Cheese from the Waldviertel
How to make cheese in the Waldviertel. We watched cheese making in the Käsenacherwelt in Heidenreichstein in the Austrian
Waldviertel. We actually came here by accident. During our visit to the Hotel Schwarz Alm in Zwettl we went on an excursion through Lower Austria. As always, we were looking for offers for foodies. The promise of experiencing local cheese and cheese making on site finally attracted us to the Käsemacherwelt (world of cheese making).
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Cheese and cheese making in the Käsemacherwelt
Heidenreichstein is about an hour and forty-five minutes from Linz and two hours from Vienna, not far from the border with the Czech Republic. The Käsemacherwelt is located there. In this cheese dairy, emphasis is placed on regional ingredients. The cheese makers have their milk delivered by local farmers. This comes from cows, goats and sheep. They use this to make their cheeses. In the show dairy we could watch how cheese is made.
The actual cheese production can only be seen during the week. Then the cheese makers work. However, we were there on Sunday. Therefore we are shown the process of making cheese. Actually, I think that's better. Because that way we can watch directly how cheese is made. And it works like this:
The milk has to curdle
First you strain the milk and pasteurize it. This must then turn sour. To do this, it is matured with lactic acid bacteria and curdled with rennet. This separates the solid components from the liquid whey. Protein, fat, lactose, and minerals form a thick mass. For this, the milk has to rest for a while. Depending on the type of cheese, this can take anywhere from half an hour to several hours.
Cheese and cheese production: The whey is separated from the curd
Through this process, some of the whey already separates from the solid components. That's not enough to make cheese. Therefore you divide this thick mass with the cheese harp in pieces. More whey is separated. This is repeated until the desired thickness is achieved. How strong it is depends on the kind of cheese you want to make.
Cheese and cheese making: The bath in the brine
Then you put the cheese in brine. There it begins to form a bark. At the same time, the brine keeps harmful bacteria away.
Cheese and cheese making: Cheese needs to mature
Then the ripening process begins. This may take several weeks to months, depending on the type of cheese. During this time, the cheese maker turns the cheese loaf again and again. He brushes and washes it. In the maturing period, the cheese also gets its special features.
We can observe this process during our visit to the Käsemacherwelt. An exciting thing!
This is how the cheese tastes in the Käsemacherwelt
But what would a visit to a cheese factory be without tasting cheese? There will also be plenty of opportunity for this during our visit. Even before we look at the process of making cheese, we try different types of cheese. Afterwards, cheese specialties await us again. After the cheese tour and cheese making, we are shown how to serve it. As antipasti, for example. With grapes. Or with peppers, dates, or olives.
The different cheeses that are produced in the Waldviertel fascinate us. Among them are the Waldviertel pumpkin cheese, a sheep's milk cheese with pumpkin pieces in the cheese dough. The goat cheese tartlets Cranberry are great. This is cream cheese wrapped in sweet cranberries. The Waldviertler Selchkäse tastes especially good. This spicy sheep's cheese is smoked over beech wood. My favorite cheese!
If you haven't had enough of cheese and cheese production, you can try other cheese specialties in the Käsemacherwelt restaurant. With a view of the pretty surroundings and the town of Heidenreichstein. A trip to the Käsemacherwelt is worth your time.
Travel Arrangements:
You can experience cheese and cheese making here:
Käsemacherwelt
Litschauer street 18
3860 Heidenreichstein
Parking at the airport
Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.
Arrival:
Compare and book flights here*(advertisement). By car you can reach Heidenreichstein from Munich in four hours (without traffic). From Salzburg it takes two hours thirty minutes, from Vienna you need two hours and from Linz you drive one hour forty-five minutes.
Car Rentals:
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Hotels:
We stayed in Hotel Schwarz Alm * in Zwettl, which you can also book through our partner booking.com. From there you drive a good half hour.
If you book via a link marked *, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.
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Source: own research on site. We would definitely like to thank the Hotel Schwarz Alm for the invitation. However, as always, our opinions remain our own.
Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
