- Sbrinz
Sbrinz is a very hard
cheese produced in centralSwitzerland . It is often used instead ofParmesan cheese inSwiss cuisine .The cheese is produced in only 42 dairies in central Switzerland. Only localcow 'smilk is used when producing this cheese. It is kept in the region until ready for consumption.Contrary to popular belief, the name "Sbrinz" does not originally refer to a particular place or region. Nevertheless, theSwiss Cheese Union added to this myth by launching an advertising campaign in the 1990s. As a result of this campaign, there is now an area called "Sbrinz".Character
Sbrinz is an extra hard full fat cheese. It contains approximately 40% to 45% of fat when dry. Sbrinz is never consumed before it reaches 18 months, and the full flavour only develops after about 22 months in storage.
History
Sbrinz is claimed to be the "oldest European cheese". The official web site claims that the cheese was first mentioned in
70 AD , but does not give any details. Other sources claim that the cheese is mentioned in contracts dated around1200 .Fact|date=February 2007 It seems certain, however, that it is mentioned in documents dating from1530 , which are kept in the state archive inBern .Fact|date=February 2007Consumption
Sbrinz is commonly consumed in one of the following ways. It can be used grated, such as on pasta. It can be eaten in small pieces, often to accompany
wine . It is also eaten in thin slices planed from the hard cheese. Finally, Sbrinz is often simply enjoyed with bread and butter.External links
* [http://www.sbrinz.ch/ Official page] - in German, French, Italian and English.
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