Hirtenkäse (literally "

herder A herder is a pastoralism, pastoral worker responsible for the care and management of a herd or flock of domestic animals, usually on extensive management, open pasture. It is particularly associated with nomadic pastoralism, nomadic or transhuma ...

cheese") is a German term used to describe varieties of cheese.

Brine cheeses

Hirtenkäse is used as a generic term in German-speaking countries to describe cheese in brine such as

feta Feta ( ; ) is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it is formed into large blocks and aged in brin ...

, sirene and beyaz peynir. These varieties originated in various countries on or near the Mediterranean and Black Seas. They share similar properties in pale colour and crumbly consistency. They may be made from milk from cows, sheep and/or goats, either alone or mixed in varying proportions.

Allgäu hard cheese

Allgäuer Hirtenkäse is the name of a specific variety of hard cheese from the

Allgäu The Allgäu (Standard ) is a region in Swabia in southern Germany. It covers the south of Bavarian Swabia, southeastern Baden-Württemberg, and parts of Austria. The region stretches from the pre-alpine lands up to the Alps. The main rivers flo ...

region of Southern Germany.Fond o'Foods website
. Accessed March 17, 2009.Janet Fletcher, "Cheese Course: Hirtenkäse fans party when the cows come home," ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

'', Februar
SF Gate website
Accessed March 17, 2009. Traditionally, herders in the Allgäu region drive their cows downhill from their summer grazing pastures on the slopes of the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

to farmers' stalls in the valleys, in order to spend the winter sheltered from the elements. This moving of the livestock is termed the '' Almabtrieb''. This happens in September or October, varying by locality in the region, and is accompanied by traditional celebrations. Hirtenkäse is made from the milk from these cows. It is usually aged for eight months.

Colour, texture and taste

This cheese is "golden" and "buttery yellow in color...." Its texture and taste are "rustic, savory and firm textured... with a rugged, earthy aroma." A writer for the

compared it to other hard cheeses of Europe:

Wine and fruit pairings

Hirtenkäse's nutty, earthy flavors can be complemented or contrasted. A reviewer at the ''

'' prefers complementing the cheese, writing, "I want a nutty, slightly sweet wine with it, such as an oloroso sherry or a

Madeira Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...

." iGourmet suggests contrasting the cheese: Like the bacon-and-chicken liver rumaki, this cheese can be combined with other foods in interesting ways to mix salty and savory flavors.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hirtenkase Cow's-milk cheeses German cheeses Swabian cuisine

Brine cheeses

Allgäu hard cheese

Colour, texture and taste

Wine and fruit pairings

See also

References