Blog
History of Swiss Cheese
Swiss Cheese
Of all of the cheeses we provide, our locally made Swiss is by far the most popular. As of this writing, we sell an average of 2,000 pounds per week, and triple that during the holiday season. Here is a story about the early history of what we call “Swiss Cheese.” For additional information on locally Made Swiss Cheese, check out our earlier post entitled Swiss Cheese or “Swiss” Cheese? Or Making Cheese the Amish Way.
Swiss cheese is the favourite of many due to its rich, delicious, mouth watering taste. Every single slice of this cheese is visually stimulating and come with large holes. These unique holes are created by adding gram positive bacteria to the starter culture. The carbon dioxide bubbles created by bacteria give holes to Swiss cheese. The bacteria are also responsible for the sweet and nutty taste of this cheese.
Walk into any of the cheese stores in Australia, United States, New Zealand or Canada and ask for Swiss cheese and you will get exactly that. You cannot guarantee this anywhere else in the world. For example, if you wish to purchase this mild tasting cheese with holes in Europe, you must ask for Emmental cheese. Swiss just refers to the origin and is not its name.
Emmental or Swiss cheese was first manufactured in West Central region of Switzerland. This region is also known as the Emmental area. This area is ideal for pastures with its large rolling fields. Emmental’s pastures were used by local farmers for thousands of years for dairy cattle grazing. A part of the milk obtained from the cows was used to make cheese.
Very soon, cheese became synonymous with Emmental. This cheese’s incredible taste and unique appearance was popularized by a writer through his series of novels on the Emmental dairy and cheese industry.
According to history, it was as early as 1300 that the Swiss cheese started to be produced in Emmental. It was however only in the 1800s that the first ever cheese dairies came into existence here. This in turn made the cheese very popular even with people who did not live in this region.
Gradually many dairies were developed in Emmental which resulted in the production of cheese in large quantities. Swiss cheese was then marketed to other areas and eventually all over the world.
Today, Swiss cheese is available throughout the world but visit Emmental and taste the cheese and you cannot miss the extra local flavour. Dairy farmers in Emmental are extremely choosy about what they feed their cows as they realize that the diet affects the final flavour of the cheese.
Cows, when they can graze in summers, live only on herbs, especially natural herbs. They are never fed silage. No farmer in Emmental has more than twenty cows, which allow them to care for them in such a manner that they produce the best quality milk.
In addition to our locally made Swiss Cheese, we also have our local Emmentaler, made by the original old world recipe.
Delectable Recipes Using Smoked Gouda
Smoked Gouda
Smoked Gouda is special among all cheese produced in Holland. Though it is produced just like all other types of cheese in computerized dairy plants, this cheese is still smoked over smoldering hickory chip embers in brick ovens. For many, the best part of the cheese is the smoky, brown rind.
Gouda is produced from cow, goat, and sheep’s milk. Milk is obtained from cows that are purely grass fed, to make un-smoked or smoked Gouda. As the taste of Gouda cheese is mild, it is flavored with mustard, herbs, chipotles, nuts and spices like cumin and black pepper.
Smoked Gouda, with its unique taste, is ideal for many mouthwatering recipes.
Smoked Gouda and caramelized onion Quesadillas
These delicious Quesadillas are sure to impress your guests. You can pre-assemble Gouda, prosciutto and caramelized onions and bake the dish when you are ready to serve. To make this appetizing dish, you need the following:
- 1 thinly sliced onion
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp golden brown sugar
- 1-1/2 cups grated smoked Gouda cheese
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 2 ounces of chopped prosciutto
- 4 flour tortillas measuring 10 inches in diameter
Preparation method –
Take a heavy medium skillet and melt two tablespoons of butter in it over medium heat. Add onion, vinegar and brown sugar and sauté for a while. When the onion turns golden brown, remove and cool to room temperature.
Set the oven to 350ºF and preheat it. Divide the tortillas equally and sprinkle cheese on one half. On top of the cheese, sprinkle sautéed onions and prosciutto and season with pepper. Over this cheese mixture, fold the other half of the tortilla. Brush the tortillas and a large skillet with melted butter and place over medium heat. Tortillas must be cooked carefully until you find the brown dots appearing on them. When they are done, transfer to a baking sheet and bake till the cheese melts and the tortillas are golden. When they are done, transfer the quesadillas to a working surface and cut them into six triangles before arranging and serving from a platter.
Other exciting recipes you can enjoy using smoked Gouda include smoked Gouda and Arugula pasta salad, grilled pumpernickel and Gouda sandwich, creamy spinach with smoked Gouda au gratin, pork chops stuffed with smoked bacon and smoked Gouda, spinach and mushroom frittata with smoked Gouda and smoked Gouda mashed potatoes.
Prepare any of these recipes using smoked Gouda for your family and you will find them asking for more.
What recipes do you think Smoked Gouda would add flavor to?
Wine Pairings with Cheese: The 29 Most Popular Cheeses
Wine Pairings with Cheese can be particularly challenging. One must select cheeses and wines that compliment each other perfectly without the flavors competing or overwhelming one another. So here is an alphabetical listing of 29 of the most popular cheeses in the United States and suggestions for wines that pair well with them. Keep in mind this list is not comprehensive. There are other wines that pair well with these cheeses. But these are the best matches in my humble opinion. This list should easily print to two pages so it can be used as a handy guide. Hopefully it will help you impress you friends at your next gathering. Click on any cheese to find more information and other pairing options.
Amish Butter Cheese – Chardonnay
Asiago Cheese – Beaujolais, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot. Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah (Shiraz)
Baby Swiss– Asti Spumanti, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling/Champagne, Vidal Blanc
Bacon Cheese– Baco Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir
Brick Cheese– Baco Noir, Gamay Noir(Beaujolais), Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Zinfandel
Canadian Cheddar (Sharp) – Cabernet Franc, Cabernet/Merlot(Bordeaux), Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Syrah(Shiraz), Tempranillo, Zinfandel
New York Cheddar (Medium)– Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Pinot Gris,Pinot Noir
Colby Cheese– Chardonnay, Dry Champagne/Sparkling Wine, Gamay Noir(Beaujolais), Muscat, Riesling, Rose/Blush, Sauvignon Blanc
Danish Blue Cheese– Cabernet Franc, Cabernet/Merlot (Bordeaux), Cabernet Sauvignon, Desert Wines-(Icewine, Late Harvest Muscat, Riesling, Vidal Blanc, Viogniers), Maderia, Port-Tawney, Sherry
Farmer’s Cheese– Chardonnay, Gamay Noir(Beaujolais), Muscat, Pinot Noir, Reisling, Rose/Blush
Goat Cheese – Beaujolais, Chablis, Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc, Tempanillo
Gouda– Beaujolais, Champagne/Sparkling Wine, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc
Gruyere– Beaujolais, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah (Shiraz), Sauvignon Blanc
Havarti Cheese – Beaujolais, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel
Havarti with Caraway – Beaujolais, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel
Havarti with Dill– Cabernet Franc, Cabernet/Merlot (Bordeaux), Rioja, Tannat, Tempranillo
Horseradish Cheese– Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Noir
Marble Cheese– Baco Noir, Cabernet/Merlot(Bordeaux), Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Rose/Blush
Mozzarella– Beaujolais, Chianti
Muenster– Baco Noir, Gamay Noir(Beaujolais), Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Zinfandel
Parmesan– Baco Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet/Merlot(Bordeaux),Grenache,Sherry, Syrah (Shiraz), Zinfandel
Provolone – Beaujolais, Chardonnay, Chianti, Syrah (Shiraz)
Pepper Jack Cheese– Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc
Raclette – Fendant, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Savoie
Romano (Pecorino) – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot, Zinfandel
Sharp Swiss– Cabernet Franc, Dolcetto, Gerwurztraminer, Grenache, Merlot, Muscat, Riesling, Vidal Blanc
Swiss Cheese – Beaujolais, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Gris. Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc
Smoked Cheddar– Cabernet Franc,Cabernet/Merlot(Bordeaux), Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Syrah(Shiraz), Tempranillo, Zinfandel
Smoked Gouda – Chateauneuf-du-papa, Chianti, Garnacha, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah(Shiraz), Tempranillo
Most of the suggested wines should be available at your local wine and spirit store. Please feel free to give feedback on this list or additional wine pairing suggestions.
The Importance of Customer Service
In this day and age, good customer service can kill your business. That is because outstanding customer service has become an expectation, especially for small business owners. Outstanding customer service is the best way to stand out from your big competitors.
Today I saw the negative impact of mediocre customer service habits first-hand. I took a water sample to a local pool store to have it tested and get some advice on what chemicals I needed to add. The clerk looked to be about High School age, and was sufficiently professional and pleasant when I asked for help. She computer tested the water and printed a report. She advised me that my pool water needed to be stabilized, and the report suggested I add eight pounds of stabilizer to my pool water. I immediately questioned this, because I own a small pool and thought that sounded excessive. But she assured me that the computer had taken the pool size into consideration when analyzing the water. So I purchased the stabilizer as she had recommended. Such a large amount cost nearly $30. She also provided me with a copy of the water sample test results.
When I got to the car, I glanced over the test results and noticed that the test results had in fact suggest adding 8 OUNCES of stabilizer, not 8 pounds as the clerk had said. I re-entered the store and waited for her to finish with another customer, then explained that she had made a mistake and showed her the test results. She apologized profusely, but I told her it was fine. We all make mistakes.
She then proceeded to explain that it was their store policy to only give store credit for returns, and that she could not give me cash back. I only have a small pool and do not make many purchases at this store, so I was not pleased with the idea of store credit, especially for an amount I would most likely not spend there by the end of the season. So I politely asked her to make an exception, especially considering it was her error that that caused me to purchase more than I needed, and the transaction had taken place less than 10 minutes prior. She said she could call her boss and ask him to make an exception, but he was normally very strict on this policy and would most likely refuse. So I asked her to call her boss.
By this time she had clearly become angry. Her body language had changed and she had begun to raise her voice toward me. It took her two calls to reach her boss. I assume he instructed her to make the exception and return my money, because she did just that. But she would not look at me or say a word. She obviously felt I had done something wrong to her.
In the end, I was satisfied and got what I wanted. I felt no disdain for the clerk for making a minor mistake. But the way she responded to her mistake caused the experience to become rather unpleasant. While the business owner did the right thing, I left there having made the decision that I would drive a few extra miles to the next pool store in the future. I would find it very awkward to do business with that clerk again. I also drove straight to my own store and recounted the experience to three of my employees and explained why that would be completely unacceptable in our store.
This is why at Shisler’s, our employees are trained to provide nothing less than outstanding service. Whether you choose to do business at our brick and mortar or online store, your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Beyond insisting that our employees provide outstanding service, we do our best to provide a pleasant work environment for them, in which those service habits develop naturally. If you ever receive anything less than outstanding service, please give us the opportunity to correct the situation and let me or a member of our senior staff know.
We appreciate your business. “Without you the customer, we would not exist.”
Do Processed Cheeses Get a Bad Rap?
Pepperoni Cheese
Most cheese connoisseurs cringe at the thought of processed cheeses. Think of Kraft singles, Laughing Cow, or Velveeta. Most of us loved such cheeses when we were kids, we always made sure Mom grabbed some at the grocery store. So why do they offend our adult palates? Labels that contain the name “cheese food” don’t make them sound any more appetizing either.
Processed cheeses are made with some natural cheeses, but usually contain other unfermented dairy products as well as chemical emulsifiers like sodium phosphate and citrate to circumvent the aging process necessary to produce most natural cheeses. Normally processed cheeses are medium firm, have a very mild flavor, and a consistently smooth texture.
Processed cheeses are often criticized for having a small range of flavors and textures and for potential health effects associated with the use of trans-fats, chemical preservatives, and artificial colorings. But like anything else, the health risks are negligible when these items are consumed in moderation, and these types of cheeses also offer many advantages.
Being cheese enthusiasts ourselves, we originally began stocking certain processed cheeses in order to satisfy our customers who requested them. But there has been a recent surge in the acceptance of many of these processed cheeses amongst the culinary community. The consistency of processed cheeses enables them to melt much more smoothly than natural cheeses, which tend to separate and pool after prolonged heating. They also have a much longer shelf life and the shortened production process lowers their cost significantly. This makes them ideal for use in cooking.
Some dishes call for only the finest natural cheeses, but many do not. It would be unusual for a chef to use a top shelf wine or liqueur to cook with. The same goes for cheese in many cases. This came to our attention when Jim Kennedy, a customer and friend of ours who also happens to be a retired chef ordered some horseradish cheese from us. He specialized in classic French cuisine and had been an apprentice to the first American-born Master Chef, Richard Schneider. So his opinion carried a lot of credibility with us. He shared his ideas for incorporating the horseradish cheese into high-end cuisine with us: “We melted it into mashed potatoes and it was superb. We melted it into Alfredo sauce and it was wonderful. We baked it into a quiche and it was sensational. We baked it with macaroni and it was incredible. In the future we intend to combine it with the smoked bacon cheese in all the above.” he said “We were afraid it would be tame for mainstream palates, but we were pleasantly surprised.”
That brought us to the most important benefit of processed cheeses: they come in a very diverse array of flavors. Besides horseradish, processed cheeses come in flavors like bacon, pepperoni, garden onion, Bermuda onion, hot pepper, super hot pepper, caraway, and even Southwestern Salsa. We also offer smoked varieties of many of these. Of course American cheese is the archetype of processed cheeses, but we also offer Sharp (aged) American, which is probably our best-selling processed cheese because few other cheese stores offer it. All of these flavors make excellent additions to simple or complex recipes. We were very impressed with the zing the Bermuda onion cheese added to our burgers!
So while most cheese aficionados will wrinkle there noses at the mere mention of processed cheeses, we have now found some very sophisticated uses for them. Of course, if the cheese is offered by itself or used as a finishing element for a fine dining recipe, natural cheeses are best. But processed cheeses can be excellent ingredients in complex recipes and add zesty variations to simple ones.
Chocolate As a Health Food?
In researching the recent fad of chocolate and Wine pairing, we became intrigued by a statement from one of its proponents stating that chocolate is a healthier choice than cheese to pair your favorite wine with. Obviously, we are big defenders of cheese here, but we did discover that chocolate has a lot of impressive health benefits.
Many of us were already aware that dark chocolate contains cancer-fighting anti-oxidants, but did you know that it contains more than red wine, tea, blueberries, or cranberries?
Chocolate is good for your heart too. The phenols in chocolate can help reduce the risk of heart disease and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The flavanols in chocolate help the body use nitric oxide, which is essential for healthy blood flow and blood pressure, so chocolate helps reduce high blood pressure as well. A study at the University of California Davis even determined that chocolate causes a reduction in blood platelet activity, which causes blood to clot. So eating chocolate can have an anti-clotting, blood thinning effect similar to low doses of aspirin that are very popular in the medical community these days.
Studies in the past have focused on the health benefits of dark chocolate, but Wheeling Jesuit University determined that consuming milk chocolate can benefit memory, attention span, reaction time, and cognitive problem solving ability. The increased mental performance is associated with theobromine and phenylethylamine, both of which are elements commonly found in Milk chocolate. So chocolate makes you smarter too!
Any chocolate lover knows that it makes you feel good. That may be one more reason many of us are prone to eat too much of it. But there is scientific evidence that eating chocolate stimulates the production of endorphins, which provide a pleasurable sensation similar to the one that runners get after jogging a few miles. (Eat chocolate or run? Hmmm…..) Chocolate even contains the neurotransmitter serotonin, that acts as an anti-depressant. A study in England also concluded that even just the smell of chocolate can lift your spirits. No wonder everyone who works in our store is always so happy!
So eating chocolate fights cancer, prevents heart disease, improves brain function, and makes you happy, and we have not even mentioned all of the vitamins and minerals it contains. But of course there is a caveat: the dreadful word that always pops up whenever we are discussing nutrition or healthy eating, “Moderation.” Consuming an overabundance of chocolate is not good for the waistline, which could defeat the purpose of all of the other health benefits outlined here. Too much sugar can also weaken the immune system and present risks for Diabetes if consumed regularly. So indulge in an amount that fits into a healthy daily calorie intake. Lastly, if you’re going to eat chocolate, make sure you indulge in the best. We recommend Heggys Chocolates.
Ohio Business Owner Receives Lion’s Club Leadership Award
District 13G of the Ohio Lions Clubs, at the District Convention, presented the first ever District Governor’s Association Award for Leadership and Dedication to Rita Shisler of the Orrville Lions Club. Rita is an immediate past president of the Orrville Lions, and was president for it’s Charter Year, in 2009 and 2010, helping to form the Orrville Lions. She has been appointed as Zone Chairman for Lions Zone 1, for 2011/2012. Lions International is the world’s largest service organization, with 1.35 million members in 206 countries.
Shisler, owner of Shisler’s Cheese House in Orrville, has been active as a board member of Wayne County Red Cross, Wayne County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Women’s Network, the 2007 ATHENA Award recipient, the 2004 Wooster Chamber’s Small Business of the Year, member of Friends of Every Woman’s House, Have a Heart for Hospice, St. Mary’s Gabriel Project, Startzman Free Clinic’s Meal That Heals, Lincoln Highway Association, Akron University’s International Friendship Club, and past Volunteer of the Year for Quota International.
Rita’s sons are both in the cheese business, DJ is owner of Shisler’s Cheese House in Akron, Dennis is VP of Marketing and Webmaster for https://cheesehouse.com, at the Orrville Shisler’s. When not in the cheese store, or busy volunteering, Rita spends time being Oma to Daniel, Grace and Natalia Shisler.
Amish Country Swiss Cheese Pie
Here is a wonderful recipe with Amish Country Swiss Cheese as the principle element While there are many cheeses on the market that fall under the broad title of “Swiss Cheese”, including almost anything with holes at your local grocery store, we have found that the proper cheese will make or break the recipe. The mass-produced cheeses found at most grocery stores typically use chemicals to speed the aging process. But those chemicals of leave a metallic aftertaste to the cheese, which can negatively alter the taste of the pie. For anyone desiring a bolder flavor, trying substituting the Swiss cheese with Emmentaler or adding some sharp swiss into the mixture.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups sifted cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
With fingertips, work it until crumbly:
- 1/4 lb. butter or margarine (½ cup)
Slowly add, stirring with fork:
- 1/4 cup cold water
For the filling:
Fry until crisp:
- 12 slices of smoked bacon
- 1/4 lb. of grated Swiss cheese
Into bowl break:
- 4 eggs
then add:
- 2 cups of cream
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Heavy pinch of sugar
- Pepper to taste
Preparation
Crust:
Shape the mixture into a ball and roll it in wax paper; chill it in the refrigerator, about 1/2 hour or until it’s easy to roll. Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a floured board, roll the dough into a large circle about 14 inches in diameter and fit it into 11” pie plate. Make a fluted edge as shown. Aerate the crust well with a fork. Place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Filling:
Beat the mixture thoroughly with an egg beater. Take the piecrust from the refrigerator and rub the inside with 1 tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle the bacon bits, and then the grated cheese evenly in the bottom of the piecrust. Pour the cream mixture evenly over all.
Bake for 15 min., then reduce the oven temperature to 300°F, bake for 40 minutes longer or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Serve hot, cut into pie wedges.
Make Easter Delicious This Year!
Easter Gift Baskets
Standard Easter Gift Baskets Include:
Marble Cheese
Dried Fruit Chips
Yogurt Pretzels
Heggy’s Chocolates
Wild Maple Walnut Syrup
Muddy Trail Mix
$39.99
Custom baskets can include anything currently available on the website. Call us for a quote!
(330)682-2105
Our fresh smoked ham is produced locally by Streb Meats.
Happy Valentines Day!
A Collection of The Best Sweet Treats for The True Chocolate Lover!
Heggy’s Candy Company has built a rich tradition of premium hand crafted chocolates and candies throughout the United States for over 9 decades. Founded by Ben Heggy in 1923, Heggy’s Chocolates remains one of the premiere candy companies in America.
Over the years, Heggy’s Chocolates has remained a family owned and operated business and today they maintain a high level of commitment to their customers and the community.
While the art of handcrafting quality candies and chocolates has been discarded by most candy producers, Heggy’s Chocolates has withstood the test of time. They still use the care and patience necessary for Heggy’s Chocolates unique savory taste.
Heggy’s Chocolates has built a devoted following of candy lovers in the US over the years, and we at Shisler’s have created a special Chocolate Lover’s Valentines Gift Box made primarily from Heggy’s Chocolates.
The Valentine’s Chocolate Gift Box Includes:
Chocolate Cheese
Heggy’s Milk Chocolate Turtles
Chocolate Covered Fruit
 Custom designed for the sophisticated lady!This package includes Havarti Cheese, Heggy’s Solid Milk Chocolate Heart, Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl Fudge, Strawberry Caramel Creams, and Yogurt Covered Cranberries. Best Enjoyed with a glass of wine and a warm hug! | For the man in your life. Flowers and candy just don’t work as well for men. So why not let him indulge in what he truly loves! This collection includes a ring of Troyer’s Genuine Trail Bologna, Ohio Swiss Cheese, Pepper Jack Cheese, Clem’s Hot Pepper Relish, Shisler’s Private Label Mustard, and Carr’s Table Water Crackers!  |
