{"id":31880,"date":"2017-10-26T10:00:22","date_gmt":"2017-10-26T14:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/?p=31880"},"modified":"2021-08-24T16:04:59","modified_gmt":"2021-08-24T20:04:59","slug":"making-traditional-alpage-gruyere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/making-traditional-alpage-gruyere\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Traditional Alpage Gruy\u00e8re"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a small cabin 5000 feet up Alp Vounetz in Fribourg, Switzerland, a man submerges his chest and arms into a giant copper vat of nearly-scalding curds and whey. Using a hemp cloth, over a 100 pounds of curds are scooped up. Pulleys and sheer strength swing the soaking wet bundle over to a mold waiting on a workbench. As the curds settle in to drain, the man in the red leather smock laughs and wipes his brow. Another day of making cheese is well underway.<\/p>\n

To watch B\u00e9at Piller make cheese is to witness how alpine Gruy\u00e8re has been made for centuries. With his parents Denise and Germain, he operates one of 54 chalets d\u2019Alpage <\/i> producing Gruy\u00e8re d\u2019Alpage AOP<\/a> today. Making cheese has been a lifelong affair, starting in 1999 when he was 16 years old. His sister is a farmer. Agriculture is in his blood.<\/p>\n

It is a physically and mentally demanding lifestyle. The day starts at 4:30 am, with the first milking and ends around 9 pm. This happens every day for the five months or so they occupy the alpine pastures. There are no vacations and little rest. The constant activity provides Piller with a strapping physique and clear sense of priorities. Even his mother Denise, now in her 70s, helps every day\u2014hauling buckets and building fires. Why? \u201cIf I stop, I die,\u201d she says half-jokingly. Recently Piller hired a full-time assistant to take some load off his aging parents. He still enjoys their company. \u201cIt\u2019s good to work with family,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\n

\"alpage<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Beyond the rigors of maintaining nearly three dozen milking cows (all with black markings because Piller wanted a uniform herd color), a seasonal homestead, and a business, Piller must also abide by the strict parameters that govern Gruy\u00e8re d\u2019Alpage AOP production.<\/p>\n

Every aspect of alpine Gruy\u00e8re production is defined and regulated by the Swiss AOP (Appellation d’Origine Proteg\u00e9e). From animal diet to firewood restrictions, all details are considered. One of them is the milk used for alpine cheese must originate within 12 miles of where the cheese is made. This rigid adherence exists to protect both the alpine ecosystem and the cheese\u2019s unique characteristics and history.<\/h3>\n

The wheels of Gruy\u00e8re<\/a> themselves are also regulated. When first made, the wheels weigh approximately 50 kg (110 lbs) but lighten as they dry and age\u2014finishing somewhere in the AOP-required range of 20-35 kg (44-77lbs). They must be in the care of an affineur for three months, at which time they are evaluated and scored. Those which pass muster are sent to aging caves to complete their development and be sold.<\/p>\n

Because only traditional methodologies are allowed, alpine cheesemaking is arduous and slow work. A village dairy might produce 7-10 wheels of cheese a day. Piller manages two, and that takes most of the morning. With a projected 2017 production of just over 529,000 kg (116,3800 lbs) of Gruy\u00e8re d\u2019Alpage AOP cheese, it\u2019s important to remember that represents merely 1.8% of the year\u2019s total Gruy\u00e8re cheese production.<\/p>\n

As with all Gruy\u00e8re d\u2019Alpage AOP cheesemakers, B\u00e9at is allowed to keep only 4% of his production for personal use or to sell. Everything else goes to an affineur. If the cheesemaker wants more of his own cheese, he must purchase it back.<\/h3>\n

As the season progresses talk begins of when to move the herd to their valley home for the winter. While the journey will take the effort of the entire family and around eight hours to complete, Piller looks forward to spending winter with his wife and four children. He\u2019ll miss the mountain, though. Once the cows have departed for the season Piller refuses to return to the cabin, even if there is still cleaning or repair work to be done. \u201cThe chalet is too cold without the cows.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"alpage<\/a>

Piller’s nearly three dozen milking cows are all with black markings because he wanted a uniform herd color.<\/p><\/div>\n

He finishes the day\u2019s wheels around 11 am. There\u2019s just enough time for a small glass of wine to toast my visit. We talk for a few minutes, and then it\u2019s back to work. The herd needs tending to, cabin roof needs repairing, field stakes need to be moved…<\/p>\n

Would he change his life if he could? Piller wouldn\u2019t have it any other way. \u201cI would do it all over again,\u201d he firmly asserts. \u201cI am lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photographed by Adam Centamore. Follow him on twitter @100loves<\/a> and on Instagram @eatdrinklearn<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As only traditional methodologies are allowed, alpine cheesemaking is arduous and slow work. Every aspect of alpine Gruy\u00e8re production is defined and regulated by the Swiss AOP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":31884,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26354],"tags":[1586,1589,1584,1583,1585,1587,1588],"coauthors":[1538],"class_list":["post-31880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-alp-vounetz","tag-alpage-gruyere","tag-alpine-cheesemaking","tag-alpine-gruyere-production","tag-beat-piller","tag-fribourg","tag-gruyere-dalpage-aop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMaking Traditional Alpage Gruy\u00e8re - culture: the word on cheese<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/making-traditional-alpage-gruyere\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Making Traditional Alpage Gruy\u00e8re\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As only traditional methodologies are allowed, alpine cheesemaking is arduous and slow work. 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