European cheeses always please the palate
There is something truly special about sampling a fine-quality cheese that tantalizes the tastebuds, and with a bevy of natural, artisan cheeses from Europe now available in Canada, it’s no wonder more Canadians are gravitating towards them.
In Europe, centuries of cheese-making tradition preserved across multiple regions have resulted in the production of delicious, unprocessed, locally made cheeses that are still so authentic their quality is unparalleled to this day.
Austria is among those revered European regions producing high-quality, authentic artisan cheese that work for any occasion. As a central European nation famous for its exceptional landscape, Austria produces more than 450 hard and soft cheese varieties. And in keeping with tradition, these cheeses are primarily produced by small, family-owned businesses guided by generations of cheese-making expertise. In fact, 90% of the milk farms in the region are family-owned and 85% of the land is supported by environment measures. Furthermore, all Austrian milk used to make cheeses is GMO-free, and farmers have been voluntarily producing GMO-free milk for nearly two decades. On average, farms keep only 22 heads of cattle, and most farmers still know their cows by name.
“We know that families have a very close relationship with their land and strive to cultivate it in a sustainable way in order to pass it on to the next generation,” says Margret Zeiler, Export Marketing Manager at Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing. “This kind of caring can’t help but be passed on in the careful crafting of these artisan cheeses.”
The magic of the mountains
The Austrian Alps are at the heart of Austrian culture—as well as its cheese-making tradition. These majestic mountains coupled with pure air, soil and water, create the perfect backdrop for producing the nation’s famous mountain cheeses. Far, far away from urban life, pastures in the Alpine region nourish cattle to produce high-quality, GMO-free milk which is processed by small family farms using protected production methods passed down over multiple generations. This milk then plays a starring role in developing Alpine cheeses, the most famous of which is “Bergkase” mountain cheese known for its distinct buttery and nutty flavour.
With more than 500 years of cheesemaking practices passed on from generation to generation, today’s mountain cheeses from Austria offer the authentic taste of the Alps, while complementing Europe’s vast artisan cheese offerings. Consumers can be confident that Austrian mountain cheeses also follow the quality standards set by the European Union, which guarantees the authenticity, quality, place, and cheese-making technique.
As more and more Canadians strive to fill their plates with tasty, natural foods—and opt for products that are more environmentally and ethically produced—unprocessed artisan cheeses from Austria fit the bill.
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