When life gives you Eyjafjallajökull, may you be in the Valais

Simplon Cheese
and a favorite memento

Thanks to the smoke from the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland, we were fortunate enough to be “stranded” in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland for a few extra days.  The next group of clients for guide Martin were unable to make it over, so, he kindly offered to show us more of the Valais.  Having grown up in this region, he has a great passion for and knowledge of the culture of this area.

The Valais is a long, narrow, L-shaped valley which was cut by glaciers between two alpine mountain ranges. The Rhone river runs through the bottom of the valley.  The waters make a stop in Lake Geneva and then roll into the Mediterranean Sea. On the high reaching slopes above the valley, the cows and goats graze on the grasses, well watered with the annual snow melt.  Their milk makes the mild, nutty cheeses we love from this country.

We stopped for lunch in the small town of Simplon, a high mountain village, which is the gateway to a pass through the mountains to Italy.

The town square was a sleepy sight,

but their were hints of more festive times from seasons past.

The Restaurant Simplon had a wonderful old world charm,
and authentic regional cuisine.  The cheeses for our platters were made right around the corner.
After lunch, we visited the Sennerei (dairy), Simplon-Dorf (the village of Simplon).
  The Senn (this used to mean a shepherd or herdsman, today, it more commonly refers to an employee of a dairy cooperative) generously took time out of his day to show us the process of how these cheeses are made, translated by marvelous Martin.
The process begins in this large copper vat, where the milk is churned.
From here the ingredients are transported through the proper stages in the dairy using the pipes that run throughout.   The Senn controls the destination using these changeable “links”.
After being processed, the cheese mixture is poured into molds.
Then placed upon racks for final processing. 
These are the soft, fresh, white cheeses like the one featured in the first cheese platter photo above.
The moisture is allowed to drain from the cheese and it becomes slightly firm.
This is a wheel of raclette cheese.  The longer the cheeses age the drier, harder and more flavorful they become. 
 
The wheels are dipped in a salt mixture and allowed to age on wooden boards on racks in a cool room.

To this cheese they add herbs and flowers from the mountains.   These herbs flavor the cheeses.

As the cheese ages, the herbs push out to the cheese rind.
The cheeses are marked to indicate their origin and age.

After sampling the product, we left with multiple wheels of cheeses which have the distinct flavor of the grasses, air and soil of the Valais.

The Senn gave us each a used cheese board, on which we shall serve our raclette forevermore!

Mementos like this are always my favorites.   Unique, useful items which become a part of the fabric of your everyday life and always remind you of a special place, day or experience.

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  • What a lovely memento and the perfect tale of making lemonade out of lemons. To be "stuck" in Europe. Oh, how I wish I could use that excuse. =)

    Sounds like an amazing trip. I am loving all of your pictures of the food and especially the cheese.

  • the cheese looks like butter … when it hits your tongue it just melts… i love any kind of cheese but i do love raclette – and esp in fondue…

    everytime i read your blog i have to head for the refrigerator… this is getting scary!

    love the boards… i have collected old boards from europe and that addiction is getting out of control…
    how fun to have this special one… you will surely cherish…

    xx pam

  • Emily such a wonderful tour, how great to see the process of making these yummy cheeses.

    Karena
    Art by Karena

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