What is the name of this cheese?

[shaneb]

Hi all,

I'm hoping that someone is able to help jog my memory on a type of cheese I used to buy from a continental deli many years ago. It was a semi hard alpine style of cheese. It was very mild in flavour and had lots of tiny holes. I used to eat it on fresh rolls with tomato and onion. It was yummy!

Does anyone have an idea of what it might be? The deli no longer exists, so I can't go back and check.

Thanks for your help.

Shane

[Al Lewis]

Sounds like Baby Swiss.

[shaneb]

Unfortunately I don't think it was. I'm not even sure the holes weren't mechanical. It had a European sounding name, but I can't recall if it was Swiss, German, Dutch or Nordic. The couple who owned the store were polish, but I'm not sure whether that was of any significance. Thanks for your help anyway.

Shane

[Stinky]

I take it it's not Butterkäse or Tilsit either?

[Al Lewis]

I'd message Alp and ask him.  He would probably know if anyone does.

[shaneb]

Thanks Guys. I reckon it must be Butterkäse, but the name just doesn't sit right in my mind. It is certainly not Tilsit. I'll keep googling and if I don't find the answer I'll ask Alp.

Shane

[WovenMeadows]

Vacherin Fribourgeois?
Fontina?

[awakephd]

Montasio?

[Stinky]

Does Montasio have mechanical holes?

[shaneb]

Thanks for the suggestions. None of those either. It has given me a great list of cheeses to try though. I think I'll visit a big deli and see if I can find it. Will let you know what I find out.

Shane

[WovenMeadows]

I know Alp could come on and list all sorts of Alpine cheeses that might be it, but few make it to export. Curious what it is you had!

[Danbo]

Could it be the Danish Havarti?

[shaneb]

Unfortunately no. I reckon it might be Danish (or in that neck of the woods)  though. I'll look up Danish cheese types.

Thanks Danbo.

Shane

[awakephd]

Does Montasio have mechanical holes?

Don't know if it is supposed to, but mine had small holes -- not a huge number, though.

[Alpkäserei]

There are literally thousands of Alpine type cheeses, so finding the exact one could be tough.

But the good thing is, many will fit into classes of similar cheeses.

Semi-hard alpine styles would include:

Emmentaler (American style, or a young Swiss style)
Jarlsberg
Tilsit
and a few hundred others...

It could have been a 'baby Swiss' style that just had an exotic name stuck on it

Or it could have been 'Guggisberg' which is the company in Ohio that invented Baby Swiss