Appenzellerland, heart of the Alps

Once aged in cool mountain caves back in the time of Charlemagne and tithed to the monks at the Abbey of St. Gall in St. Gallen, Switzerland, the ways of making Appenzeller cheese have changed little since 1282.

Founded in 747 and for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe, the Abbey was dissolved in 1805. But it remains a vital part of the region. Now the St. Gallen Cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage, its spectacular library, which is open to the public, houses more than 160,000 volumes, making it one of the earliest and most important monastic libraries in the world.

And though the cheese is no longer used as a tithe, the methods perfected by the monks who rubbed the wheels of cheese with a brine made of white wine and the herbs gathered in the valleys and mountainsides to impart the complex, rich, and nutty flavor that makes this cheese so distinct, continues.

A closely kept secret

Following tradition, only eighty cheesemakers in forty village cheese dairies in Appenzell, a canton or state in northwest Switzerland, situated between the Alpstein mountain range and thirty-nine-mile Lake Constance, are certified to make the cheese. The exact ingredients of the monks' brine were a secret and each of the cheese dairies closely guarded their own unique ingredients. Indeed, only two people at each cheese dairy know the recipe which is passed down generation after generation. Though the ingredients are simple, a combination of roots, herbs, leaves, petals, and seeds along with local cider or white wine, it’s the proportions that are a secret.

The Swiss, known for their precision—think watches, immaculate farms, highly functioning cities, well…one could go on—also have strict rules for the milk used for making Appenzeller cheese which is sourced from small herds of about ten to forty Brown Swiss Cows raised on each farm. But it gets more complex than that. The cows must graze for twenty-six days outdoors in the summer and at least thirteen days per month in the winter. Fresh milk is typically delivered twice a day to the cheese dairy farms.

All about the cows

Brown Swiss cows, thought to be one of the oldest dairy breeds in the world, originated in the Swiss Alps and are known for the quality of their milk and high butter fat, perfect for making cheese. Docile and large, the average Brown Swiss Cow whose colors can range from very light silver to deep dark gray, produces more than 22,000 pounds of milk, or about 2,600 gallons of milk, during one lactation.

Appenzeller has a firm, supple, and smooth texture occasionally dotted with tiny pinprick-sized holes called “eyes.” It’s a complex cheese, with a robust and rich flavor and tasting notes that recall the milk produced by pasture-fed cows—herbaceous, grassy, and flowery.

But here in the mountains, cows aren’t just numbers or animals to be milked. Each has a name and in case you’re wondering, the number one most popular bovine name in Switzerland is Bella, followed by Fiona, and then Bianca.

The march of cows: past is present

In the spring, herdsmen don red vests, canary-yellow trousers, felt hats and cow-hide suspenders accented with brass fittings to lead the cows up into the high mountain pastures where they’ll graze for the summer. If it seems ancient, that’s because it is. Rooted in history and heritage, this event, including the clanging tones of the giant cowbells and the multi-voice wordless yodeling called Rugguusseli echoing through the air, has taken place for many centuries. Accompanying the cows are goats, pigs and even Bläss, the medium sized Appenzell Mountain dog, known for its energy, intelligence, and sense of command.

You can catch the parade in several utterly charming and ultra-Swiss villages including Urnäsch, found in the Appenzell Ausserrhoden canton (state) along the eastern border of Switzerland, just two hours along scenic mountain roads from Basel, the Swiss city that also borders France and Germany.

Another place to join in is Stein, where schools are closed for the day so that all can turn out to take part in the festivities. We told you they take their cheese and cows seriously.

Take a tour and see how it is made at the Appenzeller Cheese Dairy in the village of Appenzell where there are guided tours conducted in German, French, and English with a chance to sample the varieties of cheese. While there, take the time to explore the historic Reformierte Kirche Applenzell.

The predominant architecture style of the buildings in the Medieval town centers of these Swiss villages are Instagramable—Alpine chalet style typified by steep, gabled roofs with broad eaves (to keep snow from accumulating and they get a lot of snow here), and half-timbered facades accented by balconies featuring decorative cut-outs in the wood railings. The exteriors are colorful—pastel pinks, light blues and greens, and sometimes bold reds and yellows.

Enjoy local cuisine

One of the definitive foods of the area is rosti, a hearty potato dish made with Appenzeller Käse (cheese) that looks like a small cake. There’s rich and decadent Swiss chocolate and delightful pastries such as landsgmendchrempfli which are stuffed with a nut filling and sausages like Appenzeller Siedwurst with its caraway flavor and the garlicky, square-shaped Appenzeller Pantli.

To drink, try Appenzeller Bitters, an herbal liqueur made with fourty-two herbs and spices, French brandy, and sweet wine.