Making cheese has never been an easily regulated, scientific process. Good quality cheese is more often that not, a result of sheer luck and a sign of experience from a dedicated cheese maker who wants to produce tasty cheese. Although following analytical tests of cheese characteristics may produce a good cheese, traditional cheese making has always been an endeavor of luck.

Developing a certain set of standards for cheese can be difficult because every kind has its own distinct range of characteristics, and a cheese that fairs too far from this range will taste bad and be inferior. For example, good soft blue cheese has high moisture and pH content, but cheddar does not.

There are certain regulations that exist to make sure that only authentic cheese are sold to consumers. France, being one of the biggest natural cheese producers in history, started granting certain regions monopolies on certain types of cheeses. And because cheese is made to be eaten by humans, extreme care is taken to make sure that the materials used are of the highest quality possible, most especially if the cheese is intended for export a stricter set of standards are implemented and should be met.

The Appellation of Controlled Origin or appellation d’origine controlee is label which means that the product bearing that label is local to a particular region, keeping the characteristics and the standards of that region as well. Typically, food from a certain region must also be produced in a particular way to qualify for the appellation label there are national inspectors who will make sure that the food producers comply with the standards and maintain quality.

Not all products bear the appellation of controlled origin label. Qualifying for such a label means that the government feels that the raw materials from which the food is made is of high production quality. 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. It is a creamy, pale cheese that has small holes and with a slight granular taste. But unlike most Swiss cheeses, the holes of the Gruyere cheese are no bigger than the size of a pea and are widely spread within the cheese. Its flavor is very different from other Swiss cheeses, but is not too strong or overpowering. That makes the Gruyere cheese a very great addition to quiches, soups, salads, and pastas. You can have it sliced or grated, depending on your desired effect.

Always 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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