The medieval town of Gruyères in Switzerland is a fantastic tourist spot.
It also lends its name to the Gruyère cheese.
This Alpine cheese is among the most popular cheese with others such as feta cheese and goat cheese.
However, if you’re not a cheese connoisseur, you might ask what does Gruyère cheese tastes like?
As popular as the Gruyère cheese is, it is rather expensive outside of Europe and Switzerland, so most people are not familiar with it.
So this post dissects the taste of Gruyère cheese and how you can incorporate it into your cooking.
Besides, the nutritional information of Gruyère cheese also accompanies the taste reveal.
What is Gruyère Cheese?
Gruyère is a popular Alpine cheese that traces its origin to the towns in Switzerland.
It has a smooth appearance, which is very similar to Muenster cheese and Fontina cheese, especially while young.
However, a mature Gruyère cheese may have some few eyes.
Gruyère cheese is essentially hardened cow’s milk with varying durations for curing.
The curing process of Gruyère cheese can be anywhere from three to 10 months.
Understandably, the Gruyère that has a long curing process produces the most intense flavor.
Since 2001, Gruyère cheese has been under the Appellation d’origine controlee.
Although this is a prestigious status, the producers of Gruyère cheese must adhere to strict Swiss laws for its production.
What Does Gruyere Cheese Taste Like? Does Gruyere Cheese Taste Good?
Generally, Gruyère cheese has a good balance of sweet and slight taste, making it a huge hit.
A young Gruyère that has a curing process of about three months has a nutty taste.
However, as the Gruyère becomes older, the taste becomes almost earthy and becomes stronger as it attains full maturity.
After about a year, Gruyère cheese becomes fully mature. At this age, Gruyère cheese attains a grainy texture.
Also, a mature Gruyère cheese develops eyes which is characteristic of Swiss cheeses.
However, the eyes in the Gruyère are much smaller and fewer in number.
Gruyère cheese shares a lot of similarities with other cheeses in the same family. Some of these are Emmental and Comte.
Nutrition value of Gruyère cheese compared to others.
In comparison with other types of cheese, such as blue cheese or cheddar, Gruyère is quite a healthy choice.
It has fantastic nutritional value as well, which explains its popularity in and around the European continent.
Gruyère cheese’s nutritional information per 100 g are as follows:
- Fat – 32.3 g, out of which 18.5 g is saturated fat.
- Protein – 26 g
- Carbohydrate – 0.4 g, with 0% dietary fiber
- Cholesterol – 110 mg
- Potassium – 81 mg
- Sodium – 335 mg
- Vitamins – Traces of vitamin A, B1, B3, B6, B12, and vitamin C.
- Minerals – Traces of calcium, copper, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus.
The total calories per 100 g of Gruyère cheese is 407, with the majority coming from the fat.
How to Cook/ Use Gruyère Cheese in Recipes?
Despite its fancy name, Gruyère is essentially a table cheese. This means that you can cut a piece of Gruyère cheese and eat it straight away.
However, Gruyère cheese is versatile when it comes to cooking it and adding it to recipes.
Below are the tops ways to use Gruyère cheese in your diet.
- The creamy texture of Gruyère makes it an excellent choice for grilled sandwiches. This is also the most common use of Gruyère cheese in restaurants all over Europe.
- Gruyère cheese also attains a great texture after melting. Therefore, it is a cheese of choice for fondue recipes.
- You can also add Gruyère to soups and in quiche to kick its taste up a notch.
- Unconventional but delicious use of Gruyère is to add to an omelet for the ultimate mouth-watering breakfast or a snack.
- Pair the Gruyère cheese with a classic French baguette or with a slice of your favorite fruits.
- If you feel a bit adventurous, try a slice or two of this smooth cheese with a bock beer. You will be surprised by the fizzy and creamy combination that delights your taste buds.
Consumption of Gruyère cheese does not entail a special set of precautions.
However, it is a dairy product, after all. Therefore, children and those with lactose intolerance should eat it in moderation.
Conclusion
Gruyère cheese has a gamut of health benefits, including boosting metabolism and improving gut health.
Gruyère cheese also has a fantastic taste, which makes it so popular.
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