Beyond Boring Swiss: A Cheese Crawl of Switzerland

“The cheese in Switzerland is incredible, and there’s such a history of cheese-making here,” says the Swiss-born three-Michelin-star chef and co-owner of Eleven Madison Park Daniel Humm, who is visiting Switzerland for the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival. “The quality of the milk and the raw milk that they use to make cheese—which is usually not even allowed in the U.S.—makes all the difference.”

Making this high-quality cheese possible is an entire country dedicated to its production. In Switzerland hygiene practices are strict, making unpasteurized dairy not only common, but also safe. In America, milk that has not undergone the process of pasteurization (heating to a high temperature to kill bacteria) is illegal in most states. Along with being trusted with public safety, Swiss farmers are recognized beyond the scope of food production. They are seen as stewards of the land. Government subsidies are given to help keep farming families in rural areas, maintaining the rolling green pastures that the country is famous for.

Every spring, dairy farmers walk their cows up the Swiss mountainside, encouraging cattle to graze on the grasses and natural pastures. In doing so, cows trim and fertilize the fields, keeping the Swiss countryside as vibrant and green as a postcard.

Because of this, all of the dairy in Switzerland comes from grass-fed animals. Milk from grass-fed animals has more flavor than conventional milk, leading to better cheese. It is also much higher in two essential fatty acids that protect against heart disease: conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

Milk from grass-fed cows has five times more CLA than conventional milk. A 2010 study from Harvard School of Public Health found people with higher levels of CLA in their bodies have a 36 percent lower risk of heart attack than those with the lowest levels. CLA consumption is also linked to protection from oxidative stress and diabetes.

Organic dairy from grass-fed cows also has double the heart-healthy omega-3 fat content as conventional milk, due to the presence of ALA, an essential fatty acid that occurs naturally when cows eat grass. ALA consumption has been shown to lower blood pressure, as well as decrease risk of heart disease and strokes.

This is not to say that gorging on Swiss cheese should be the next hot superfood trend, but you can certainly taste the quality and craftsmanship responsible for its production. It is a craft intrinsically tied to the land—one that benefits the pastures and the people eating it. After the taste of a particularly pungent green cheese flecked with mildew or the danger-tinged flavor of an unpasteurized wheel of smoked ricotta fades, this is what you remember.

Switzerland produces more than 450 varieties of cheese—here, 10 gooey, melting, stringy, and reverential cheese experiences that should not be missed on your next visit.

No Name Unpasteurized 2-year-old Cow’s-Milk Cheese, Tschlin, SwitzerlandChascharia Che Chaschol, Giassa d’Immez 93A CH-7559, Tschlin, Switzerland

Similar in taste to parmesan but softer in texture, the calcium crystals in this No Name cow’s-milk cheese melt in your mouth while the addictive salty crunch keeps you coming back for more. “I don’t like to name my cheese because with each season the cows eat different grass so the milk changes and the cheese changes with it. It doesn’t make sense to name them,” says cheese-maker Peter Mair, who makes the No Name cheese with his wife Chatrigna Mair from their cheese factory in the village of Tschlin in the Swiss Alps.

Granito, Vicosoprano, SwitzerlandLatteria Bregaglia, Casa 154, Vicosoprano, Switzerland

A robust, toffee-like cheese with a nutty flavor, Granito is the definition of a dessert cheese. It is recommended served with a glass of sweet wine to finish a meal, or shaved over pasta. While Granito is naturally firm, it becomes even harder as it ages, lending it its granitelike consistency and name.

Bregaglia, Bregaglia Valley, SwitzerlandLatteria Bregaglia, Casa 154, Vicosoprano, Switzerland

Authentic to the Bregaglia Valley, a passageway that connects Italy to Switzerland, Bregaglia cheese is lightly sour with a stunning natural rind. The cheese’s irreplaceable delicate flavor can only be produced in the Bregaglia valley from milk supplied by local farmers.

La Maison Du Gruyere, Pringy-Gruyere, SwitzerlandPlace de la Gare 3, CH-1663, Pringy-Gruyere, Switzerland

Gruyere is a traditional semi-soft cheese named after the Swiss village of Pringy-Gruyere. A visit to the historical production site of this cheese at La Maison Du Gruyere lets you see master cheese-makers in action. Don’t miss the cheese cellar where a whopping 7,000 wheels of Gruyere are aged at a time.

Unpasturized Buffalo Mozzarella, Ftan, SwitzerlandChascharia Che Chaschol, Giassa d’Immez 93A CH-7559, Tschlin, Switzerland

Made with nothing but organic buffalo milk from the village of Ftan, plus a touch of salt and lactobacilli bacteria, the buffalo mozzarella at Chascharia Tschlin redefines what mozzarella should taste like. A marriage of velvet-soft texture and quietly sour unpasteurized milk, it’s unlike any mozzarella found at your typical grocery store.

Smoked Goat’s-Milk Ricotta, Tschlin, SwitzerlandChascharia Che Chaschol, Giassa d’Immez 93A CH-7559, Tschlin, Switzerland

Meant to be served fresh or grated into thin strips, dried and eaten like potato chips, this goat’s-milk ricotta is smoked in a juniper wood chamber for a week. As the fragile branches burn they imbue the cheese with a deeply aromatic, nearly floral scent. Because that’s not good enough, the firm cheese is also high in protein and completely fat-free.   

Green Cheese, Tschlin, SwitzerlandChascharia Che Chaschol, Giassa d’Immez 93A CH-7559, Tschlin, Switzerland

Made with a special variety of mildew that aids in lactose digestion, the flavor of this green cheese builds and changes as you chew. What starts off as subtle sweetness quickly builds to an acidic punch, eventually escalating to a full-on orchestra of Roquefort-like flavor that lingers on your tongue.   

Dama Blanca Pizza, Chesa Veglia, St. Moritz, SwitzerlandPizzeria Heuboden Via Veglia 2, 7500 St. Moritz, Switzerland

In 1936 Badrutt’s Palace Hotel converted this former farmhouse into Chesa Veglia, a jaw-dropping restaurant space full of Old World Swiss charm. Today it stands as the oldest building in St. Mortiz, serving up its unforgettable cheese pizza packed with Taleggio cheese, buffalo mozzarella, parmesan, and a generous portion of shaved black truffle.

Emmentaler Echaukaeserei, Emmental, Switzerland3416 Affoltern im Emmental Schweiz, Switzerland

The most recognizable and famous of Swiss cheeses, Emmental cheese has a decidedly mild taste that makes it perfect for fondue and gratin. However, the best way to experience Emmental is at the original Emmentaler Echaukaeserei Cheese Factory. Intimate tours of no more than 25 guests happen every Saturday and Sunday, and offer tastings of the different Emmental varieties being produced today.   

For those who can’t visit every cheese factory on this list, the cheese platter at The Carlton Hotel in St. Moritz acts as a miniature tour around the country. With an immaculate selection of local cheeses that The Carlton’s executive chef Gero Porstein changes regularly, it is the perfect one-stop-shop to experience a taste of Switzerland.