Cheese of the Week - Baby Swiss

Baby Swiss

Its appearance and texture is ivory to pale yellow. It is a creamy cheese with small holes and it melts well when shredded. Baby Swiss has a buttery, slightly nutty and sweet flavor. It goes well with sweet fruits and berries croissants and muffins, white and red wine, juices and even ice-cold milk.


Country: American cheese    

Milk: cow milk

Texture: semi-soft

Baby Swiss is an American cheese closely related to traditional Swiss cheese, the generic name for the family of holey cheeses popular all around the world. What sets Baby Swiss apart from its close relative is its mild taste and smooth, creamy texture. It has smaller "eyes" (the holes in Swiss cheese).

Baby Swiss cheese originated in the mid 1960s outside of Charm, Ohio, and was invented by cheese connoisseur Alfred Guggisberg, an alumnus of the Swiss Federal “Molkereishulle” (cheese maker’s institute). The name Baby Swiss was coined by Alfred’s wife, Margaret Guggisberg, who thought that in comparison to the larger wheels of traditional Swiss cheese, when placed side by side, the new cheese looked like a baby.

Swiss cheeses are formed and flavored through the breaking down of lactic acid by bacteria, which generate carbon dioxide bubbles in the cheese as it ages. One of the key differences when it comes to making Baby Swiss, as opposed to traditional Swiss, is that it is aged only for a matter of weeks, whereas old-fashioned Swiss is typically aged for months, time varying depending on the desired sharpness of the cheese.

Baby Swiss is most commonly enjoyed in the United States, but can also be found in Europe and Australia. Most common uses include snacking, slicing for sandwiches, and melting for fondue. Locals of the area where Baby Swiss originated also commonly pair it with Trail Bologna, another local staple.

Grilled Mushroom and Baby Swiss

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
14 cup     Baby Spinach (optional)
14 cup fresh Mushrooms (sliced)
Sea Salt
Black Pepper   
2 slices Bread, Whole Grain
1 tbsp softened Butter, i Can't Believe It's Not Butter
2 slices Baby Swiss Cheese

1 Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir mushrooms and spinach until mushrooms are tender and spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.
2 Spread one side of each bread slice with butter. Place one bread slice, buttered side down, into the skillet. Top with the Swiss cheese, then spread the mushroom mixture on top of the cheese. Cover with the second slice of bread, buttered side up. Cook until the sandwich is golden brown on both sides, turning once. Cut in half and serve hot.