Trains, scenery, cheese: this Swiss region has it all

Edging down the steep steps, the pungent, nutty aroma of ageing cheese hangs heavy in the air, drawing me deeper into the darkened vault in search of alpine gold. Emerging into what I can only describe as a cathedral of cheese – a vision reinforced by the candlelight and piped choral singing – my hungry eyes survey the racks of ageing cheese reverentially ordered, or ordained, within. The temperature is a fresh 10ºC, in marked contrast to the early summer alpine day outside.

Secreted within Molkerei Gstaad Dairy’s subterranean grotto, these venerable golden wheels are the products of local artisanal producers such as Dominik Matti, who I’d seen in full cheesemaking action earlier that day, working the curds (to book group visits, email dominik.matti@bluewin.ch). Spoiler alert – said cheeses prove incredibly tasty, much like other calorific mountain fare I’ll gorge on later, including voluminous rosti and spicy sausages. 

MELTING POT 

“Here, inside, it’s only the best of the best,” declares Rene, leading one of Molkerei’s daily tours. “This is the top of the top of the top; we call it the Fort Knox.” Given what Rene says next, I’m lucky there’s anything to sample.

“Locals typically eat around 25kg of cheese a year,” he reveals. “In cheese eating, everyone’s a world champion!”

When packaged and sold, each product features a number that buyers can enter online to trace its origins. This focus on local sourcing and traceability is one of many examples of sustainability I’ll encounter on my chomp around the region.