Bohinjski sir

What is Bohinjski sir Cheese?

Cheesemaking in Bohinj is centuries old and grew out of alpine herding, when turning milk into cheese was the only way to keep it. Bohinjski sir itself is younger. The first wheel was made in 1873 by Thomas Hitz, a master cheesemaker and teacher from the Swiss Emmental, working with Bohinj farmers. Production started at the Bitnje alpine pasture, then spread to the other Bohinj pastures and to both parts of the Bohinj valley.

The basic know-how came from Switzerland, but over the next 140 years the cheese went its own way. A different climate, the influence of the Mediterranean and different mountain pasture produced a cheese with its own character. Today it is made on a few alpine pastures and, industrially, at a single dairy in Srednja vas in Bohinju, which also turns out triglavski planšarski sir, smoked bohinjski sir, grated cheese, mohant, curd, sweet and sour cream, soured milk and kefir.

The traditional version uses raw full-fat cow's milk from Bohinj; the industrial one uses partly skimmed, heat-treated milk. The curd is worked in copper kettles, where differences in surface tension keep the grains from sticking to the walls. The technology follows Swiss Emmental. One hundred kilograms of milk yields 8 to 9 kilograms of cheese.

The rind is firm, dry and golden yellow. Inside, the paste is straw yellow, pliable and closed, with round, densely spaced eyes 5 to 15 mm across. The flavor is well developed and aromatic, close to young walnuts, and a fully ripe wheel can be piquant.

Serve it with freshly baked rye or wholegrain farm bread, homemade curd cheese, Bohinj sausage and walnuts, traditionally on a wooden tray, plate or board. A glass of dry white wine or cider goes with it.