The Glarner Schabziger is not only fine but also healthy! This is due in part to the Schabziger clover, which is added to the Rohziger. Here you can learn interesting facts about the Schabziger clover:
Blue fenugreek (Trigonella melilotus-caerulea), the official name of Schabziger clover, has light blue flowers that are in long stalked, head-shaped clusters, similar to alfalfa. The annual plant grows to a height of 15-60 cm.
The Schabziger clover originates from the eastern Mediterranean countries and Asia Minor. Nowadays it is hardly known outside the Alpine region.
The popular names Schabziger clover or herb refer to its use in cheese production. In German-speaking countries, Schabziger clover is also called Blausteinkraut, Bockshorn clover, Bisamklee, Hexenklee or Käseklee. In South Tyrol it is called Zigainerkraut or bread clover.
Among the souvenirs of the Crusaders, who undertook several campaigns against the Muslims in Asia Minor from the 11th to the 13th century, was the blue fenugreek. It is closely related to fenugreek, whose medicinal properties were already known in monastic medicine. Zigerkraut was initially grown exclusively in the herb gardens of monasteries. After they had bought themselves out of the Säckingen monastery, the people of Glarus also sowed clover in their own canton. Later, the annex was “outsourced” to Lachen/SZ.
The Schabziger clover is grown according to organic guidelines. In mid-August, the homegrown seed is sown on a weed-free field. Four weeks after sowing the first weeding – by hand and on his knees. Everything that is not clover, must be uprooted. In the spring, the same procedure again. Clover growers calculate about a thousand hours of work per ton of clover powder.
If climatic conditions are right, the clover can be cut for the first time as early as autumn. In April follows the second, particularly valuable cut; then the aroma is most powerful. Ideally, it can be harvested four times. From June/July, the herb is left to flower. The mature seed stalks are cut and threshed. Thus, you get the seed for the next crop of clover.
Drying and “reeling” (sorting out the coarse parts of the plant) reduces the weight of the green mass by at least 90%. Grinding takes place in a specialized plant for this purpose. Dried Schabziger clover has a pleasant spicy scent. On the tongue it unfolds its tart aroma.