Fake Pastorals: Where is the Nature in Cheese?: a Critical Look at Modern Vertical Pastoralism—Alpine Cheeses, Mountain Pastures, and Cultural Diversity—Presenting Two Examples of Best Practice in Austria and Anatolia

We cherish the pictures of happy cows on luscious green mountain pastures. As informed ‘foodies’ we know about the better quality of pastured milk, and the artisanal cheesemaking traditions at all those small summer mountain dairies, conveying its special character to each single wheel. But is that really what is happening? In most cases it isn’t. Why would it even be important? Presenting two examples of best practice, I hope to show why real alpine cheese matters and why it is important to ask the right questions.