Emmental

There are too many types of cheese for any single variety, no matter how great, to be considered quintessential.

That said, here’s the contradiction: When you think of cheese, what’s the first one to pop in your head? I’ll bet it’s Swiss, and Emmental is the quintessential Swiss cheese.

Never mind that the French also make it.

This is the yellow variety with the big holes. It is produced in enormous rounds—up to 220 pounds—aged four months. Though it is milder than Gruyère, real Emmental is nutty, sweet, and complex.

The famous holes are a result of the specific way its starter bacteria works during the aging process. At certain temperatures, the starter gives off carbon dioxide, forming gaps by “pushing” the ripening cheese away. The holes are random in size, shape, and location.

Note that there are quite a few dull varieties of Emmental. This is partly because the region (outside of Berne, Switzerland) never bothered to protect the name as a brand. So quality standards vary wildly among producers of this variety.

PAIRINGS: Emmental is often a principal component of fondues, and it is also frequently used in those wondrous cheese toppings the French know as gratin. As a relatively mild variety, you wouldn't obviously pair it with big, bold wines. But a well-made Emmental can easily hold its own against Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. And, of course, it's great melted on top of ham.