Jul 6, 2015 - 8:26 PM
I am quoting a word document all about the cheese factory attached to the monastery in Engelberg which is only 43 minutes from Lucerne by train. Smaller than some others but we enjoyed it and had really tasty lunch in their café. You can combine it with a look inside the church and if you go on the right day enjoy a guided tour of the monastery. (Wed to Sat 10.00 a.m. and 16.00 p.m.)
Maggie
Cheese factory in the monastery of Engelberg. First Swiss cheese factory located in a monastery.Unique in Switzerland: in this cheese dairy, soft cheese is produced and ladled by hand into a mold. Enjoy the architectural contrasts of a modern show dairy and ancient monastery walls. Opening hours: Mon - Sat from 7.30 a.m.- 6 p.m., Sun from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., free entrance. Visit Switzerland's only show cheese factory, located within a monastery. You'll find the largest selection of regional cheeses and milk products, as well as souvenirs, in our shop.Cheese production daily between 11.00 and 16.00. Enjoy one of our many indigenous cheese menus or a dessert in the Bistro, while the cheese makers at work provide a unique background. The choices of regionally produced cheeses will impress you. In our gift shop you can choose between homemade treats, made by farmers' wives within the region, and selected articles with contemporary motifs. You will be tempted to keep these for yourself. By train: trains leave Lucerne at 10 minutes past the hour and trip takes 43 minutes.The LSE (Lucerne-Stans-Engelberg Train) runs hourly from Lucerne, through the picturesque Engelberg-Valley, to Engelberg. A pleasant 10-minute walk, through the centre of town, brings you from the train station to the Monastery. The milk is carefully stirred. It warms up to 35 °C within 20 minutes, as warm water flows through the double wall of the cheese production container. Once the milk has reached this temperature, the cheese maker adds the starter cultures, calcium and rennet. The lactic acid bacteria ferment lactose into lactic acid. This preserves the cheese in a natural way. The mold culture will later cause the white mold to grow on the cheese. Calcium is added, because the natural calcium has been modified through the pasteurisation process of the milk. The rennet causes the milk to coagulate (become thick). The milk must remain absolutely calm in order for the rennet and bacterial cultures to work. Within approximately 40 minutes, the coagulation process brings the milk to the proper consistency, comparable to that of a yoghurt. The cheese maker next slices the soft cheese curd into grains with a tool called "the cheese harp". The smaller the curd grains, the harder the cheese. Our "Engelberger Klosterglocke" is a soft cheese; therefore the size of the grains is relatively large. These curd grains separate from the whey, the remaining aqueous liquid. The whey and the curd grains are then slowly stirred for 30 minutes. Afterwards, the cheese maker lets it rest. This allows the curd grains to sink to the bottom of the container. They slowly become more dense as the dead weight of the grains presses out the whey. Adding warm water thins out the amount of lactose, the so-called "fertile soil" of the lactic acid bacteria, in order to control the fermentation.The curd grains have finally achieved the desired consistency and firmness.With a tool called "The Cheese Ladle", the cheese maker bales the soft curd grains into the bell-shaped "Engelberger Klosterglocke" forms. Due to gravity, the curd grains become one mass and the remaining whey flows out.This nutrient-rich liquid is processed into whey drink. In order for the cheese to form evenly, the forms are turned by the cheese maker three times: 1) after 10 minutes, 2) one hour later, 3) in the late afternoon. Early the next morning, the cheese, still in its form, is dipped into the salt bath for two hours. The cheese absorbs the salt and releases its water. A thin crust forms on the outside. The larger and harder the cheese, the longer it must remain in the salt bath. In our ripening cellar, just as in this mini-cellar, ideal conditions are required. A constant temperature of 16 °C and 95 % air humidity guarantee the growth of the white mold. After 8 days, the "Engelberger Klosterglocke" is snow-white and ready for you to enjoy. Some types ofcheese are ready to be eaten immediately, while others must ripen for up to two years, or more. All of our gourmet cheeses are produced from fresh, non-silo, Engelberg milk and ripened in the monastery cellars. The online shop is coming soon.This popular, bell shaped cheese is produced before your very eyes in our show cheese factory. It is a soft and creamy white mold (brie) cheese which is perfect for any occasion. The actual bell, seen on the label, stands in the courtyard of the monastery. This mild cheese, full of character, can easily be recognized with its black coating. The golden label portrays a classic picture of the monastery. Taste a piece of Switzerland for yourself. Our fine half-hard cheese, with white mold, tastes mild and creamy.
Last modified on Jul 6, 2015 - 8:50 PM by maggiehorswell
