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Elite Edition

Which is the most popular cheese in Switzerland?

Author

Andrew Henderson

Published Apr 01, 2026

Which is the most popular cheese in Switzerland?

It is the most popular Swiss cheese in Switzerland, and in most of Europe. Gruyère cheese is generally known as one of the finest cheeses for baking, having a distinctive but not overpowering taste. In quiche, Gruyère adds savoriness without overshadowing the other ingredients.

Where did the origin of Gruyere cheese come from?

Gruyère (/ɡruːˈjɛər/ or /ɡrɪˈjɛər/; French pronunciation: ​[ɡʁyjɛʁ], German: Greyerzer) is a hard yellow Swiss cheese that originated in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, and Berne in Switzerland.

Why is Swiss cheese called a bald spot?

The cheese is often served in thinly shaved florets, thanks to the use of a little device called a girolle that shaves away the top layer of the cheese, leaving a sort of bald spot on the monk’s head. The cheese was mockingly named after the nearby monks by the occupying French soldiers around the French Revolution.

How big is a wheel of Swiss cheese?

When thinking of Swiss cheese, the floppy, flavorless deli slices with gaping holes may spring to mind. That cheese is an industrialized version — the wheels weigh in at a whopping 225 pounds — of the O.G. Swiss cheese Emmentaler.

What kind of cheese do they use in Switzerland?

This Swiss specialty is made throughout the country, using different mixtures of Swiss cheeses. However, an authentic fondue should always be part Gruyère cheese. In Gruyères fondue is made with half Gruyère and half Vacherin cheese. Swiss dry white wine is the beverage of choice to accompany fondue.

Gruyère (/ɡruːˈjɛər/ or /ɡrɪˈjɛər/; French pronunciation: ​[ɡʁyjɛʁ], German: Greyerzer) is a hard yellow Swiss cheese that originated in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, and Berne in Switzerland.

What kind of cheese is made in Vaud?

L’Etivaz is a traditional Swiss cheese produced in Canton Vaud. It is said that l’Etivaz is made just as Gruyère was made a long time ago, without compromising its original flavor profile. The cheese is made from raw cow’s milk from the summer months.

Which is the oldest protected cheese in Switzerland?

It dates as far back as the 8th century when it was made in a monastery. The cheese is also Switzerland’s oldest protected brand – in 1463, there was a council meeting and the locals had decided that the cheese should be stamped with a seal representing its authenticity – and the same seal is still being stamped on Schabziger today.