Making cheese has never been an easily regulated, scientific process. Usually, good quality cheese is a result of the dedication to make flavorful cheese by an experienced and perhaps a lucky cheese maker. Although good cheese can be produced by following analytical tests of cheese characteristics, traditional cheese is made with sheer luck alone.

It can be difficult to create standards for cheese because each kind has a unique range of characteristics, and a cheese that does not meet the requirement will not taste good and will be inferior. For example, cheddar cheese is low in moisture and pH content, while a good soft blue cheese is the total opposite.

Certain rules are implemented in order to make sure that the consumer will buy only authentic cheeses. France, one of the pioneers in making natural cheeses, started granting certain regions monopolies on the production of certain kinds of cheeses. And because cheese is made for human consumption, extreme care is taken to make sure that the raw materials are of the highest quality, all the more if the cheese is intended for export it must meet particularly stringent quality control standards.

The Appellation of Controlled origin or appellation d’origine controlee is a label that means a product is not just made out of sheer luck, but bears high standards of a particular region that it was made from. Consequently, food from a certain region must also be produced in a particular way in order to qualify for an appellation of controlled origin there are national inspectors that visit and make sure that food producers comply with the given standards.

Not all products bear the appellation of controlled origin label. Qualifying for such title implies that the government is confident that the product is made with the best raw materials and production standards possible. This label has been established so that consumers will be assured that the foods they buy are not cheap counterfeit of knockoff versions.

Wines and cheeses usually bear the appellation of controlled origin label, and one particular type of cheese that has this distinct mark is the Gruyere Cheese. Gruyere cheese is a creamy, pale cheese with small holes and a slightly granular texture. Unlike other Swiss cheese, the holes of the Gruyere cheese rarely gets bigger than the size of a pea, with the holes widely dispersed within the cheese. Its taste is also different from other Swiss cheeses, but is not strong or overpowering. That means that the Gruyere cheese makes a very good ingredient for quiches, soups, salads, and pastas. You can have it sliced or grated, depending on your desired effect.

For your next cheese and wine party look for the cheese that exceeds production and state standards. Next time you host a wine and cheese party, make sure the cheese you serve is not run of the mill. Check for the appellation of controlled origin seal. Order Gruyere cheese today!

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