Appenzeller
Appenzeller is a hard cow's milk cheese from the Appenzellerland region of northeast Switzerland. Its wheels are washed with a herbal brine as they cure, which builds a golden rind, a strong smell, and a flavor that runs from mild and nutty to sharp.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Switzerland |
| Specific Origin | Appenzell region |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw |
| Rind | Washed rind |
| Texture | Hard |
| Flavor | Piquant, tangy |
| Aroma | Strong |
| Colors | Pale yellow |
| Forms | Wheel |
| Age | 3 to 6 months or longer |
| Alternative Spellings | Appenzeller Classic, Appenzeller Surchoix, Appenzeller Extra |
What is Appenzeller Cheese?
Appenzeller comes from Appenzellerland in northeast Switzerland, across the two cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden. It is a hard cow's milk cheese with a washed rind, and it falls into the Swiss-type or Alpine family. Cheese from this region shows up in a document from 1282, so the name has at least 700 years behind it. What that early cheese was actually like is another matter, since the document says nothing about how it was made.
About 75 dairies make Appenzeller today. Each one uses its own brine wash, and most of those recipes stay in the family. The brine is herbal, sometimes with wine or cider mixed in, and it goes onto the wheels while they cure. It seasons the cheese, helps preserve it, and pulls a rind into shape.
The paste is straw-colored and dotted with small holes under a golden rind. The smell is strong. The taste leans nutty or fruity and shifts from mild to tangy depending on how long the wheel has sat.
Three grades are sold. Classic ages three to four months, tastes mild, and carries a silver label. Surchoix ages four to six months, tastes sharp, and carries a gold label. Extra ages six months or longer, tastes extra sharp, and carries a black label.
How Does Appenzeller Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Appenzeller against.
