Narrator: THE SWISS CALL
THIS CHEESE "FROMAGE D'ALPAGE,"
WHICH MEANS "CHEESE FROM
THE HIGH-MOUNTAIN PASTURES."
MASTER CHEESEMAKERS
RETREAT TO THEIR CHALETS
HIGH IN THE SWISS ALPS
TO MAKE THIS SPECIAL CHEESE.
THESE INDIVIDUALS FOLLOW
A TRADITION OF CHEESEMAKING
THAT GOES BACK
TO THE MIDDLE AGES.
FROMAGE D'ALPAGE IS PRODUCED
BY CHEESEMAKERS
WHO BRING THEIR COWS HIGH
INTO THE ALPS FOR FIVE MONTHS --
TO THIS REGION
OF GSTAAD, SWITZERLAND.
IN THE MORNING, THEY MILK THEIR
COWS FOR ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES
USING AN AUTOMATIC
MILKING MACHINE.
EACH COW PRODUCES
AROUND 2 1/2 GALLONS OF MILK,
WHICH CONTAINS WATER,
PROTEIN, AND FAT.
12 HOURS LATER,
HE REMOVES THE FAT,
WHICH RISES TO THE SURFACE.
HE ADDS A STARTER CULTURE,
WHICH HELPS PRESERVE THE MILK.
A WOOD FIRE THEN HEATS THE MILK
FOR 20 MINUTES
AT A CONSTANT
86 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
HE THEN ADDS AN ENZYME
CALLED RENNET
AND MORE STARTER CULTURE
TO THE MILK.
AFTER ABOUT 40 MINUTES,
THESE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
COAGULATE THE MILK
INTO CHEESE CURD.
HE CUTS THE SOLIDIFYING CURD
INTO SMALLER PIECES.
TO MAINTAIN AN EVEN HEAT,
HE KEEPS BLENDING THE CURD
AND THE LIQUID TOGETHER.
HE CONTINUES MIXING
AND CUTTING THE CURD
UNTIL THE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
SEPARATE THE CURD
FROM THE LIQUID,
CALLED WHEY.
TO MAKE CHEESE,
HE WILL USE
ONLY THE GRAINS OF CURD.
AN ELECTRIC MIXER
THEN COMPLETES THE SEPARATION.
HE WASHES HIS ARMS
AND HANDS THOROUGHLY,
BECAUSE ANY IMPURITIES
IN THE CHEESE WOULD RUIN IT.
AFTER HEATING THE MIXTURE
FOR 20 MINUTES AGAIN,
THE CURD IS NOW
THE PERFECT TEXTURE
FOR MAKING CHEESE.
USING CHEESECLOTH,
THEY REMOVE THE GRAINS OF CURD.
WHAT STARTED OUT
AS 80 GALLONS OF MILK
WILL END UP PRODUCING
ONLY 66 POUNDS OF CHEESE.
THE CHEESEMAKER STUFFS THE SACK
OF CURD INTO A MOLD
AND WORKS OUT SOME OF THE WHEY.
HE THEN PUTS
THREE MOLDS FILLED WITH CURD
INTO A WOODEN PRESS.
AND USING A WOODEN BLOCK
THAT DISTRIBUTES
THE PRESSURE EVENLY,
HE SQUEEZES OUT
MORE OF THE WHEY.
TO GET ALL THE EXCESS LIQUID
OUT OF THE CURD,
HE TURNS EACH 22-POUND PIECE
OF CHEESE OVER
SO HE CAN PRESS IT AGAIN.
TOO MUCH LIQUID IN THE CHEESE
WOULD AFFECT ITS SHAPE
AND QUALITY,
SO HE DOES THIS A FEW TIMES,
THEN LEAVES THEM
IN THE PRESS OVERNIGHT.
THE NEXT MORNING,
HE TRIMS OFF THE EXCESS CHEESE
CREATED AROUND THE EDGE
BY THE PRESSING MOLD.
LIKE EVERY STEP
IN THIS CHEESEMAKING PROCESS,
THIS WORK IS ALSO DONE BY HAND.
HE SOAKS THE CHEESE
IN SALT WATER FOR 24 HOURS
TO CONSERVE, HARDEN,
AND INTENSIFY ITS TASTE.
THE CHEESE THEN GOES THROUGH
A SALTING AND MATURING PROCESS
THAT LASTS SIX MONTHS.
DURING THIS TIME, THEY FLIP
EACH PIECE OF CHEESE OFTEN
SO IT AGES EVENLY.
AFTER A FINAL SURFACE CLEANING,
THEY PUT THE 22-POUND PIECES
ON THEIR SIDES TO AIR-DRY.
THEY'LL REMAIN EDIBLE
FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS.
BUT, OF COURSE, YOU DON'T
HAVE TO LIVE IN THE ALPS
TO ENJOY THE TASTE
OF SWISS CHEESE.
