Lappi is so named because its recipe was developed in the Lapland region of Finland. It is made from partially skimmed cow's milk, which results in a cheese nearly identical to Emmental except that it is pasteurized, and so is slightly less flavorful. It is also similar to swiss cheese, but with smaller holes and a slightly firmer texture. Lappi is a favorite among those who prize a mild nature and sweet taste. It is a classic melting cheese and can be substituted in nearly all Fondue recipes.
The town of Abondance lies on the river of the same name in the French Alps, close to the Swiss border. Abondance is an AOC Cheese requiring, among other restrictions, that the animals not be fed on silage. The result is a very flavorful cheese Expressing the bounty of rich pastures. The cheese is pressed, brine-soaked and ages, during which time it is rubbed with salt And wiped with a cloth soaked in a morge (made by mixing the sticky, brown rinds of old cheese with saltwater.). This cheese May replace or combine with a gruyere-style or mountain cheese for melting purposes to add extra dimensions of flavor. The Texture is firm with a tight paste and the flavor full, nutty with a nice sharp tang.
A Raclette with good flavor can be hard to come by, but this one definitely fills the gap. Authentic and rich, full flavor Comes through in this raw milk version. Raclette, made on both the Swiss and French sides of the Alps, is the name of the Cheese as well as its famous dish. Raclette is derived from the term "racler", meaning to scrape, describing how the dish is Traditionally prepared. Fill a bowl with boiled potatoes, thick pieces of ham, cornicho pickles and then scrape the melting Cheese off the face of the wheel. This, of course, requires that the cheese is heated over a fire, in the half-wheel, but There are ways of getting around that!
This cheese has been the victim of becoming known by it's imposters. Danish "Fontina", Fontinella, Fontal and Fontella all aspire to the richness and quality fo the real thing but really come nowhere close. Real Fontina is marked with a Consorzio stamp of a mountain and FONTINA inside a circle. Fontina is the traditional cheese for Fonduta; a rich whipped fondue-style dish with eggs and cream. Accordingly it is a wonderful melting cheese as well as table cheese. The texture is semi-firm and supple with rich, herbaceous and fruity flavor. It is much enjoyed when paired with fruits.
According to old documents, Aosta farmers have been producing Fontina since 1270. The cheese is produced twice a day from a single milking of cow's milk. Farmers age the cheese for three months, dusting it with marine salt to assist curing. Unfortunately, this cheese has been the victim of becoming known by its imposters. Danish "Fontina", Fontinella, Fontal and Fontella all aspire to the richness and quality of the real thing but really come nowhere close. Real Fontina is marked with a Consorzio stamp of a mountain (the Matterhorn) and FONTINA inside a circle. Fontina is the traditional cheese for Fonduta; a rich whipped fondue-style dish with eggs and cream. Accordingly it is a wonderful melting cheese as well as table cheese. The texture is semi-firm and supple with rich, herbaceous and fruity flavor. It is much enjoyed when paired with fruits.
This extra special delicacy from the Gruyere district of Switzerland is well known as the basic ingredient in fondue. But with its delightfully nutty, spicy, full flavor, it is delicious as a table cheese as well. We say it is grand because a whole wheel of Gruyere weighs about 80 pounds. In fact, it takes over 100 gallons of milk to make a single wheel of Gruyere!
