Berggenuss is silky, nutty and beefy
Researching Berggenuss, a cow's milk cheese made in the tiny Swiss village of Entlebuch, I learned about Entlebucher mountain dogs, which are similar to Bernese mountain dogs but smaller.
The rind is thin and healthy, the aroma a mouthwatering merger of aged beef, toasted walnuts and garlic.
The flavor is spicy yet mellow, perhaps not as concentrated as some alpine cheeses but that just makes it easier to keep eating.
Look for Berggenuss at Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco; Cheese Board in Berkeley; Pasta Shop in Oakland and Berkeley; Oxbow Cheese Merchant and Browns Valley Market in Napa; and V. Sattui in St. Helena.
Highway One, an aged cow's milk cheese from Sonoma County.