Making Swiss cheese is an art perfected over centuries by Swiss cheese makers. As the saying goes, “Good things take time”, so how long exactly does it take to make Swiss cheese? Let’s explore!
When it comes to making traditional Swiss cheese, the process consists of several distinct steps that each require dedicated time and specific skills from the cheese maker. Starting with the milk, the cheese makers use a combination of heat, cultures, pre-acidifiers, rennet, and an aging process to form the cheese. It starts with a process of “breaking the curd” so the whey can be separated from the cheese and then goes through a series of steps that might take anywhere from 24 to 36 hours to complete, depending on the desired result.Contents
The Cheese Sealing Process
Once the curd is formed, it is cut, cooked, and stirred to form the desired consistency. Then it is molded and placed in a brine bath before it is sealed and placed in a ripening cellar which is maintained at the right temperature, typically around 8-10°C to age. During this stage, the bacteria in the cheese is active and, depending on the type of cheese, the cheese makers might place the cheese in a salt or another type of brine or vacuum-seal it and store it for a period of several weeks or months. This process of ripening affects both the texture and flavor of the cheese and develops its characteristic characteristics.
The Cutting and Packing Process
Once the cheese has reached its full potential from aging in the ripening cellars, it is cut into blocks and examined by the cheese maker to place it in the right category – Swiss, Emmental, Tete de Moine, etc. After that, the cheese blocks are vacuum-sealed or wrapped in wax parchment and placed in a special storage area.
Final Note
So, with all these steps, it’s no surprise that making Swiss cheese is a long and detailed process. In fact, it can take anywhere from 6 weeks to a year to make traditional Swiss cheese. But as they say “good things come to those who wait”, and when it comes to Swiss cheese, the result is worth the wait!
In conclusion, it takes anywhere from 6 weeks to a year to make a traditional Swiss cheese, depending on the desired type. However, it takes dedication, knowledge, and time from the cheese maker to perfect this craft and create a delicious Swiss cheese.