Author Topic: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015  (Read 13288 times)

Alpkäserei

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The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« on: February 16, 2015, 07:08:05 PM »
The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland
June 15 through 20, 2015

In June 2015, David Bähler or Käserei Grimwald, a small cheese producer located in central Indiana, will be leading a tour of Switzerland. This tour will highlight the great diversity in Swiss cheeses ranging from hard aged alpine styles such as Gruyere and Sbrinz to the soft mold-ripened cheeses of the Jura Mountains. It will also give participants the opportunity to witness the production methods used in Switzerland; from the ultra-modern facilities used to produce cheeses such as Emmentaler and Appenzeller to the traditional alpine huts where Alpkäse is still made by hand each summer.

The Cheese

Switzerland is home to hundreds of different varieties of cheese ranging from the enormous factory produced Emmentaler, which is made in wheels weighing as much as 200 pounds, to the Mutschli, a small cheese made by hand and pressed into wheels weighing a few pounds each. This tour will lead you through some of this tiny country’s most significant cheesemaking regions. Much of the tour will be spent high in the majestic Alps where countless varieties of Alpkäse –a hard or semi hard cheese produced high in the mountains only during the summer months- are made.
We will have the opportunity to sample Appenzeller, Emmentaler, Gruyere, many varieties of Alpkäse, Raclette, Mutschli, Bratkäse, Sbrinz, and countless other Swiss cheeses.

The Tradition

One of our major highlights on this trip will be the chance to visit the Alpine cheesemaking region and witness a number of different versions of the Alpkäse/Alpage tradition. The Alpkäse is a specialty cheese produced in small batches by dairy farmers high in the mountains. This cheese is only made when the cows are herded up to high mountain pastures for summer grazing. Alpkäse, with a few exceptions, is made in hanging copper vats suspended over an open wood fire. The work is done entirely by hand with methods that have been passed down for countless generations. Swiss law has vigorously protected this ancient way of life, and carefully preserved it so that it does not die out in the midst of a rapidly developing world.

The Technology

In sharp contrast to the traditional world found high in the alps stands the modernized, high production cheesemakers found at lower elevations and throughout the Swiss Plateau. These producers use highly mechanized methods and computer-controlled technology to produce enormous quantities of cheese, a significant portion of which is made for export to Europe and North America. We will have the opportunity to visit factories that produce Appenzeller, Emmentaler, and Gruyere in facilities that are open to public viewing, and to observe the carefully controlled conditions in which these cheeses are aged.

A Culinary Masterpiece

Sitting somewhere between the traditions of the Alpine cheesemakers steeped in ancient custom and the modern cheese factories producing mass quantities of world-famous Swiss cheeses lies the small scale artisan cheesemakers and the village ‘Käserei’ producing highly sought-after local specialties. These are a very important aspect of Switzerland’s cheesemaking culture, standing as the ultimate height of the craft. We will have the opportunity to visit a number of these small local makers, quite a few of which are internationally recognized for their achievements, and taste their unique cheese varieties.

Z’Alp A Cow Culture

The rural regions on much of Switzerland are defined by a culture of dairy and cows. It is not at all inaccurate to describe this as a cow culture. Since the Middle Ages, the raising of dairy cows and the production of fine cheeses from their milk has been a defining aspect of Swiss culture. So here we will experience a culture that is strongly dedicated to their animals and to their cheese.

E Schööni Land

Switzerland is a land with a tremendous natural beauty and a vibrant, thriving folk culture. Much of the tour will be spent in the soaring peaks of the Alps in Central Switzerland and the Berner Oberland at a time of year when they are particularly spectacular. We will also travel through the rolling pralpine hill country of Appenzell and the Emmental and the Jura mountains. This trip will take us far from the big cities where life is very modern, into the rural regions where folk culture is the strongest and life is slower and simpler. This trip will not only be a wonderful opportunity for cheesemakers and cheese lovers to experience the Swiss dairy culture, but also a wonderful opportunity to experience one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world and one of its most charming cultures.
 

This will be a wonderful opportunity for professionals involved in any way in the cheese industry -producers, advertisers, product developers, artisan makers, store operators, etc. as well as the cheese enthusiast and hobbyist.
There is only a limited amount of space, so act quickly!


I am opening this opportunity to Cheeseforum members first, then after a week I will advertise in other venues. So I suggest you act quickly!
Contact me to pre-register you spot!

Pre Registration fees will be set at $200
This is simply to reserve your spot, the full balance will be due after registration is closed.

At this time, the actual cost for tour expenses -lodging, food, travel, etc. looks to be right around $950 US. This could be subject to a slight adjustment but should not change very much. If at all possible I will work to lower the price.
This does not include airfare. You will be responsible for your own flight arrangements.

So what does this include?
Food: This includes all of our breakfast and lunch for 6 days, and supper for several days. A few evenings will be left open so participants are free to explore the local culture and experience local cuisine. But be aware that restaurants is Switzerland are VERY expensive, so you probably won't want to do a whole lot of this.
Lodging: We will be staying in hostels and guesthouses along the way. Unless there is a consensus to pay more and stay in nicer accommodations.
travel: Each participant will receive the Swiss Pass valid for 8 days. This is a ticket that gives us unlimited use of the transportation systems in Switzerland -rail, busses, and boats. it also gives admission to many museums and attractions.

What to be prepared for?
A lot of walking. Switzerland is a very vertical country, and to get anywhere you will have to do some walking. It's not always possible to build a road to where you want to go, so sometimes you just have to get out and walk there. This will be especially true of visits to Alpine cheese makers, which often require a good hike to reach.

« Last Edit: February 16, 2015, 07:50:37 PM by Alpkäserei »

Mermaid

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2015, 07:17:15 PM »
Interested but what would the estimated cost be?

Alpkäserei

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2015, 07:24:26 PM »
I'm working on that right now

Mermaid

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2015, 07:39:33 PM »
This sounds so dreamy!

Alpkäserei

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2015, 07:51:12 PM »
I've updated the OP with additional details, including estimated costs and registration fees.

shotski

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2015, 08:51:58 PM »
What airport would one have to fly into and would that be where we would be meeting?

Alpkäserei

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2015, 10:05:50 PM »
Zürich.
We will meet in Zürich and travel from there to Central Switzerland

Here are some more details:

Included on the tour will be a visit to some 'Schaukäserein'
While the final itinerary has not been created, at the very least we will visit the Emmentaler and the Appenzeller Schaukäsereien

Of particular interest is the Emmental Schaukäserei in Affoltern i.e. where Emmentaler AOP is made, as well as a number of specialties
Here, for an additional charge of 65 CHF (about 70 USD) we can have the opportunity to make our own Mutschli, led by an experienced cheesemaker, and even get to take the small cheeses home with us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IGtM2T-yk0




Alpkäserei

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2015, 10:43:26 PM »
And at last, here is an Itinerary for the trip:

Day 1: We will travel to Stein to visit the Schaukäserie Appenzell, and witness the production of the Appenzell cheese as it is made today as well as how it was made in the past.

Day 2: We will travel to Central Switzerland and visit the Kloster Engelberg, a former monastery that today is a cheese factory. We will also visit local shops and see a place where Sbrinz is made.

Day 3: We will travel to the Berner Oberland and spend the day immersed in the traditional culture which is strongest in this region. We will visit an Alp where Berner Alpkäse is made and have the opportunity to hike, visit towns and shops, etc.

Day 4: We will travel to the Emmental, to the village of Affoltern to visit the cheese factory there. There we will see how Emmentaler cheese is made and how it used to be made. We will see the cellars where thousands of pounds of cheese are aged, and also have the chance to help make a batch of Mutschli that we will get to keep.

Day 5: We will travel to La Gruyere, and visit La Maison du Gruyere where we can see how Gruyere cheese is made and how it used to be made. We will also have the chance to see some of the medieval town of Gruyere, its castle, and surroundings.

Day 6: We will visit a number of smaller villages in the Canton of Bern to see their cheesemaking shops and sample a variety of local specialties. Of course, we will always stop by local cheese shops along the tour but this day will be set aside just for this.

Offline awakephd

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2015, 12:55:29 AM »
Wow, what a wonderful trip you have planned!! I would dearly love to do this ... but already have committed to other travel in June. Perhaps this will become an annual tradition?
-- Andy

Mermaid

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2015, 12:30:47 PM »
Anyone having luck with cheap flights? Cheapest I found was out of JFK. And it had a layover in Moscow haha! I'd like to fly out of Boston but the flights are more expensive

WovenMeadows

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2015, 02:30:20 PM »
kayak.com seems to be a useful search engine, you can choose flexible dates too, e.g. showing +/- 3 days. For the most part I'm seeing flights in the $800 range at the moment in my area; the best for me is Montreal.
Apparently (what I've read most recently), the sweet spot (average) for booking international flights is 57 days out. E.g. booking mid-April for a mid-June trip.

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2015, 04:55:14 PM »
You guys make out big time being on the east coast.  I fly the wife home to England from time to time and the flight fares from Seattle to London are outrageous.
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

Alpkäserei

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2015, 11:36:40 PM »
I always try to get flights on a Wednesday or, better yet, Tuesday. These are often the cheapest days to fly. Weekend and Monday flights can be quite a bit more expensive. But, unfortunately for you, this tour starts on a Monday and ends on Saturday.

Two months ahead is usually a good rule of thumb for booking flights.

Sometimes if you look hard enough Swiss has pretty good rates. I'm looking at one for a bit over $1100 out of Chicago, where they are usually at $1400

It's also good to not arrive in Switzerland on a Sunday, you might have a difficult time finding a place to stay or a restaurant that is open. Of course places like Zurich will have more things open Sundays.

Alpkäserei

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #13 on: February 18, 2015, 06:53:11 PM »
I also suggest you go to Swiss.com, and book directly through Swiss International airlines.
They will usually have good prices, and they are also a wonderful value. Their airplanes are new and well equipped, airbus a330 which are good and comfortable planes.

Not to sound like a commercial, but I always fly through them if possible. I avoid American Airlines and United, because I have never really liked their planes very well.
It is funny how sites like expedia and priceline show the ticket through Swiss at about $1450, while through their website I can get my ticket for $1150



Just a reminder, I am accepting pre registration at this time with a $200 deposit.
I am working up details of costs, and would also like some input from people who may potentially come. For a slightly higher price, I can arrange for much more hands-on experiences with things like making your own cheese, etc.
Also I would like to know what sort of accommodations are preferred. Do people prefer low-cost Hostels and guesthouses, or even you have the 'Schlafen im Stroh' where for usually about 10 or 15 franks you can sleep in a farmer's barn (a Swiss barn, so it's very clean and nicer than some people's houses) and get a breakfast along with it, or if people would prefer to spend a little more and sleep in a nice Inn in the villages or something like that.






Alpkäserei

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Re: The Cheesemaker’s Tour of Switzerland June 15 through 20, 2015
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2015, 02:03:35 AM »
Here is a video from the Schaukäserei in Affoltern.
Here is sometihng like what we will have the opportunity to do, only here they are making Stöcklikäse while we will be making Mutschli, which are similar cheeses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPl1yNn3Nx0

Aber Achtung!
On Monday this offer will be opened to the general public, so please if you would like to take part in this wonderful opportunity, contact me via personal message on this forum or via email at:
DLBahler@live.com

Mit Freunlichen Grüssen