Culture of Culinary Enjoyment
The culture of culinary enjoyment and the art of cheese making in Schwarzenberg
Good food is quite customary here.
It is a normal, everyday standard, because there is only good food here. It is a gourmet region, in which the quality of products is seen as a great gift from nature. It is a gift that deserves the best handling. It has to do with respect and also with appreciation. People still make things themselves here, and they do so with much love. Most of the products come from the region such as mushrooms or berries. Hunters provide wild game not from cages but from their own hunting. The vegetables come from Lake Constance as do the fish. Therefore, you won't find any saltwater fish on local menus. And while we're at it: not all mountain cheeses are the same.
17 valley dairies produce 3,000 tons of mountain cheese. At over 90 "Sennalpen" (alpine dairies), 200 tons of mountain cheese are made in summer. The Bregenzerwald region produces these results each year. It is quite understandable that cheese has a special importance here. However, what is not quite so easy to comprehend is the high quality of the cheese. This quality is a result of sustainability. The cows have no concept of silage. From May to October, they graze solely on fresh mountain grass in the alpine pastures, and in winter, they eat air-dried hay from the valley meadows. The milk is thus silage-free, and the cheese is first-class. It is no wonder that the cheese has made such an impressive name for itself.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the "much sought-after and world-famous, premium cheese" was exported. Today, there are 50 types of regional cheese to choose from. In addition to numerous quality criteria and distinctions, Bregenzerwald mountain cheese was included in the "Ark of Taste" by Slow Food in 2008. Cheese plays a central role. Once a year, Schwarzenberg becomes an international gourmet center for cheese lovers. At the beginning of September, the best alpine and mountain cheeses are awarded by an expert jury.
