A young man's dream comes to life in the Doughty Valley
By Dave Mast
For most young men, the allure of driving a car, fishing with friends or wooing a young lass in courtship are at the top of the priority list.
For one young man with his head in the clouds, those things could wait.
At the tender age of 16, Alfred Guggisberg began perfecting the art of cheesemaking in the high pastures of the Swiss Alps.
He worked at his trade diligently, devoting himself to becoming as knowledgeable as he could be in the art.
Even as a young man, he attended the famous Swiss Federal "Molkereishulle" or cheesemakers institute, and for a number of years made cheese throughout Europe.
Over the next several years, the young man who made cheese his life became well known throughout the region in Switzerland as a cheese-maker supreme.
Yet Alfred's dreams didn't stop there.
Looking for a new challenge, Alfred ventured to the United States in 1947. Cheese was still so important to this young cheesemaker that he even left his young family behind for one year in order to pursue his dream.
Alfred explored this new land and eventually settled in the rolling, beautiful hills of the Doughty Valley in Holmes County, where it soon became apparent to all that Alfred's high standard of quality marked him as an exceptional cheesemaker. Recognizing this unique talent, local Amish farmers in search of a cheesemaker sought the talented Swiss man to turn their milk into cheese.
The Doughty Valley Cheese Co. began.
Doughty Valley Cheese Co. went on to become what we now know as Guggisberg Cheese, Inc.
But even as he was establishing himself in the Doughty Valley, he continued to strive to do more - to be the best in his field.
Alfred began to experiment with the idea of making a new cheese.
Traditional Swiss cheese has always had a biting flavor, more suitable to European tastes.
Alfred was looking for a cheese that would be more acceptable to the American palate, and appeal to young and old alike.
Working with milk from cows grazing the lush green pastures of the Doughty Valley, and using his knowledge of various traditional cheeses, Alfred began his quest to again advance far beyond what was expected.
After years of experimenting, Alfred created a new Swiss cheese which met his standards. This new cheese produced a smaller wheel size, and a distinctively smoother and milder taste than the average Swiss cheese.
Visually, this cheese was a richer, darker shade of yellow, and also produced a product with smaller "eyes" - the name for the holes created in the making of Swiss and Baby Swiss cheeses.
Making a new cheese that is capable of taking the world by storm is not an easy feat, but Alfred Guggisberg had taken all of the knowledge he had gained from his days in Switzerland and in the Doughty Valley and had developed a new cheese.
Now that the new cheese was created, what would he call it? That delight would be bestowed upon his wife.
Upon viewing this new cheese, Alfred's wife Margaret christened the name "Baby Swiss."
She thought that in comparison to the larger wheels of traditional Swiss cheeses, when placed together, the new cheese looked like a baby next to its parent.
From that moment, Doughty Valley's Guggisberg Baby Swiss was launched. In the local area Baby Swiss became an instant hit, and word of mouth began to spread of Alfred's wonderful cheese.
It soon became common for travelers from hundreds of miles away to knock on Alfred's door and ask him to open his small store for a wheel of cheese.
But while many cheese companies tried to emulate the soft, creamy texture and taste of the new cheese, not one could perfect the original Baby Swiss.
A new generation As Alfred grew older, he brought his son, Richard, into the cheese- making fold. He taught his son everything there was to know about the art of cheese making, including the family recipe for the now-famous Baby Swiss.
Since Alfred's passing in 1985, the president of Guggisberg Cheese, Inc. has been Alfred's son, Richard Guggisberg.
Richard has continued in his father's tradition of producing cheeses which are up to Swiss standards for quality.
Under Richard's leadership Guggisberg Cheese has grown into one of the larger manufacturers of Swiss cheese in the United States.
The company's wholesale and retail customers place orders from all over the continental United States, and as far away as Europe and Australia. And while the company has grown immensely over the decades, it has never forsaken that individual touch of the master cheesemaker. Swiss cheese has long been a huge industry in Holmes and Tuscarawas counties, and for years local cheesemakers have strived to become the annual cheesemaking champions in Ohio.
Last year Richard stepped up, along with his head cheesemaker, Steve Ottiger, and emerged triumphant in the competition for the Grand Champion Cheese title. It is a title which the cheese manufacturer always strives for, and never takes for granted. It also drives the company to continue its strong heritage of creating great cheeses. It was not the first title for Guggisberg and Ottiger, but it certainly sets yet another precedent for the quality, taste and texture of this champion cheesemaker's product. From the early days of Alfred in Switzerland to Richard in today's modern times, the pride and care that goes into cheesemaking has never changed, and continues to be a Guggisberg family tradition.
