Appenzeller is made from unpasteurized whole cow’s milk. The cheese is pressed and formed into wheels that are then bathed in a spiced brine made from wine or cider. After 3 or 4 months of maturing, they are dipped in the brine again. The cheese is generally aged a total of anywhere from 8 to 12 months.
The rind of the cheese is hard, and can vary in colour from brownish-yellow to orangey. The rind tastes salty. The cheese inside is a pale yellow semi-hard cheese with small holes in it.
The cheese is made in 4 cantons (provinces) in Switzerland: Appenzell Inner Rhoden, Appenzell Ausser Rhoden, St. Gall and Jhurgau.
Cooking Tips
The cheese is hard enough to be grated. Good as a complementary cheese in fondues.
History Notes
Appenzeller was probably first made around the 8th or 9th century.
Literature & Lore
Named after the Appenzell cantons in North-Eastern Switzerland.