Schlipfechäs

Schlipfechäs is a mild, rindless fresh cheese traditionally made from raw full-fat or quarter-fat milk and available only in summer, with a pasteurized version sold year-round. Before eating, it is sliced and soaked in saltwater, giving it a smooth, slippery texture.

Resembling mozzarella but softer, schlipfechäs has been made for 150-200 years, originally favored by Swiss herdsmen because it was ready within a day. Historically, it prevented young cheese from drying out, replacing long-aged Rässkäse in daily meals.

Today, it is often made from full-fat milk, making it softer and richer. The cheese is made by curdling raw milk, cutting and heating the curds to 35°C, then pressing and shaping it into small rounds (mutschli). It is briefly salted but not aged, keeping its fresh taste.

Schlipfechäs is eaten with bread, butter, meats, tomatoes, or fruit and often replaces mozzarella in salads. Sold mainly in Appenzeller cheese shops, production is small-scale, with a few producers making around 500 kg annually. It remains a valuable alpine specialty, as it can be sold immediately after production.