Gruyere, Emmi, cave-aged in Switzerland. I got it from the Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Shop at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. $25/lb.
I’ve gotten other Swiss cave-aged Gruyere that has the Emmi packaging on it, such as from Whole Foods (at the same price). But those don’t compare to this one from Cowgirl. The cheese lady said that this is the best Gruyere in the world. While I have not eaten enough Gruyere to conclude whether this is indeed the best, it is a mighty fine piece of cheese with great complexity, just like how they describe it on their web site:
‘This Gruyere is made just northeast of Lake Geneva in Western Switzerland. Aged in caves where the air and natural bacteria endow the cheese with a deep complexity, this cheese matures for at least a year. It is smooth in texture and has rich, beefy flavors that are tempered by hints of apples and pears.’