a.k.a. A cheese misadventureI should have known better. Fat is a good thing when it comes to flavor, though not so much when it comes to the waistline. So, what was I thinking when I decided to try a "low-fat" variety of cheese? Perhaps I was thinking that all this cheese project stuff is going to catch up with me soon and I had better be a bit more cautious with my cheese choices.
You'd think I would have learned my lesson after a very unpleasant experience with low-fat cheddar back in California and vowing never again to buy low-fat cheese. What it came down to was this reasoning, "Hey, if anyone can pull off low-fat cheese maybe it's the Swiss."
The cheese didn't let me down right away, though. Yes, the smell was offensive, but in the good stinky-cheese way (despite the light aroma note on the label: Aromatisch leicht). I figured that if it smelled like other yummy mountain cheeses then maybe it would taste yummy too! The real test, of course, was the taste test. My problem before with the low-fat cheddar was that it lacked flavor. It was essentially flavorless. This time, though, the "half-fat" Savogniner, which hails from the Graubünden region, was indeed packed with flavor - a terrible one.
However, being one not to waste food, I got rid of it by melting it in a Käsewähe, overshadowed by a more favorable Gruyère.
Bottom line: It will be Vollfettkäse from now on or nothing.
Umm, you should definitely know better. Low fat always means no taste, especially with cheese! You need all that fat for the rich yumminess! I don't even know if the fact that it's Swiss would have made me re-consider. My experience with Swiss food is that they don't use much seasoning or flavor so if you don't have fat, you probably won't have much much of anything. Forget the calories and just limit the amount you eat, not the fat.
ReplyDeleteThat's the weird thing - it had LOTS of taste. Lots of really yucky flavor.
ReplyDeleteStill, this time I have really learned my lesson. I promise! Everything in moderation, right?
Is it weird that I totally followed your logic of: "if anyone could do it, the Swiss could..."
ReplyDeleteBy the way, just love your cheese section. As you are living in SG and buying lots of local cheeses at Migros (or so much I gathered), you might have missed Switzerland´s best cheese (in my humble opinion): Tête de Moine (monk´s head) from the lovely Berner Jura region (more info @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tête_de_Moine). Like your "on a budget" section as well.
ReplyDeletePS: you´re right about those "halbfett" cheeses. !
Marianne - thank you! no it's not weird at all! I don't know why some people complain about Swiss cheeses because I have enjoyed some really great mountain cheeses of my region.
ReplyDeleteJavejavor - Hello! Welcome to my blog and thanks for reading! I am very pleased that you are enjoying my cheese and budget sections.
Yes, I tend to buy cheese produced in Ostschweiz, so I haven't tried much from other regions. I am, however, eager to try some from the French speaking parts of CH. Thanks for the suggestion!
Yikes! I learned my lesson with low-fat cheese as well. And you have just reiterated that point to me. Thanks for the reminder :)
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