruyère gained theappellation d'origine contrôlée(AOC), which became theappellation d'origine protégée(AOP) as of 2013.
Gruyère is classified as aSwiss-type or Alpine cheeseand 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. UnlikeEmmental, with which it is often confused, modern Gruyère has few if anyeyes,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.
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 inquiche, Gruyère adds savoriness without overshadowing the other ingredients. It is a good melting cheese,particularly suited forfondues, along withVacherin FribourgeoisandEmmental. It is also traditionally used inFrench onion soup, as well as incroque-monsieur, a classic French toastedham and cheese sandwich. Gruyère is also used in chicken and vealcordon bleu. It is a finetable cheese, and when grated, it is often used withsaladsandpastas. It is used, grated, atople tourin, a garlic soup from France served on dried bread. White wines, such asRiesling, pair well with Gruyère. SparklingciderandBockbeer are also beverage affinities.
To make Gruyère, raw cow's milk is heated to 34 °C (93 °F) in a copper vat, and thencurdledby the addition of liquidrennet. Thecurdis cut up into pea-sized pieces and stirred, releasingwhey. 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 inbrineandsmearing with bacteria,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.
An important and the longest part of the production of Gruyère in Switzerland is theaffinage(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 thehumidityshould 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.
In 2001, Gruyère gained the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (now designatedAppellation d'origine protégée) status. Since then, the production and the maturation have been strictly defined, and all Swiss Gruyère producers must follow these rules.
Although Gruyère is recognised as a Swiss Geographical Indication in the EU,Gruyère of French origin is also protected as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the EU.To avoid confusion, the EU PGI Gruyère must indicate that it comes from France and must make sure it cannot be confused with Gruyère from Switzerland.It, therefore, is generally sold as "French Gruyère".
French Gruyère may be produced in an area much larger than the Swiss AOP area. The PGI documentation also requires that French Gruyère has holes "ranging in size from that of a pea to a cherry", a significant departure from the Swiss original. Peter Ungphakorn, a Swiss local and an international trade expert, comments that the FrenchComté cheesecould be a closer match to the Swiss version.
In 2021, aU.S. District Courtruled that the term "gruyere" had become ageneric termfor a certain type of cheese, and Swiss and French Gruyère producers' associations could not register it as atrademarkin the United States.TheU.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuitaffirmed that decision in March 2023.
Swiss Gruyère still has a protectedcertification markin the US as "Le Gruyère Switzerland AOC", secured in 2013.
The FDA standards of identity for a "§ 133.149 Gruyere cheese" requires "small holes or eyes".
Gruyere (as a Swiss AOC) has many varieties with different age profiles, and anorganicversion of the cheese is also sold. A special variety is produced only in summer in theSwiss Alpsand is branded as Le Gruyère Switzerland AOC Alpage.
Generally, one can distinguish the age profiles of mild/doux(minimum five months old) andréserve, also known assurchoix(minimum ten months old). In Switzerland, other age profiles can be found, includingmi-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.
Le Gruyère Premier Cru is a special variety, produced and matured exclusively in the canton of Fribourg and matured for 14 months in cellars with a humidity of 95% and a temperature of 13.5 °C (56.3 °F).
It is the only cheese that has won the title of the best cheese in the world at theWorld Cheese Awardsfive times: in 1992, 2002, 2005, 2015, and 2022.
L'Etivazis 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 acooperativein 1932, and the first cheese cellars were built in 1934.
The FrenchLe Brouèrecheese, made in nearbyVosges, is considered a variant of Gruyère.
Γραβιέρα (graviera) is a popular Greek cheese which resembles Gruyère and is an EUProtected Designation of Origin. There areNaxianvarieties (produced from cow's milk) that tend to be milder and sweeter, and variousgravierasfromCrete, which are produced from sheep's milk.
Kars gravyer cheeseis aTurkish cheesemade of cow's milk or a mixture of cow's and goat's milk.Gruyère-style cheeses are also produced in the United States, withWisconsinhaving the largest output, and in Bosnia under the nameLivanjski sir(Livnocheese).