In the 1930s, when the Swiss were taking steps to make Gruyère a name-protected cheese, a group of cheesemaking families felt that the new laws - meant to make Gruyère more widely accessible - compromised the quality of the cheese that they so dearly loved. Pair with a hearty porter to bring out the hazelnutty notes in the cheese. If you see “Gruyère Vieux” or Gruyère Reserve,” they were aged longer - 18 to 24 months - and will have even more concentrated, savory umami flavor. It’s brothy, nutty, and salty, and is typically aged between 5 and 12 months. Named after a town (like many old-school European cheeses), this is the Swiss cheese that you likely have melted over your French onion soup and in fondue. Gruyère is a name-protected cheese that has been made since approximately 1115. These are the seven Swiss cheeses to know, and what to pair with them. But today, cheese freedom reigns again and is, as it turns out, pretty tasty. Thanks to the workings of the so-called Swiss Cheese Mafia, Switzerland’s cheese production had some issues during the 20th century. However, there are many other unique and delicious Swiss cheeses to enjoy. That cheese is an industrialized version - the wheels weigh in at a whopping 225 pounds - of the O.G. When thinking of Swiss cheese, the floppy, flavorless deli slices with gaping holes may spring to mind.

Swish cheese