Description
The Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO is a hard cheese obtained from whole cow's milk and natural rennet.
Production Area
The production area of the Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO is located in the rural areas of Lindau, Oberallgäu, Ostallgäu, Unterallgäu, Ravensburg, and Bodenseekreis, and in the cities of Kaufbeuren, Kempten, and Memmingen, in the federal state of Bavaria.
Production Method
Raw cow's milk is used for the production of the Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO. The milk is brought to a maximum temperature of 40°C before the natural rennet is added. The curd is broken and placed in the moulds, where it is left for the leaking of whey. Once it is taken from the moulds, the cheese is submitted to a 3-month maturation period, during which it is left to rest for at least four weeks in a room with a temperature of 20°C. The famous holes of the Emmental form during the maturation. When gas formation has stopped and the cheeses reach a certain balance, the final maturation stage starts, extending for a period ranging from three to six months. During this period, the forms are salted and washed at least twice a week to favour the rind formation and to intensify the taste.
Appearance and Flavour
The Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO has an opaque yellow colour and the rind is smooth and golden. It has well-distributed holes of roughly 1-3 cm. The weight varies from 40 to 130 kg. Differently to the past, today its shape is not only cylindrical, but also square and rectangular. It has a taste recalling walnuts and a characteristic aroma.
History
The Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO originated in the Swiss Canton of Bern, where the cheese was produced since the 18th century. Josef Aurel Stadler introduced the Swiss method in the Allgäu in 1821. Six years later, in the Gunzesried valley, a continuous production with complete maturation was started, and after 20 years, many cheese factories were already able to produce an excellent Emmental, thanks also to the introduction of fermentation chambers, which represented a breaking point versus the Swiss standard. At the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to the progress in pastoral farming, the quantity of milk produced increased strongly. Thus, cooperative and private companies founded larger cheese factories.
Gastronomy
The Allgäuer Bergkäse PDO should be kept in a cool and dry place. It is recommended to place it in the less cold part of the refrigerator, wrapped in its greaseproof paper, in order to avoid that its quality and aroma are damaged by other scents. It is consumed fresh, better if only a few days after its production. It is enjoyed in the summer with a typical pretzel called Brezn, while it is served as snack the rest of the year. It can also be cooked and used as ingredient in various recipes, such as the quiche with sauerkraut.
Marketing
The product is sold as Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO and Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO Light, the latter of which has a lower fat content. It is marketed mainly in pieces or grated, in both cases vacuum-packed to preserve the humidity. It is nonetheless also available in whole moulds.
Distinctive Features
The Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO is a cheese with a unique taste, naturally spicy, strictly linked to the particular nourishment of the cows delivering the milk, which is based on aromatic herbs and fodder. The characteristic aroma of the Allgäuer Emmentaler PDO comes from the quality of the milk, exclusively from the production area.
