zee wrote:
pbcoll wrote:
real Swiss cheeses from Switzerland (not American "Swiss cheese," or what passes for Gruyere in North America), especially Gruyere vieux (I like all Swiss cheeses I've tried except raclette). I also like French goat cheeses, some Italian ones including Parmesan, some Spanish ones.
Ah, when you say American, I think you mean processed cheese. There's a justice in that comparison. The best gruyere is the cave-aged kind, I think that is the vieux.
'Vieux' refers to how long the cheese has aged - I don't think I've ever tried the cave-aged variety, I'll try to get some.
In Switzerland, milk was almost the only thing I drank, and cheese was a major part of my diet.
Yes, dairy really is central in the Swiss diet. There is also a type of soda called "Rivella" that's made from milk by-products, it's very popular. I could sure go for a litre of that right now.