Description
Kaltbach Alpine Creamy Cheese
About Kaltbach Alpine Creamy Cheese
Kaltbach Alpine Creamy does exactly what it says on the tin. Well, there’s no tin, obviously, but you get the idea.
It’s a Swiss Alpine-style cheese with a wonderfully smooth, creamy texture, matured in the famous Kaltbach sandstone caves. Where some mountain cheeses can be quite firm and robust, this one is altogether more yielding: buttery, nutty and incredibly easy to eat.
And if you’ve read about our [Kaltbach Cave Aged Le Gruyère AOP], you’ll already know that we’ve been lucky enough to visit the caves where these cheeses are matured.
They’re every bit as impressive as they sound.
Made Slowly, with Care
Kaltbach Alpine Creamy is made from pasteurised Swiss cow’s milk before being taken to the Kaltbach caves to mature.
Deep underground, the naturally cool temperature and high humidity create wonderful conditions for ageing cheese. The wheels are looked after by Kaltbach’s Cave Masters, who turn, brush and care for them as they mature.
We’ve told the full story of the caves on our Le Gruyère AOP page, so I won’t make you read it all again here!
What matters for Alpine Creamy is what that maturation does to the cheese.
Over time, the outside develops its distinctive dark, rustic rind while the paste remains beautifully smooth and supple. The flavour deepens too, developing buttery, nutty and gently earthy notes without becoming overpowering.
It’s that combination of Alpine flavour and almost indulgent creaminess that makes this cheese stand out.
Kaltbach Alpine Creamy – Jen’s Tasting Notes
The texture is the first thing I notice with Kaltbach Alpine Creamy.
It’s firm enough to cut beautifully, but once you start eating it there’s a lovely softness to it. Smooth, buttery and almost silky, it feels considerably creamier than you might expect from looking at it.
Then come the flavours.
There’s sweet milk and butter to begin with, followed by toasted hazelnuts and almonds and a gentle savoury tang. As you keep eating, a little earthiness starts to appear, which I always associate with its time maturing in those caves.
It’s not a huge, punchy cheese and it doesn’t need to be.
There’s enough complexity to keep a cheese fanatic interested, but it’s gentle enough for someone who prefers their cheese on the milder side.
And that makes it a very useful cheese to have on a cheeseboard.
How to Serve and Pair Kaltbach Alpine Creamy
- Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature.
- Classic pairings: An unoaked Chardonnay works beautifully. The fresh acidity cuts through all that creaminess while the apple and citrus notes complement the cheese’s gentle sweetness.
- Something a little different: Keep things Swiss with a crisp lager. The freshness and bubbles are a lovely contrast to that silky texture.
- On the plate: I’d keep things simple with crusty bread, dried apricots or figs and perhaps a handful of toasted hazelnuts. You really don’t need much else.
- In the kitchen: It melts like a dream, so it’s an obvious candidate for fondue. It’s also rather fabulous in a toastie or melted over potatoes — although I think it’s almost a shame not to eat some of it exactly as it is.
Jen’s note: The dark rind on Kaltbach Alpine Creamy looks so much like plastic that you’d be forgiven for trying to peel it off. But it’s actually a completely natural rind created during maturation in the caves — and yes, you can eat it!
Buying Kaltbach Alpine Creamy
- Brand or Producer: Emmi
- Product name: Kaltbach Alpine Creamy
- Milk: Cow
- Country: Switzerland
- Region: Aargau
- Strength: Medium
- Vegetarian: No
- Suitable for pregnancy: Yes
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £3.65
- 500g wedge, £18.25
- Whole wheel (approx. 4kg), available to pre-order
Storage Advice
- Keep refrigerated
- Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
- Remove from the fridge before serving
- Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening
Delivery and Collection
- UK wide courier delivery
- Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
- Free local delivery available for selected postcodes
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt, cream (MILK)
