Sap Sago

Schabziger, sold as sap sago in the United States, is a traditional Swiss cheese produced in the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland. Records show the cheese was made by the monks of Glarus in the 8th century. Its recipe was formally protected on 24th April 1463 at the Glarner Landsgemeinde, when the cheese was decided to be called Schabziger. This makes it one of the oldest protected cheeses in the world.

The cheese is produced from skimmed cow's milk with blue fenugreek, a type of clover that gives the cheese a pale green colour. At the last stage of production, Schabziger is moulded into distinctive conical shapes and then wrapped in silver foil, ready to be sold.

Texturally, the cheese is dry and hard, while the flavour is pungent, spicy and delicious. If a milder taste is required, the cheese is mixed with butter to make a spread called Zigerbutter. The cheese is used in cooking as a condiment or dipping, similar to the Dukkah. It is also grated over food, or the butter-mix paste is spread over bread or crackers. The cheese is high in protein and almost fat-free.