Exclusive and authentic raclette cheese, directly from Valais🇨🇭
IN THE
SWISS ALPS,
IN VALAIS...
... THE COWS GRAZE ALL SUMMER
... ON THEIR FLOWER-RICH PASTURES...
FIRST QUALITY MOUNTAIN MILK
The cows that live in the Swiss Alps are particularly fortunate: the view is splendid, the air pure and fresh and the pastures are particularly rich - thick, juicy grass and numerous mountain flowers.
All of this produces one of the finest qualities of milk.
Swiss milk from the mountains, rich in aromatic notes and in proteins.
All of this produces one of the finest qualities of milk.
Swiss milk from the mountains, rich in aromatic notes and in proteins.
THE RICH PASTURES OF THE ALPS
Every season brings to the Swiss Alps' pastures its colorful bouquet of mountain flowers. So many colors and some of their names are so very poetic that we share them in French here: "la pensée des Alpes" (the thought of the Alps), "la centaurée des montagnes" (the mountain knapweed), "la Reine Marguerite des Alpes" (the Queen Margaret of the Alps") - just to name a few.
And this is the cows' everyday feast.
And these flowers are part of their milk...
And this is the cows' everyday feast.
And these flowers are part of their milk...
THE "QUEEN" OF THE SWISS ALPS
May we introduce?...
This is the "Queen" of the Swiss Alps, "la vache d'Hérens".
Herens is a Swiss cattle breed originating from the "val d’Hérens", in Valais (CH). Its fur is black and it is a stumpy-legged and robust mountain cow (weighing up to 800-900kg!) used to climb up to 3'000 meters and live there.
In spring, cows are made to fight one against another in the local tradition of "cow fighting" with their sporting-strong horns. The winner is elected "Queen of the year".
And, of course, throughout the year, the "vache d'Hérens" produce the fine milk that is used in the even so fine raclette you find here.
This is the "Queen" of the Swiss Alps, "la vache d'Hérens".
Herens is a Swiss cattle breed originating from the "val d’Hérens", in Valais (CH). Its fur is black and it is a stumpy-legged and robust mountain cow (weighing up to 800-900kg!) used to climb up to 3'000 meters and live there.
In spring, cows are made to fight one against another in the local tradition of "cow fighting" with their sporting-strong horns. The winner is elected "Queen of the year".
And, of course, throughout the year, the "vache d'Hérens" produce the fine milk that is used in the even so fine raclette you find here.
THE COWS ARE MILKED DAILY...
Every day, at dawn, the mountain farmers milk their cattle. Very often the milking is still done by hand, with this ancient single-legged stool that the farmer wears belted around his waist.
A "Herens" cow would give some 15 liters of milk a day - which is about half of other breeds. But it's the best!
And when you know that it takes some 100 liters of fresh milk to produce 10 kilograms of raclette cheese, then you realize that you need the daily milk of more than 3 cows for 1 raclette wheel!
A "Herens" cow would give some 15 liters of milk a day - which is about half of other breeds. But it's the best!
And when you know that it takes some 100 liters of fresh milk to produce 10 kilograms of raclette cheese, then you realize that you need the daily milk of more than 3 cows for 1 raclette wheel!
... JUST AS IN THE GOOD OLD TIMES
Some of these "good old things" don't change.
These pictures are extracted from a documentary filmed back in 1965 in an alpine pasture in the "val de Bagnes" in the heart of the Alps in Valais (CH).
We discover the daily life of one of its mountain farmers: how he is living, taking care of his black Herens cows, milking them daily with that single-legged stool attached to his waist.
These pictures are extracted from a documentary filmed back in 1965 in an alpine pasture in the "val de Bagnes" in the heart of the Alps in Valais (CH).
We discover the daily life of one of its mountain farmers: how he is living, taking care of his black Herens cows, milking them daily with that single-legged stool attached to his waist.
AND THE MILK IS BROUGHT IN DAILY
Once the morning milk is collected from the cows, the farmers in the "val du Grand Saint-Bernard" bring it immediately -all fresh, the milk is still warm- to the milk house in Orsières, a mountain village in Valais (CH).
There are 22 farmers that bring their milk every morning to the facility.
This milk will serve to produce various dairy products and types of cheese, among which of course our beloved raclette cheese ("raclette ost")!
There are 22 farmers that bring their milk every morning to the facility.
This milk will serve to produce various dairy products and types of cheese, among which of course our beloved raclette cheese ("raclette ost")!
liters of milk
0
are produced by each
Herens cow every day
liters of fresh milk
0
are necessary to produce
10kg of raclette cheese
Herens cows' daily milk
0
+
are needed to create
1 wheel of raclette cheese!
