It’s funny how the French so freely use the names of Switzerland’s most well-known cheeses, Emmental and Gruyère, when they guard their own ‘appellations’ so vehemently.

Well, it seems that the confederation’s cheese makers missed a trick and didn’t actually register their AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) for these two most Swiss of dairy products until the beginning of this century, despite the cheeses being in existence since the 13th century.

Emmental and Gruyère are Swiss cheeses

Even though Emmental (Canton of Berne) and Gruyère (Canton of Fribourg) are the undisputed places of origin of their respective cheeses, use of the terms Emmental and Gruyère is commonplace in France to describe sometimes inferior home-produced fayre.

Not that the French are the only culprits: a cheese carrying a Gruyère label is produced in large quantity in the US state of Wisconsin.

Enjoy real Swiss cheese in Zermatt

Are these beloved Helvetic delicacies to go the way of Cheddar, which is so often the generic name given the industrially produced rubber-like substance oft melted onto hamburgers?

The best solution perhaps is to go to Zermatt this winter and eat some real Swiss cheese…

Join us in Zermatt

At Matterhorn Chalets we can provide you the best chalets in Zermatt and our concierge service will find you the best mountain restaurants to enjoy your Swiss cheese in, whether melted or not!