Swiss Cheese Vs American Cheese-Make Your Choice!
Swiss cheese and American cheese are among the famous cheeses available in the markets worldwide. These kinds of cheeses mostly make a way to the list of ingredients in all the popular dishes that are spread across multiple cuisines.
Most people prefer so because of the amazing taste that it has got and thus puts a deep impact on the taste-making process of the final product where cheese is used as one of the main ingredients.
American cheese is a kind of processed cheese that is a blend of milk fats, milk, other solids, emulsifiers, and whey. The flavor is mostly mild, the consistency is semi-solid in texture and because it is not too firm thus it can melt easily in low heat.
The color of Swiss cheese which is available in the market is white, off-white, yellow, or orange. This cheese is useful to make cheeseburgers, hamburgers, macaroni, cheese, and other tasty edibles mostly sold by the fast-food chains.
In this extract, we shall discuss Swiss cheese vs American cheese vividly. The difference between Swiss cheese and American cheese comes in the nature, texture, taste, price, and origin of the cheeses.
Table of Contents
The Countries With Best Chees
Swiss Cheese –
Swiss cheese is a famous term used for those kinds of cheeses that are available in Switzerland and that mainly resemble Swiss Emmental. There are various kinds of Swiss cheese and are easily identified by their distinct appearance since there will be holes in them.
These holes would be tiny to large and are also known as “eyes”. The cheese is not a processed one and it is authentic as real and fresh milk is used generally. Sometimes usage of yogurt and edible bacteria is also infused to make it creamier in texture.
This process adds a lot of taste to it. Basically, Swiss cheese has a spicy, rich taste that is not too sharp for the palette. That is why it is one of the preferred cheeses that are used in fine cuisines throughout the world. The countries with the best cheese are France, Switzerland, and Italy.
American Cheese-
Most people might say the same statement where they would quote that American cheese is not authentic and genuine as stated by its legal definition. American cheese slices are used by fast food outlets. It meets the criteria to be called cheese but is mostly labeled as “processed cheese” or a “cheese product”, so does it confuse you to call it a real cheese!
I am sure it does. We shall read the details below. Let us sniff through it. Swiss cheese vs American cheese is an interesting study altogether.
Read Next: 15 Best Mouth-Watering Cheese From Switzerland
Perfect Cheese In The World: Swiss Cheese Or American Cheese?
It would slightly be an understatement to quote that cheese is the most beloved around the world. It is a popular dairy product and is considered to be the staple edible in almost all cuisines whether it is shredded on the top of a pizza, topped on a nice slice of sandwich, or used along with spices in the curry of cottage cheese or chicken. Switzerland and America both are famous for their dairy manufacturing and production.
What makes it perfect are its unique creamy taste and its ability to blend in any spiced curry. It can be used in baked dishes as well as in dishes that require slow cooking over the fire.
The world of culinary science would suffer majorly if cheese is not used and that is the reason why most countries use it in their import and export. People enquire in big malls about what is the best cheese in the world and then they find so much new information which was unknown to them, also known as “cheese facts”.
The perfect cheese can be in the form of smoked, hard, soft, aged, or one that is covered in mold, the style varies from country to country based on its signature identity. To understand Swiss cheese vs American cheese, we need to justify it in a bigger spectrum.
There is a list of countries that manufactures cheese but often Switzerland and America are considered to be making the best cheese in the whole world. So it is pretty obvious that people expand their travel span to visit the best cheesemakers of the world while they are in America or Switzerland.
There’s a constant war between the taste and quality and thus people seldom research Swiss cheese vs American cheese.
Swiss Cheese Vs American Cheese
1. The Historical Significance Of The Most Popular Cheese In The World
* American Cheese: The Way It Evolved –
It is said that British colonists were the first manufacturer of cheddar cheese and it happened soon after they arrived in the Northern region of America.
By the time it was the end of the 17th century, American manufactured cheddars started being exported back to London. It was researched that as per Robert Carlton Brown who is also a famous writer of The Complete Book of Cheese inscribed the present-day term what we know as the American cheese, people also call it the yellow cheese.
Back then the same cheese was named the Yankee cheddar or American cheddar back in the English provinces. It is a profound fact as per the Oxford English Dictionary that the first usage of Yankee cheese occurred in the famous Frankfort Kentucky. The popular journalist also wrote about its mass popularity in newspapers like the Guardian of the Freedom.
By the 18th century, it was a known ingredient in English delicacies. James L Kraft popularised processed cheese instead of the costly cheddars by the middle of the 19th century.
* Swiss Cheese: Known For Its Rich Legacy –
Swiss cheese or Emmental cheese was first manufactured in the Western Central region of the Swiss region. This region is where it got its name because it is also known as the Emmental region. Since the Emmental region is good for pastures, local farmers started using the piece of land for feeding their cattle. The milk from these cattle is the source of such high-quality cheese. A writer named John coined the term Emmental cheese in various novels and soon it became world-famous.
People seldom compare Swiss cheese vs American cheese and come up with different reviews. If we go deeper in our research then it can be told that Emmental cheese started to be made in 1300.
Though the first dairy for cheese manufacturing came into shape in the 18th century, soon more farms started coming up and bulk cheese was marketed all across the continent and was even shipped to faraway lands.
The uniqueness of the cheese that started to be manufactured back then was the use of bacteria that not only preserved the cheese but gave it holes. As per the King’s order cows were not fed with silage but only green grass, and that is how even today the quality of the cheese is maintained in the same traditional way.
2. Origin Of The Best Cheeses In The World
* American Cheese: Also Played A Major Role In The “American Artisan Movement” –
It was James Kraft who popularised “American cheese”. The origin of processed cheese started in California and it was surged by the Californian researchers that processing increased consistency and safety. Pioneers from the USA like Laura Chanel and Alice Waters reformed the idea of Yankee cheese.
Old artisan recipes became staples in the USA after this. People started partnering with local chefs and it was received warmly by the people of America. Thus was born what we know as the “American artisan” cheese movement.
* Swiss Cheese: Popular As Emmental Cheese –
Emmental cheese, the standard type of hardened cottage cheese was manufactured by the Swiss farmers who stayed near the Alpine region. The technique used by them was by using rennet. It is a substance that is taken from the stomach lining of young calves. That helps in the hardening of cheese and it first appeared in Switzerland around the 15th century.
Soon to add the sweet and nutty taste cyanobacteria was used that is gut-friendly, it creates holes while cheese making as the bacteria emanates a huge amount of C02. The first three types of cheese which originated in Switzerland are Appenzeller, Gruyere, and Emmental.
Mulching of 20 cows who were fed good quality pesticide-free grasses was used to manufacture cheese. It is a belief that cows kept in small numbers and in a pollution-free region would give milk of the best quality which makes the cheese creamier.
3. Dairy Farms And Production
* American Cheese & Dairy Farm Of America(DFA) –
DFA is a national milk marketing cooperative in the United States Of America. The company produces and sells milk, butter, yogurt, cream, cheese, ice cream etc.
California is the top leading state in the US for its milk-producing. As per the new analysis and reports, the top five milk-producing states are California, Wisconsin, New York, Idaho and Texas. Few other important dairy farming states are Florida, Ohio, Minnesota and Vermont.
Do you know that there are around 40,000 dairy farms in the US? Cows are an important part of American culture. The environment of different states is responsible for dairy production. The American dairy industry provides a huge source of income and profit to rural families.
Now the next question will come to mind what makes America the largest producer of cow’s milk?
Well, the answer is very interesting! The unlimited resources and lands in the US, adoption of new technologies and modern farming practices, and well efficient machines are all these factors that make America the world’s largest producer of milk in the world.
* Swiss Cheese: The Biggest Agricultural Business Product Based On Dairy –
The most important branch in Switzerland is a dairy farm and milk production. Do you know that there are almost 18,000-20,000 dairy farmers and they have around 5,50,000-5,60,000 cows in Switzerland?
Farmers produce almost 3-4 billion kilograms of milk per annum from the cows. Unfortunately, the number of milk-producing cows has decreased in recent years, but the milk production rate still remains steady using the new technologies and machines.
Switzerland is the country of origin of “brown cattle“, which is called Braunvieh. Switzerland exported Braunvieh to the US in 18-19th Centuries.
The Swiss Alps are the perfect place for the production of Dairy or Swiss milk. The cows are grazing and eating around the green grass field in the Alps. The variety of cheese production in Switzerland depends upon the Swiss alpine farming industry. In order to manufacture the Swiss cheese and to grow the sales and the cheese industry, the cows must spend time on grassy alpine mountains.
In Switzerland, milk is used to make numerous products like chocolate, cheese, butter, cream, yogurt, drinking milk, pastries, authentic food items and other dairy specialities etc.
4. Tastewise Which Is Creamier And Loved By All
* American Cheese: Blends With Any Dishes Of Your Choice –
It tastes bland, with an oily texture and salty aftertaste. It is soft and mild ranging from white to yellow. It might seem like extra mile cheddar but since it is processed it is found in different flavors like garlic, oregano, black pepper, and sweet chilli. It is crispier and not nutty in flavor thus it blends easily with the taste of hamburgers and sandwiches.
* Swiss Cheese: Nutty And Sweet Flavor –
It is sweet, nutty, and mild to taste if you are tasting one of the Alpine origins. The cheese is yellow with holes and that is how you can trace its authenticity.
The nutty smell is going to overpower the air in the room if you are near a slice of real Swiss-made cheese. The unique sweet taste comes from adding a special kind of food-friendly bacteria that ferments to give it a unique taste.
5. Calories To Count
* American Cheese: High Calories With Surplus Fat Content –
It has around 371 calories in every 100 grams. 1 ounce which is marketed everywhere is around 28 grams of a single slice and provides 102 calories.
* Swiss Cheese: Calorie Rich But A Key Ingredient In Major Delicacies –
It has around 380 calories in every 100 grams. In a single slice of Swiss cheese that is around 28 grams, there are almost 106 grams of calories. Debates have had took place regarding swiss cheese vs American cheese and in terms of calories, there’s a slight difference.
6. Nutrition Facts That You Must Know
* American Cheese:
A 1-ounce (28-gram) single slice of American cheese provides:
- Calories: 102
- Carbs: 1.3 grams
- Calcium: 23% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Sodium: 21% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 14% of the DV
- Vitamin D: 11% of the DV
- Protein: 5 grams
- Fat: 9 grams
- Vitamin A: 10% of the DV
- Zinc: 6% of the DV
* Swiss Cheese:
A fourth of a cup of shredded Emmental Swiss cheese contains the following:
- Sodium: 52mg
- Total carbohydrates: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Vitamin A
- Calcium
- Vitamin B-12
- Valine
- Isoleucine
- Calories: 103
- Calories from fat: 68
- Total fat: 8g
- Saturated fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
7. Price Makes A Major Difference
* American Cheese: Not Very Pricey And Is Easily Affordable –
As per the timeline given everywhere the retail market price of American cheddar or processed cheese in the border countries of the USA or in the United States itself from the year 1995 to 2021 amounted to somewhere between 3-3.89 US dollars. It also marks a 13-cent price drop from the price of the UK pound in 2020. The price marks a huge margin when we talk about Swiss cheese vs American cheese.
* Swiss Cheese: A Bit Pricey But Value For Price –
As per the price listed in Nature’s Basket 100 gms of pure Emmental cheese would cost around $4. The price varies from brand to brand.
8. Freshness And Shelf-Life Of The Best Cheese In World
* American Cheese: Remains Fresh As There Are Preservatives Added To It –
After opening the cheese can remain fresh and edible for up to a period of 2-3 weeks only.
* Swiss Cheese: Preservative Process –
With proper refrigeration, Swiss cheese can remain fresh for 3 months when kept in the fridge and up to 6 months when kept inside the freezer.
9. Usage In Various Things
* American Cheese: It Blends Into Any Dishes To Make Them Better –
American style cheese is used in several recipes throughout the world. It can be used in the melted form in recipes like hamburgers, cheese grilled sandwiches, cheese bread omelettes, nachos or quesadillas, or also as a dressing topping for french fries, chilli fritters, or in main course items like macaroni and cheese. It is also used in Eastern recipes like kebabs, grills, and tandoors.
* Swiss Cheese: A Major Ingredient In All The Continental Food Platters –
Swiss cheese because of its mild, sweet nutty flavor is eaten just as a side dish with pineapples and wine. It is also used in mashed potatoes, macaroni preparation, shepherd’s pie, and casseroles baked items. It can be also eaten with toasted loaves of bread along with the fresh garden salad. Grated Swiss cheese goes well with pizza, au gratins, souffles and fondues.
10. The Smooth And Mild Texture
* American Cheese: Creamy And Thin Texture –
It is creamy in texture with a medium-firm consistency. It also has a low melting point. The color ranges from off-white to yellow. If seasoning is done then the herbs give it a coarse, semi-creamy texture and it can be colored with annatto.
* Swiss cheese: Large To Small Holes Present All Over The Body–
Swiss cheese tops the list of the best cheese in the world texture wise when we discuss swiss cheese vs American cheese.
It is a mild cheese and is quite firm in texture. It is known for being lustrous, pale off-white to yellow, and has large holes (also called eyes). During the process of maturation, the cheese releases carbon dioxide in large amounts thus resulting in the formation of these holes.
11. Making Process That Is Quite Interesting
* American Cheese: Emulsified And Processed At Warm Temperature –
The traditional cheese is combined and ground with good quality emulsifying agents and other ingredients. It is mixed and warmed until the formation of a “melted homogenous” mixture takes place. And later it is pasteurized, for which this homogenous mixture is heated at a temperature of a minimum of 150 degrees Fahrenheit which is around 66 degrees Celcius. Thirty seconds are enough to make this cheese.
* Swiss Cheese: Traditional Style Is Maintained In A Modern Way-
The production of curd is the first of making Swiss cheese. The starting happens when fresh milk is brought from the farms directly. Curds are formed by mixing good bacteria into the milk at a moderate temperature. Then the curds are taken and soaked in a brine solution along with salt and fresh water.
During the process of soaking, the cheese would absorb salt and thus release water from within. During this time the good bacteria expand the mass and the release of carbon dioxide takes place giving the space to form holes of various sizes. Later a quality team inspects the presence of all nutritional facts and proper consistency is also inspected. Swiss cheese varieties like gouda, mozzarella, etc are available in retail chains.
12. The Business That Has Grown Over Time
* American Cheese: Spiked Up Market Structure –
The market of the USA has a market size of around $35 billion in 2019. It is projected to reach a slab of $45.6 billion by the end of 2028. The growing CGAR is 5.25% from 2019-to 2027. It was found that every millennial consumer in the USA and other parts of the world spends an average of 4.80 US dollars per shopping trip for American cheese.
* Swiss Cheese: Steep Growth In Demand And Supply –
The market for Swiss cheese is booming. Swiss cheese vs American cheese is favorite topic to eye when it comes to market growth.
People spend almost 4-5 US dollars to purchase a piece of cheese (100 gms). During the period of destination weddings, the demand for Emmental cheese has increased and people can go up to an extent of $50 per 100 grams as well. Business surveys quote that “is swiss cheese healthy”, the demand and history say it all.
Thus the businessmen who procure Swiss cheese and resell it and export it worldwide have boosted the European economy largely over the last 20 years. Gross revenue of $800 billion is calculated for the year 2019. It surely has spiked up more by now.
Read Similar Article: Best Chocolate In The World: Swiss Chocolate Vs Belgian Chocolate?
Top Brands Of American And Swiss Cheese
1. American Cheese: Brands That Are Everyone’s Favorite
- Super A
- Kraft Singles
- Velveeta
- Land O’Lakes
- Horizon Organic
- Borden
- Kraft Deli Deluxes
- Hotel Bar
2. Swiss Cheese: Brands That Never Go Out Of Market
- Der Scharfe Maxx
- Kaltbach Gruyère
- Maxx Extra
- Alter Schweizer
- Füürtufel
- Tête de Moine
- Appenzeller
- Emmentaler
- Sbrinz
Conclusion
Swiss cheese vs American cheese is a current hot topic in the world of foodies. As per the differences noticed above it can be assumed that Swiss cheese is better than American cheese.
As Swiss cheese has better molding capability and is purely made from cow’s milk. On the contrary, it can be found that no molds are grown on American cheese. It also contains synthetic preservatives. American cheese is also flavored with artificial food essence and no good bacteria are present in it.
In Swiss cheese vs American cheese, as per the health benefits, Swiss cheese is healthier than white American cheese as it is procured by natural methods and the shelf life is also stronger than the American version. It is a basic question of many people regarding what is the healthiest cheese.
The semi-soft texture of the Swiss cheese is good to be grated easily whereas American cheese is slimy and soft. Swiss cheese tastes better and thus the premium quality that is sold in the market is pocket pinching. Overall if we see, that Swiss cheese is any day better than American cheese.
Who do you think makes the best cheese in the world? You can share your comments below; we would love to hear from you.
