Good, Stinky Cheese: Gjetost
I like to chat about cheese, and so does she, so there we found ourselves immersed in cheese talk at 8:30 in the morning. As we began to say good-bye she pointed out a few new cheeses that she thought I might be interested in. On a previous visit I was drawn to a very iconic, Nordic-style display for a cheese called Ski Queen Gjetost. I had never heard of it before, and the somewhat intimidating appearance of the cheese--that of peanut butter-- was none too appetizing, to say the least.
Barbara told me that the product has attracted a lot of attention. It seems that it is difficult to find but has an ardent following here in Buffalo and likely elsewhere as well. Gjetost is a Norwegian cheese that is also very popular in Sweden. There they eat it on bread or use it in a sauce with juniper berries for game preparations. The spelling “Gjetost” is actually an outmoded spelling only used in America, in Norway it is referred to as Brunost and in Sweden, Mesost.
Gjetost is a goat's milk cheese with a deep caramel color and a subtle caramel flavor. It's made by boiling cream, milk and whey for a long period of time until all of the water evaporates turning the milk sugar into caramel. I passed it around at a party this past weekend where everyone took turns speculating about its flavor. Perhaps the most apt description likened it to the cheese inside a Combo pretzel snack, but less salty and a little sweet. It is odd to say the least, mostly because your eyes are expecting peanut butter and your mouth is tasting cheese.
Needless to say, it was fun to experiment with and a number of the tasters came back for more, though it was decided that it provided a similar experience to tasting wine; the complexity of a mere nibble could keep your mouth busy for awhile. If you're interested in trying some yourself, stop by the Co-op, Barbara let me know that she has samples and is happy to let you try one.
Lexington Co-op
807 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, 14222
716.886.2667
“Good, Stinky Cheese” is a regular column on YUM. If there’s a cheese that you’re particularly interested in, email us and let us know.
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RisingDamp666
The first time I saw Gjetost, I looked at the color and thought, "gjet the f*ck out of here." But it's tasty and seasonal. It's not perfect for fondue, but eaten with a sweet apertif, it hits some nice notes.
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fleur526
It's tasty on toast with bacon or cured ham, but the color is a little... well, not what we're used to cheese looking like.
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