I happen to like Gruyere cheese. Its an old standby, nutty, flavorful, and pretty easy to find. Although it tastes great when aged, its a good cooking cheese when fresh. And how can you forget fondue (I can, but I appear to be in the minority). Authentic Gruyere cheese is produced in the AOC region of Switzerland. They have a French only website describing the cheese, the regions in Switzerland where it is produced, and some history. There is also a nifty little shop (in Swiss Franks, of course) where you can buy fondue forks and even a Gruyere coloring book.
So I was a little surprised to see that Roth Kase, the largest producer of handmade cheese in the United States, produced their own Gruyere. According to the little sign stuck in it at Zabar's, Roth Kase is the only non-Swiss made cheese allowed to use the name "Gruyere." Roth Kase Gruyere comes in three grades, of which I bought the Surchoix, which is the most aged and most expensive (natch). It was nutty and tasty, and is a great Gruyere to serve with wine or on a cheese plate.
So, when you're feeling like showing off domestically, or just in a jingoistic mood, thing Roth Kase Gruyere Grand Cru Surchoix. You'll be glad you did.
2 comments:
any ideaq why those xenophobic nuts let us use the name gruyere?
you're the one with the swiss relatives! To be honest, i didn't see it on their website, so it may not be true, although it was on the sign at zabar's.
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