A truckle of hard cheese made with cow’s milk, similar to Gruyère. It has a dense, straw-coloured paste with a few pea-sized holes and an inedible, hard, wrinkled golden-brown rind which is washed with white wine or cider. It has been made in Appenzell, the north eastern canton of Switzerland for over 700 years. This ancient cheese is at its best from summer to winter, is made with raw, whole milk and has 45-50% fat (dry)/28% (total). The curds are scalded and pressed. It may be found in the following dimensions: 35 cm (12") diameter x 7.5 cm (3") deep, weighing 6-12 kg (13-26 lb). Affinage is from 3-6 months. It has a delicate smell and a rounded fruity flavour. It is very firm but not brittle.
