The pristine pre-alpine environment and the famous meadows of the region favor the special quality of this full-bodied cheese, which is part of the Appenzell heritage.
The cheese is made by about 80 village cheese dairies in the Swiss canton of Appenzell and partly in the cantons of St. Gallen and Thurgau. It is aged for at least three months. Once the cheese has matured, it is brushed two to three times a week with a herbal brine called sulz, the recipe for which is kept secret.
The recipe is known only to two people in each generation and they have full knowledge of it and are able to access the bank vault where it is kept. Appenzeller cheese wheels are between 6 and 8 kilograms in weight with a diameter of 30 to 33 cm. Thanks to its soft texture, it is suitable for the preparation of a cheese board, as well as for cooking and baking.
