Emmental cheese facts for kids
Emmental cheese is a famous Swiss cheese. It is also known as Emmentaler or Emmenthal. This cheese first came from Switzerland. It gets its name from the Emmental, which is a valley near the city of Berne. People first started making Emmental cheese in this area around the year 1292.
Today, many countries make a cheese they call Emmental cheese. However, these cheeses often do not have much in common with the original Swiss one, except for the holes! Even in 1882, when rules for protecting products were new in Europe, Emmentaler was already being made outside Switzerland.
Emmental cheese is one of the most well-known types of cheese in the world. It is made from cow's milk. Two things make Emmental special: its holes and its slightly sweet taste.
Contents
What Makes Emmental Cheese Special?
The holes in Emmental cheese are not a mistake! They are there because of how the cheese is made. Special bacteria are used during the cheesemaking process. Over time, usually several months, these bacteria create tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. These gas bubbles get trapped in the cheese, forming the famous holes.
How Emmental Cheese is Made
To make Emmental, about 12 litres of milk are needed for every 1 kilogram of cheese. In Switzerland and Germany, cheesemakers use untreated milk. Most other countries use pasteurized milk, which means the milk has been heated to kill germs.
Emmental cheese is usually made in very large, round shapes called loaves. These loaves can weigh between 70 and 80 kilograms! The cheese is then left to ripen. Ripening means it sits for a while to develop its flavour and texture. Emmental usually ripens for 6 to 7 weeks. If it ripens for 8 to 12 weeks, it becomes more spicy or salty.
Where Emmental Cheese is Produced Today
Today, Switzerland, France, Austria, and Germany produce Emmental cheeses that have a special label called a Protected Designation of Origin. This label means the cheese must be made in a specific way and in a specific region to be called Emmental.
About 464,200 tons of Emmental are made in Europe each year. This means that about 6% of all the milk produced in these countries is used to make Emmental cheese. France is the biggest producer of Emmental. In 2005, France made 247,069 tons of it. This used about 13.1% of all the milk produced in France that year. About 19% of the Emmental made in France is sent to other countries.
Who Eats the Most Emmental?
People in France and Switzerland eat the most Emmental cheese. They eat about 3.3 kilograms per person each year. Germans eat about half that amount, around 1.7 kilograms per person, per year.
Emmental is also often used in convenience food products. This is because it is so well-known and popular.
Images for kids
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Eighteen-month-old raw-milk Emmentaler AOC
See also
In Spanish: Emmental para niños
