Gruer: where do Swiss cheese?

Gruer - a small town, you might say, the castle on the hill, which is not far from Lake Geneva. Basically, this city is famous hard cheese with a pronounced floral flavor that is doing here. Of course cheese Gruer already do, not only here, but also, for example, not far from Lucerne and other Swiss cities. But Gruer continues to attract crowds of interested visitors. More there is a museum of Mr. Giger, who came up with the film "Alien." Let's take a walk and go on a couple of excursions!

23 photos via vovsun





Let's start with the cheese. I will not go into the technical details, but tell on the process of its production below. This is the cave in which the cheese is aged. Term Exposure byvat different, the most common varieties - from 6 to 12 months. Although there are fewer, but it is not hard, and more - it is already "broken" as Parmesan.



Milk cans are brought in from nearby villages. The main feature Gruer cheese and recognizable floral taste that cows drink the water and eat the mountain, in addition to herbs, many more mountain flowers, dozens of species. Therefore, milk is obtained by "tasteful" and then passed the taste of cheese.



In the factory there are excursions. Of course in the hall itself is not allowed, or rather allowed if agreed in advance and solve all the medical questions, but in my time it was not. Ordinary visitors allowed on the balcony, which is separated glazing, a la the show "Behind the Glass". Along with personal audio guide issued sampling - three pieces Gruera shutter 6, 8 and 10 months. I really liked the 8-month. There is still sampling at the store about it below.



Bypass room in a circle, the figure "11" is track number 11 on the audio guide. The right vats kneaded serum which consists of milk and a specific set of enzymes. Sera were charged into a round shape, are left on the image, and squeeze about a day. Then the cheese wheels are immersed in a special salt bath for a day to prosola. Then he sent the head of the cave for aging. The process is very simple, has not changed for hundreds of years.



For lovers of telling details. Each cow per day to eat 100 kilograms of grass with flowers and drinks 85 liters of water out of it every day turns 25 liters of milk. One head cheese weighs 35 kg, is necessary for its production of 400 liters of milk, t. E. One kilogram of cheese is made from 12 liters. In one such circular mixer filled 4, 800 liters of milk from which it turns out 12 laps. In one day, the plant with four mixers produces 48 laps cheese, t. E. 1, 680 kg of cheese Gruer day. Every year treated with 5, 700, 000 liters of milk of which is slightly more than 14 thousand rounds of cheese. The cave is placed 7, 000 laps, and therefore the most popular ripening period - six months.



The plant has its own shop where you can buy, certainly not fake Gruer. Kg, depending on the duration of exposure, costs about 20 francs. Knowing the volume of cheese per year (see. Above), which is equal to 500 tons, we can calculate the approximate turnover of the plant - about 10 million francs per year (conditionally Franc is the US dollar). Of course, through the store at the plant implemented a small fraction of that. Back in the shop, you can try seasoned version - up to 18 months. There is more, but they have a special collection.



Not "on the spot", you can dine in the beautiful dining room, where all meals are served with cheese Gruer. Among them, one of the coolest soups - "Chateau De", cheese, potatoes, pickles, served with garlic bread. Fresh vegetable salad with pink sauce and cheese Gruer - also one of the local specialties. Prices are reasonable. Next to the factory there is a stop of the train, the post office, the town itself is located on the hill above.



There winding road leads. After a hearty dinner, and walk, although walk uphill for about 15 minutes.



Houses of local residents on the road to the castle Gruera surrounded by greenery.



The castle looks like an ordinary European. The walls of the gallery and transitions.



The central area of ​​the chapel, cafes and rostoranchikami.



There are panoramic terraces. Although this picture to me more like a shadow than the inscription itself.



Entrance to the cafe guards 'strict' guardian. In this picture we can understand global rasslabon that is happening not only in Gruere, but, by and large, in the whole of Switzerland (except for large cities that are on the area the Garden Ring).



Entering the castle, you climb higher and higher - the city is like on a mountain slope. After this arch - the highest point. There is one more strengthening, say so - citadel.



Local advertisers crook lured people to the museum Mr. Giger, who came up with the film "Alien." This announcement is hanging in the arch.



A coffee shop is next to the museum, which is decorated in the style of "Aliens."



The museum is forbidden to shoot. For Europe this is very strange, usually in contrast to our homeland, here it is welcome. Of course, all removed. I did not do a lot of training, took just this one set of goals and a couple of "Aliens", which starred in the film. Furniture sale, I do not remember how much worth this set, something about a few tens of thousands of dollars.



Inside the citadel park like the atrium in Mont-Saint-Michel in France. Note the sculpture that sits thoughtfully in front of the maze.



And this is - something like a viewing platform. Since the city is on a hill, it offers a distant view around and nice.



You can go beyond the castle and wander from the walls.



You can imagine what kind of enjoy paratroopers!



The next time you're in a store in the department of cheeses, you are able to accurately identify these mountains on the label of one of the best cheese in the world - Gruera. Bon Appetit!



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