Search Results for: swiss
Natural Smoked Swiss Cheese
Natural Smoked Swiss Cheese
Natural Smoked Swiss Cheese. The same great taste of the swiss you love with that robust smokey flavor. Naturally smoked, instead of injected with smoke flavor this is a great option for persons looking for a less processed option of your favorite cheese.
Guggisberg Baby Swiss – A Brief History
If you have spent much time in North Eastern Ohio, you likely have tried some of the world-famous cheeses offered in the area. One name that rings notoriety in the region is Guggisberg Baby Swiss.
Swiss Cheeses: Learn About Our Range
We stock a whole range of different Swiss cheeses here at Shisler’s Cheese House, so we thought now would be a great time to share them all with you.
How are Swiss Cheeses made?
The process of making Swiss cheeses involves natural bacteria consuming the lactic acid in the cheese. This releases carbon dioxide gas, which forms bubbles that become the holes in the cheese. These are often referred to as “eyes”.
Our range of Swiss cheeses
Our Ohio Swiss cheese is an Amish cheese made in Northeastern Ohio. It undergoes a longer aging process that it undergoes, at a higher temperature than younger cheeses. This produces larger eyes, which is sometimes seen as an indicator for better flavor. It closely resembles the original Swiss Emmental Cheese, which was originally produced in the Swiss canton of Bern. Ours has the signature nutty, bittersweet taste. The milk used in our Swiss cheese does not have preservatives added and is always from cows that have not been given hormones or antibiotics.
We also offer Baby Swiss, which substitutes water for the milk’s whey to slow the bacterial action. This creates smaller holes and a milder flavor, whilst still being delightfully creamy. If you or someone you love likes Baby Swiss cheese, then you’ll be pleased to know we offer a gift box with a 4lb. Baby Swiss cheese and a selection of assorted chocolates. You can also find a 2lb. Baby Swiss cheese in one of our other gift boxes, along with a Troyer’s Trail Bologna Ring, 8oz, of Colby Cheese, Shisler’s Private Label Mustard, Carr’s Crackers and assorted chocolates.
Lacy Swiss is another variety of Swiss cheese, made with low-fat milk. Lacy Swiss was invented by Alpine Lace Brands in 1985 in response to the growing need for healthier alternatives. This cheese is closely related to Swiss cheese, but the whole milk used to produce swiss cheese is replaced with low fat milk to provide a healthier alternative with a lower fat content. It gets its name from the lacy appearance of the slices, which usually have a creamy, ivory color to them. It has a delightfully light and nutty flavor. If you follow a lactose-free diet, then this cheese is naturally free of lactose.
We also stock Lacy Baby Swiss. Lacy Baby Swiss combines the production methods of Baby and Lacy Swiss to create a cheese with very small holes, a mild flavor, and a lower fat and sodium content than many cheeses.
We even offer smoked Swiss cheese and smoked baby Swiss. The smoked cheeses have a creamier texture and a more buttery, slightly sweet flavor, which make them ideal for melting. Light cold-smoking adds an earthiness to the flavor profile for an added smokey, cured taste.
Our final offering is a sharp Swiss cheese. This is a more mature version of our locally made cheese that has been aged for approximately 12 months. This is an excellent substitute for Gruyere cheese, if you prefer the more mature variety. The word ‘sharp’ denotes a strong flavor as a result of a long aging process.
How to enjoy Swiss cheeses
Swiss cheeses are delicious in a sandwich or served cut into cubes alongside salads and hams. They work well with most meats and are particularly good with a beef burger. You can use them in fondue and even enjoy them for breakfast with ham and a croissant. They pair well with apples, grapes, and pickled fruits and make an excellent addition to any cheeseboard.
How do you like to eat Swiss cheese? Let us know in the comments below!
Lacy Swiss: Everything You Need to Know
You know that we love to help you get to know all of the cheeses that we have on offer. If you always pick up Swiss Cheese then you might not have tried Lacy Swiss, thinking that it’s just a variation. However, it’s a great alternative and a really delicious way to eat cheese with a lower fat and sodium content.
What is Lacy Swiss Cheese?
Lacy Swiss was invented by Alpine Lace Brands in 1985 in response to the growing need for healthier alternatives. This cheese is closely related to Swiss cheese, but the whole milk used to produce swiss cheese is replaced with low fat milk to provide a healthier alternative with a lower fat content. It gets its name from the lacy appearance of the slices, which usually have a creamy, ivory color to them. It has a delightfully light and nutty flavor. If you follow a lactose-free diet, then this cheese is naturally free of lactose.
How should I eat Lacy Swiss Cheese?
It’s a great table cheese but it is also delicious on deli sandwiches or to top off hamburgers and patty melts. It’s rather light and delicate, so if you’re looking to add a true Swiss flavor to a recipe, our sharper imported varieties like Jarlsberg or Gruyere may be better choices.
It melts very well, so it is a good option to use in quiches or pasta dishes when you want to add creaminess without too much fat. We also love it paired with dried fruits and nuts, so it’s a great addition to any cheeseboard, especially if you want to offer a healthier option. Try it with slices of apple or pear for a refreshing afternoon snack.
What is Lacy Baby Swiss?
We also stock Lacy Baby Swiss. This is another of our local selections. Lacy Baby Swiss is a young, semi-soft cheese distinguishable by its myriad of small holes. Baby Swiss is made by substituting water for the milk’s whey to slow bacterial action compared to a traditional Swiss Cheese. The Lacy version has smaller holes and a milder flavor, as well as the lower fat and sodium content found in Lacy Swiss.
What should I drink with it?
Due to their mild flavor, these cheeses very well with numerous wines. The most popular pairings are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. but Beaujolais and Pinot Noir are also great matches. If you are a white wine lover, then Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc would all be good choices. Lacy Swiss even goes well with Lager, Pale Ale, and Weiss Beer.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our exploration of these healthy cheeses. Perhaps you could by a few different Swiss types of cheese and compare them to see which is your favorite. We even offer a Smoked Swiss Cheese if you like a smokey taste on your cheeseboard. Pop into the store if you’re nearby and we’ll help you to choose a great selection.
How do you like to enjoy Lacy Swiss cheese? Let us know in the comments!
Swiss Cheese: Everything You Need to Know
What is Swiss Cheese?
A holey, semi-hard cheese with a creamy color.
How does it taste?
It has a nutty, slightly piquant flavor whilst simultaneously being somewhat creamy.
How is Swiss Cheese made?
The process of making Swiss cheese involves natural bacteria consuming the lactic acid in the cheese. This releases carbon dioxide gas, which forms bubbles that become the holes in the cheese. These are often referred to as “eyes”. Our Amish swiss cheese, made in Northeastern Ohio, is especially flavorful because of the longer aging process that it undergoes, at a higher temperature than younger cheeses. This produces larger eyes, which is sometimes seen as an indicator for better flavor.
The milk used in our Swiss cheese does not have preservatives added and is always from cows that have not been given hormones or antibiotics.
We also offer Baby Swiss, which substitutes water for the milk’s whey to slow the bacterial action. This creates smaller holes and a milder flavor. Lacy Swiss is another variety of Swiss cheese, made with low-fat milk. We even offer smoked Swiss cheese.
How should I eat it?
Swiss cheese is delicious in a sandwich or served cut into cubes alongside salads and hams. It works well with most meats and is particularly good with a beef burger.
Use it as fondue or mix it into dips for a fun dinner party meal or appetizer.
For breakfast, eat a slice of it with ham in a croissant. You could even have fruit with it, as it has a nutty, caramel quality that complements apples and grapes well. It’s also very good with pickled fruits or vegetables. Consider adding them to your next cheeseboard for flavor and bite.
You could add an extra punch of flavor to your favorite mac and cheese by grating in some Swiss cheese. It is equally good with other pasta dishes, such as a creamy spaghetti or a linguine with vegetables. Use it with your breadcrumbs when making schnitzel for an extra crispy, cheesy bite.
What should I drink it with?
It goes well with Belgian ales or other creamy beers such as a pale ale. A light red wine such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel won’t overpower the light flavor of the cheese but will bring out its sweetness. You may also find that crisp white wines such as Rieslings make a good companion for this cheese.
For a non-alcoholic option, an apple cider would be a good option as the apple flavors will offer a honey quality alongside the cheese.
How do you like to eat Swiss Cheese? Let us know in the comments!
5 Ways to Eat Swiss Cheese
We are huge fans of Swiss cheese here at Shisler’s Cheese House. We have a whole range to keep you happy and today we’re giving you 5 ideas for ways to enjoy Swiss cheese.
The process of making Swiss cheese involves natural bacteria consuming the lactic acid in the cheese. This releases carbon dioxide gas, which slowly forms bubbles that become the recognizable holes in the cheese. These are often referred to as “eyes”. Our Amish swiss cheese, made in Northeastern Ohio, is especially flavorful because of the longer aging process that it undergoes, at a higher temperature than younger cheeses. This produces larger eyes, which is sometimes seen as an indicator for better flavor.
The milk used in our Swiss cheese does not have preservatives added, and is from cows that have never been given hormones or antibiotics. This creates a great taste and you know exactly what you are eating.
We also offer Baby Swiss, which substitutes water for the milk’s whey to slow the bacterial action. This creates smaller holes and a milder flavor. Lacy Swiss is another variety of Swiss cheese, made with low-fat milk. We even offer smoked Swiss cheese.
- On Crackers
Swiss cheese is well known for its nutty, bittersweet taste. This is perfect enjoyed on your favorite crackers. Add a couple of other cheese, some grapes, and relishes, and you’ve got a full cheeseboard.
- Paired with your favorite wine or beer
This is such a versatile cheese that you can easily find a beverage pairing for it. If you’re a fan of red wines, try a Merlot or Pinot Noir. For white wine lovers, try a Chardonnay or Riesling. Swiss cheese will also pair well with lager, pale ales, and Weiss beer.
- Cheese Fondue
Fondue is a decadent treat that’s perfect at the end of a cold day, or to share with friends and family. Simmer 10 fl. oz. white wine in a fondue pot, before adding 10 oz. each of Swiss and Gruyere cheese. Make sure everything is melted before stirring in 2 teaspoons flour. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve this with cubes of your favorite bread, chopped vegetables, and cured meats.
- Mac and Cheese
Add an extra punch of flavor to your favorite mac and cheese by grating in some Swiss cheese. You can even add it to breadcrumbs for an extra crunchy topping.
- On French Onion Soup
A firm favorite for warming you up, French onion soup is incomplete without a topping of Swiss cheese toast. Thinly slice small pieces of your favorite bread, add grated Swiss cheese and grill before serving with your soup.
If you love Swiss cheese as much as us, why not treat yourself this to our gift box this Christmas? You’ll find a whole 4lb. Baby Swiss cheese, perfect to share with the whole family.
However you like to eat your Swiss cheese, you can find it all here at Shisler’s Cheese House!
5 of the Best “Swiss” Cheeses You’ve Never Heard Of!
The 5 Best Swiss Cheeses You Need To Try!
Image Source: http://www.bbc.com/travel/europe/switzerland
One of the most vital parts of the culture and history of Switzerland aside from its majestic landscapes and mountainous scenery, is its cheese. This is markedly evident as over 100 different cheeses are produced throughout Switzerland.
Cheese is a very important aspect of Swiss Culture! Dairy farming in the Swiss Alps dates back 2,000 years, to the time of ancient Romans, making it a crucial part of Swiss life and traditions. To this day, over 100 different cheeses are manufactured in Switzerland. It may come as a surprise that these cheeses are not mass-produced but in fact made in hundreds of smaller dairies which are controlled by a master cheese maker to ensure the best and most high standard cheeses.
Many cheeses of Switzerland often have their names plagiarized and abused. However, regardless of the fact that the cheeses are plagiarized, there is a long list of cheeses that originate from Switzerland.
Here is a list of the 5 best cheeses which are unique to Switzerland:
1. Appenzeller
This is a hard cheese made from cow’s milk. It is light-colored and cured in herbal brine using wine or cider. Its name is from the region is it manufactured in Appenzell, which is located in northeast Switzerland. The flavor is often said to be nutty or fruity, ranging from mild to tangy, with a strong smell to it.
2. Sbrinz
This cheese comes from central Switzerland and is unique because of 42 dairies in the region produce it. The cheese is extra hard with a smoother, nuttier flavor that has a less salty taste.
3. Schabziger/ Sapasago
This hard cheese is made in the Canton of Glarus region using skimmed milk and blue melilot (blue fenugreek), which is a herb which gives the cheese the green color. Its flavor is pungent, salty and sour which the smell matches.
4. Tilsit/ Tilsiter
This cheese is only semi-hard and dates back to the Prussian-Swiss settlers in the Mid- 19th Century. It is light-yellow colored with the flavor of a buttery, yet tangy kind that varies from slightly strong to pungent, depending on how long it has been aged. Sometimes it is said to taste like peppercorns.
5. Vacherin-Fribourgeois
This cheese is also semi hard and is manufactured in dairies of the canton of Fribourg. It is made from cow’s milk and has a semi to hard consistency and is covered in greyish- yellow rind. Because it is cured in damp conditions, it can be mildly acidic.
The “hole” story behind Swiss Cheese… Get it?
For more than a century, the holes in Swiss cheeses such as Emmental have been attributed to carbon dioxide given off by bacteria. But that’s not the whole story, and now the Swiss have determined exactly why the holes form the way they do.
The culprit? Hay.
Baby Swiss: A Delicately and Deliciously Crafted Cheese
As many know, there truly is no “Swiss Cheese” in Switzerland. In Switzerland, they make a variety of “Alpine” cheeses, with some having large holes. The most notable of these cheese is Emmentaler. 
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of the Swiss cheese makers began to move to Wisconsin and settled in the “Dairy Belt” of Green and Dodge Counties. Originally, they made large wheels of cheese (3 feet wide, 125 pounds) patterned after the Emmentaler of Switzerland. Naturally, these became known as ‘Swiss Cheese.’
As the trend changed to larger cheese factories, a broader market and wider distribution, the call for a smaller cheese with milder flavor began to arise. This was soon addressed with the development of this much smaller cheese made with full fat milk that was aged only a few months. Although this new cheese was not that small at 5 lbs, compared to the much larger Emmentaler cheese, it is truly a baby.
A bit of history:
The driving forces in Baby Swiss evolving into a true “made in America” style cheese, were two Wisconsin cheese makers.
They were Eldore Hanni and Alfred Guggisberg, who were both of Swiss background (as can be seen by their names here).
Eldore was second generation Swiss, living in the heart of dairy country in Wisconsin, where much of the cheese making was of Swiss and German influence. Alfred moved to Pennsylvania from his home country- Switzerland.
Alfred 
Guggisberg was only 16 when he began to make cheese in the mountain pastures of Switzerland (the Alps). He furthered those skills at the famous Swiss cheese maker’s institute before coming to the United States in 1947. Here, he settled in the Doughty Valley in Charm, Ohio to work with the Amish farmers as a cheese maker. By the 1960’s, Alfred had developed a new style of cheese, which became the Baby Swiss cheese (1968). This was patterned after the Emmentaler of his homeland, but was much smaller and made with a richer milk. His focus in doing this was to develop a milder flavor for the American palate. Today, the Guggisberg cheese company is still thriving.
Eldore Hanni was a second-generation Swiss immigrant, who began making specialty cheese as a teenager (he managed a cheese factory at the age of 17). His strength was developing new recipes and in the early 1970’s, Eldore began working on a recipe for Baby Swiss. Later in the 70’s, he moved to the Amish area of central Pennsylvania to establish his new dairy and work with the milk of the Amish farmers. This eventually became Penn Cheese which flourishes to this day, although Eldore has retired.
There was a similar and parallel evolution for both men in developing this cheese. It resulted in a cheese with smaller holes and a creamier flavor from the use of full fat milk. It did not need to age as long and hence had a milder flavor.
What is a Baby Swiss:
In Switzerland, there is no ‘Swiss’ cheese, because there is a wide range of Gruyere and Emmentaler style cheese. Essentially, these can be divide into those with or without holes. In America, we call anything with holes Swiss Cheese. Most of these have origins in the dairy counties of Wisconsin, where many German and Swiss immigrants settled with their cheese making skills.
The “true” Swiss cheese is Emmentaler (never called Swiss), a cheese made in Switzerland under an Appellation of Controlled Origin to ensure that the integrity of the cheese is maintained. The technique, however, has been duplicated in numerous nations, leading to generic “Swiss” cheese for sale in many nations.
But this is a Baby Swiss Cheese…
The flavor of ‘Baby Swiss’ cheese is buttery, nutty, and creamy. The cheese melts very well, making it suitable for a wide range of dishes. The small holes also make the cheese easier to work with, since especially large holes can pose problems in salads and other dishes which involve slices of the cheese. Some delis also label baby Swiss cheese as ‘Lacy Swiss,’ since the cheese looks like fine lace, but those are actually made from a lower fat milk.
How is this cheese made:
This is a cow’s milk cheese made with a mixture of bacteria. Besides the normal lactose converting bacteria, it contains another special propionic bacteria that breaks down the lactic acid in the cheese and generates carbon dioxide, which forms bubbles in the cheese as it ages. This is quite similar to bread dough rising but takes much longer.
The longer the cheese is allowed to age, the more complex the flavor gets, and the larger the holes will become.
One of the primary steps in making this style of cheese is a very slow conversion of lactose to lactic acid.
This is accomplished by:
- Controlling the amount of culture and ripening time.
- Removing whey and replacing with warm water early in the process to limit the culture’s food supply (lactose).
This will result in the very elastic curd structure, and functions to hold the gas in the cheese as the holes develop. This is most obvious in the finished cheese, with round glossy looking holes and the elastic ability to bend the cheese slices without it breaking.
To make ‘Baby Swiss’ cheese, several things about the cheese making process are altered from traditional ‘Swiss:’
- The cheese is made with whole milk, for a richer, buttery flavor.
- It is usually a much smaller wheel of cheese, about 5 pounds.
- The use of a Mesophilic rather than a Thermophilic culture is used.
- The milk may also be cut with water, which slows the bacterial activity.
- Most importantly, Baby Swiss cheese is aged for a very short period of time, so that the holes do not have time to grow very large. The shorter curing time also results in a more mild flavor, which some consumers prefer.
Be sure to stop by Shisler’s Cheese House and pick up some Baby Swiss Cheese on your next stop!
Pearl Valley Swiss Cheese… More than delicious, it’s Cheese Heaven!
Don’t have any weekend plans and want to take a nice road trip? Does your daily commute take you along US Route 30 through Orrville or Dalton, OH? If so, make sure to stop by the wonderland of cheese stores in the Great Lakes region, Shisler’s Cheese House. Known for its plethora of cheeses and delightful goodies, Shisler’s Cheese House will provide you with one of the best experiences you’ll have this side of the Mississippi.
Among the incredible amount of cheeses, our most famous is Pearl Valley Swiss. Pearl Valley Swiss comes from Fresno, OH, just south of Ohio’s Amish Country. Around since 1928, Pearl Valley Swiss has been an exemplary culinary artwork to all that have had the opportunity to taste this delicious masterpiece. Pearl Valley Swiss has a delightful, yet delicate flavor that cannot be mistaken with its rich, yet smooth flavor. Once you’ve had a bite of Pearl Valley Swiss at Shisler’s Cheese, you will have a new-found appreciation for cheese.
Where to find the gold, that is Pearl Valley Swiss Cheese in our store? Come on in and head straight to our cutting counter and you will see this brilliant display of Pearl Valley Swiss. We also do cheese cuts at your request! Only want a 1/2 lb. or 1/4 lb., we tailor to your requests. At 4.99/lb., you can’t go wrong taking some of this marvelous Swiss Cheese home with you today.
While you’re in the store, be sure to check out all of our other decadent goodies, from delicious cookies to a our large supply of Ben Heggy’s Chocolates to our Troyer’s Original Trail Bologna and other meats. Shisler’s Cheese House is your one-stop shop for a culinary experience you won’t soon forget!
