What is Emmental cheese?

Emmental cheese is a hard, unpasteurized cheese that is made in Switzerland. It is a sweet, fruity cheese that is made from cow's milk. Emmental cheese is considered one of the most difficult cheeses to produce due to its fermentation process.

The fermentation process creates walnut-sized holes in Emmental cheese. It is sometimes referred to as Swiss cheese. Until modern times, the holes in the cheese were considered imperfections.

Emmental is the name of the city in Switzerland where the cheese was first produced. Finland, France and Bavaria are countries that also produce and export Emmental cheese. Depending on the variety, Emmental cheese can take up to 18 months to age.