Cheese of the week: Emmentaler

Name: Emmentaler

Brand: Emmi

Place of Purchase: HyVee Foods in Ames, Iowa

Country/Region of Origin: Switzerland

Price in Iowa: $9.98/lb.

Milk: raw cow

Processing: Raw milk is curdled, rennet is added, 4 years of cave aging in cool, then warm, then cool caves.

Texture: semi-hard

Color: pale yellow with holes

Rind: natural

Aroma: earthy, woody, dairy

Taste: It's Swiss cheese, but something more. Sure it has the pleasantly tart and pungent taste, but true Emmentaler is creamier and more robust.

Mouth feel: Melt in your mouth creamy.

Notes: I've had lots of Swiss cheese. I've had it in sandwiches, and on cheese trays, and just by itself.