Sbrinz is a very hard cheese produced in central
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. It is often used instead of
Parmesan
Parmesan ( it, Parmigiano Reggiano; ) is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cows’ milk and aged at least 12 months.
It is named after two of the areas which produce it, the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia (''Parmigiano'' ...
cheese in
Swiss cuisine
Swiss cuisine is influenced by Austrian, French, German and Northern Italian cuisine, as well as by the history of Switzerland as a primarily agricultural country. As a result, many traditional Swiss dishes tend to be relatively plain and are mad ...
.
The cheese is produced in only 42 dairies in central Switzerland. Only local cow's milk is used when producing this cheese. It is kept in the region until ready for consumption.
Contrary to popular belief, the name ''Sbrinz'' does not originally refer to a particular place or region. Nevertheless, the
Swiss Cheese Union
The Swiss Cheese Union (german: Schweizer Käseunion AG, ) was a marketing and trading organization in Switzerland, which from 1914 to 1999 served as a cartel to control cheese production. To this end, the Swiss Cheese Union mandated production be ...
added to this myth by launching an advertising campaign in the 1990s. As a result of this campaign, there is now an area called ''Sbrinz''.
Character
Sbrinz is an extra hard full fat cheese. It contains approximately 40% to 45% of fat when dry. The cheese must ripen for 16 months before it can be sold as Sbrinz, and the full flavour only develops after about 24–30 months in storage.
History
Sbrinz is claimed to be the oldest European cheese. The Celtic ancestors of the Swiss were making cheese centuries before the birth of Christ. This cheese may have been an ancestor to modern Sbrinz. The official web site claims that the cheese was first mentioned in 70 AD, but does not give any details. Other sources claim that the cheese is mentioned in contracts dated around 1200. It seems certain, however, that it is mentioned in documents dating from 1530, which are kept in the state archive in
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
.
Starting in 2001, Sbrinz was granted an
''appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) certification. The AOC provides specifications for the origin of the milk and the processes that must be followed in order for the cheese to labeled as Sbrinz. In 2013, this was replaced by the
''appellation d'origine protégée'' (AOP) certification.
Consumption
Sbrinz is commonly consumed in several ways; it can be used grated, such as on pasta. It can be eaten in small pieces, often to accompany wine. It is also eaten in thin slices planed from the hard cheese. Sbrinz is often simply enjoyed with bread and butter.
See also
*
Cheeses of Switzerland
*
Bergkäse
( for, , German, mountain cheese) refers to a number of varieties of cheese produced in the Alps. This includes products of mountain farming, the cultivation of alpine pastures as well as the milk processing of local producers in dairies. The te ...
*
Culinary Heritage of Switzerland
The Culinary Heritage of Switzerland (german: Kulinarisches Erbe der Schweiz, french: Patrimoine culinaire suisse, it, Patrimonio culinario svizzero, rm, Patrimoni culinar svizzer) is a multilingual online encyclopedia of traditional Swiss cuis ...
References
External links
Official page– in German, French, Italian and English.
*
{{Portal bar, Food, Switzerland
Swiss cheeses
Cow's-milk cheeses
Culinary Heritage of Switzerland