Swiss cheese

Not from Switzerland, but an American imitation of Emmethaler cheese with standards of identity defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Swiss cheese is a firm, light yellow cheese, made from cow's milk, with holes throughout its mass. Its taste is nutlike, although not as strong as that of Swiss relatives such as Emmenthal or Gruyere cheese.

When heated, it softens and eventually produces chewy strands. The Reuben sandwich pairs melted Swiss with corned beef and sauerkraut.

To meet USDA standards, it contains not more than 41 percent of moisture, and its solids contain not less than 43 percent of milkfat.