Funny story about cheese. (At least I think so.)
My brother was in Austria years ago. He stopped at local store to get a sandwich for lunch. Everything was in German and the owner didn't speak very much English.
So my brother pointed at the ham in the display case and the owner sliced up a few pieces. Told him to use rye bread. My brother looked around for something to add to the sandwich and saw a bunch of varieties of cheese. He wasn't sure what kind they were since the display cards were in German.
He saw a white cheese with holes in it and asked the butcher to put a slice or two on the sandwich.
Since he had no where to go he was eating his sandwich in the shop and was attempting to talk with the owner.
He asked the owner, "What do you call this kind of cheese?" Blank stare.
"Is this Swiss cheese?" Funny look on the owner's face. "No. This is not Swiss cheese." Then he proudly said, "This is AUSTRIAN cheese!" Gesturing at all the varieties of cheese, "It is ALL Austrian cheese."
I guess it is another casualty of the EU.
My brother never did find out what the Austrians call the white cheese with holes in it. :thumbleft:
Today my brother doesn't even eat cheese. It probably stems from that encounter. Too much fat and calories for him.