About once every two years, while I am wandering around Migros, innocently browsing the chiller cabinets in search of something novel to sample, some sly green demon of gastronomic folly squats upon my shoulder, puts his rank lips to my ear, and invites me to purchase, once again, a cone of Schabziger cheese.

I don't know why I do it, to be honest. I know I don't like the stuff. Yet once every twenty-four moons, despite all the wisdom I've acquired during my long seasons of suffering in this grey-skied land of cheese and sausages, I find myself succumbing to an overwhelming urge to make myself eat solidified cow extract. Closely followed by an overwhelming urge to throw the entire cone in the rubbish bin. Not to mention an overwhelming urge to void the contents of my long-suffering, yet surprisingly tolerant and open-minded, stomach into any convenient receptacle.

Does anybody here like this 'cheese'? Does anyone know what creates the overwhelming 'aroma' (I would have said 'stench', but I'm trying to be open minded here) - is it the cow extract that forms the base of the cheese, or the weird herb that they mix with the cow extract to make it look so inviting and delicious? Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might train myself to actually like it?

Or should I simply resign myself to the fact that an Englishman, coming from a place with more than 37 minutes of theoretical sunshine a day (when the sun is shining, of course, which is certainly never guaranteed, even in the tropical paradise that is Cannock), will never learn to love the finest thing that Glarnerland has to offer the world, gorgeous women playing trombones in Guggäbands excepted?

All suggestions, recommendations and abuse considered.

Pour some Heinz Salad Cream on it, that will do it. That stuff could make me eat my own feet after a long hot day.

Cheers

Jim

Brilliant idea!



(Now, why didn't I think of that...?)

i've never been brave enough to try it, but we were up in glarnerland the other weekend, and in the restaurant we ate in, the menu had all these schabziger dishes (incl schabziger pasta, rosti etc)
there was a leaflet telling you all about it, and i recall it said schabziger wasn't really a cheese as such,
that's the end of my input here...

so what does it taste like? did schabziger turn you into the dougal we all know and love then?

Hear, Hear!

Oooohhhh, more sufferers out there. Actually glad to hear that I am not the only foreigner to have made that mistake and to have ruined a very good home-made spaghetti bolognese... In fact, I thought some squatter had in fact moved into my kitchen/fridge and had taken up a new home on my dinner plate. I was absolutely disgusted when even my hardenend pallate couldn't continue to eat it and had to throw the whole dinner in the bin.

My original thought was.. hmmm, smelly cheese. great. the smellier the better. Alas, not with that green cone stuff. That is pure rank in fact and "rank" is not a word I have used in about 18 years... but here it was very fitting. Rank, rank rank.... anyway, I had a "notion" that it could very well be used as a parmesan substitute. Am always on for something new.

DON'T DO IT!!! BE WARNED!! THIS STUFF IS RANK!!!

It's an acquired taste. I never have!

Oh my God, never put the stuff in your fridge. I did once and I swear to God it build a nest!

My darling Dougal, this cheeseyness, what you have mentioned was never designed to be eaten in chunks. It is a flavoring to be used at your own will and desire.

If you are in any such mind to rescue product from dustbin.
May I make a suggestion?

Cook yourself some noodles (after my crass bewilderment as to your questions about the fish and chips. I'm now educated to your tummy stuff) Fry onions in massive amounts (they shrink, Yes you know that!)

Grate said schitt over noodles and thonions and man is it tasty.

Happy cooking or not!

There's additional whey in Ziger. I think that once the cheese peasants of Glarus had more whey leftovers than was needed for the monthly Rivella production. After a few weeks, the whey had gone completely sour; an inventive cheese maker bought the old whey at a bargain price and created the Ziger. After his early adopters had died from internal injuries, he decided to only sell them in tiny cups from now on and made a fortune.

ha hahhh - you hail from Cannock - now that explains it all

It's been many years since I sampled that stuff. I don't remember it being all that bad (in fairness, our minds sometimes erase traumatic memories). I don't think we ever used up a whole cone.

According to the wiki folks, it is "grated, or mixed with butter to make an herb spread ("Ankeziger", "Zigerbutter") that is put on bread or sandwiches. It can also be used in fondue (Zigerfondue), or grated and eaten with noodles (Zigerhörnli) or rösti."

A little definitely goes a long way, and like Nev says, it's an acquired taste, like Gorgonzola (which I happen to enjoy ).

That's just so funny!!

I think it's got something to do with "Klee" - clover? That lovely greenish colour....
yummy stuff!!

I think I've got some rice noodles somewhere at the back of the pantry. I might well try this tomorrow...

Now I just have to locate the cone amongst the old fish heads, dead skunks and canine anal glands at the bottom of my kitchen bin. I'm pretty sure that locating it by its distinctive aroma really shouldn't be a problem...

Geee DB I luve that stuff ,Please send me some can`t get it here last time i got some was in texas

Whey too much whey if you ask me!

No, please. Tell us more!

What? Are you completely out of dried squirrel?

only if you describe what is tastes like...and be honest (for once )

As Jeremy Clarkson said, "Cannock would be the worst town in the world if it wasn't for Burton on Trent"

If you want to know more about Dougal's roots you have to read this. It explains a lot:
http://mirror.uncyc.org/wiki/Cannock