It’s true! We’ve adopted an Alp, as a true cheesemonger does. Let us explain: Swiss mountain cheeses are one-of-a-kind delights, made by families who embrace an ancient form of pastoral production that involves moving their herds to high altitude pastures in the Alps each summer and back to lower elevations when the cold weather threatens. The practice originated over 8,000 years ago, but it is a vanishing way of life in modern times. So, in 2012, the Adopt-an-Alp program was created. It connects traditional Swiss cheesemakers willing to spend summers grazing their herds in remote mountain meadows with American cheese vendors who want to support the practices. The unique cheeses made from the milk of livestock grazing on the 150 different grasses and herbs in the alpine meadows of Switzerland are the primary reason.

Two years ago we participated and supported one of the few female cheesemakers in the program. The beautiful raw-milk wheels of cheese we received were fantastic and sold fast. Learning the story of the family that made the cheese connected us to a way of life and gave us a deeper appreciation for cheeses that rarely left the region in the past.

Last year, the pandemic disrupted everything but needless to say, we’ve enrolled in the program again this year—and will get four cheeses early this November, and three more in December.

Helping keep this distinctive practice alive is why this the Adopt-an-Alp program started, and we’re delighted to help. We’re even happier to be able to offer these fantastic cheeses to our customers. Give them a try. We think you’ll see why this labor-intensive farming style has carried on for 8,000 years and why the high-alpine cheeses are so sought after.  

November

Trischtachas 2020 (Alp Arni-Schwand)

Alpkase 2020 (Alp Braunwaldalp)

Alpkase 2020 (Alp Gummen)

Vollmondkase (Alp Jänzimatt)

December 


Geisskase (Alp Rainhütten)

Hobelkase AOP 2019 (Alp Satteleggli)

Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP (Alp Gantrischli) 

You’ll have to stop by to taste these phenomenal cheeses, but we can share a few stories of the places and families that produce the cheeses.

Alp Arni-Schwand is situated on the scenic alpine route between Giswil and Sörenberg amidst the peaks of the central Swiss Alps. For more than 25 years it is operated by Urs and Ida Müller-Stalder. The Müller family moves 36 cows from Giswil up to Alp Arni-Schwand from June to September.

Alp Braunwaldalpis located at the very end of the Glarus region. Margrit and Köbi Streiff are the fourth generation of their family to farm Braunwaldalp. Each spring, with their dog, Fido, they move about 50 cows, 50 young cattle, and a dozen pigs (who eat the whey) up to the mountain.

Alp Gummenis located between the small towns of Einsiedeln and Schwyz, on the foot of the “Kleiner Mythen” mountain and with spectacular views over Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) and Lake Lauerz (Lauerzersee). The cheesemaker, Reto Rütimann, makes Alpkase with milk from his herd of about 90 Brown Swiss cows in a historic wooden barn. The fresh milk still goes into pails and is poured into the copper vat by hand.

Alp Jänzimattis in the central Swiss Alps, between the villages of Giswil and Sörenberg. The chalet occupied by the Riebli family sits at an elevation of 5300 feet, but the meadows rise to 6600 feet. At the higher elevations, the cows are milked by a mobile milk station. The Rieblis are in the mountains with their herd of 42 cows from June to September.

Alp Rainhüttenis located at 4,300 feet altitude, at the foot of the Staubernkette range, from where the animals can move upwards and have access to the rich Alp vegetation. Beni and Theresia Hollenstein leave their farm operation in the village of Brülisau sometime during the second week of June and move up to Alp Rainhütten with roughly 80 goats.

Alp Satteleggliis in the Bernese Alps, above the village of Feutersoey and just beneath the summit of the Hohfluh mountain. Theres and Ernst Reichenbach’s farm is at an elevation of 4,800 feet. In June, the Reichenbachs move 18 Simmental cows to the farm from Gstaad. Their cheeses are made of raw milk warmed over a wood fire. The wheels weigh 13–22 lbs and have a mild, milky and creamy flavor when young and develop sweet caramel notes as they age.

Alp Gantrischliis in the Muscherental Valley. The dairy is at an elevation of 4,200 feet, and their herd of 120 black and white cows grazes in meadows as high as 6,000 feet. There are eight chalets on Alp Gantrischli, each occupied by a seperate family. The co-op dairy uses the aromatic and rich summer milk to make a beautiful Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP. The cheese has a pleasant nutty flavor and an open, buttery texture.