Don't Swiss Out
Oh, Washington State.
How I long to visit you because of all of your glorious cheese …
I’ve written about some Washington cheese before. Today, I’m talking about two Swiss variations from a farm called Rosecrest Farm.
Swiss as a variety of cheese is an American name. It is essentially the American version of Emmental Cheese from Switzerland. Makes sense, right?
I recall this cheese fondly from childhood. Mostly because my dad was a Swiss fanatic. Namely for the grocery store, very holely variation. Which let’s be honest, when you think Swiss, this is likely where you head goes too.
The cheese for today is a tad more refined in flavor. This soft cheese variety, as a whole, typically bears a savory, subtle nut-like flavor.
Both flavors were smooth and would pair nicely with a dryer white wine if that wets your whistle.
The Caraway Swiss is far more pungent smelling and tasting that its latter counterpart. The caraway adds a nice subtle flavor to the cheese that is not too overpowering. With caraway, it can definitely verge on too much very quickly. It would be great on crackers with olives.
The Herb & Garlic Swiss has a more delicate flavor with a subtle herb and little garlic taste. TBH, I was a tad bummed by how little garlic I could taste. I’m garlic obsessed … what can I say! I still preferred this flavor versus the other. This variation would be great used as the base cheese of a Mac & Cheese! Y’all know my feelings on that …
Alternative to other American varieties of Swiss, which are made to not produce rind, both of these had gorgeous rinds. That could be the nerdiest cheese thing I’ve ever said - I’m okay with it.
Don’t you think so??
Anywho, I was pleasantly pleased by the spunk of both of these Swiss cheeses! Thank you to my beau, who so kindly brought them back to me from his trip to Washington State :)
Where is your favorite Swiss from?
(Don’t say the grocery store …)
