Västerbotten cheese ( sv, Västerbottensost ) is a
cheese from the
Västerbotten
Västerbotten (), known in English as West Bothnia or Westrobothnia, is a province (''landskap'') in the north of Sweden, bordering Ångermanland, Lapland, North Bothnia, and the Gulf of Bothnia. It is known for the cheese named after the p ...
region of
Sweden.
History
The village of
Burträsk
Burträsk is a locality situated in Skellefteå Municipality, Västerbotten County, Sweden with 1,575 inhabitants in 2010. It is notable as the only place where Västerbotten cheese is made.
''Burträsk Court District'', or ''Burträsks tingslag ...
(now part of the
Skellefteå
Skellefteå (, locally ) is a city in Västerbotten County, Sweden. It is the seat of Skellefteå Municipality, which had 73,246 inhabitants in 2021.
The city is historically industrial, with mining being a large part of that industry, especial ...
municipality) claims Västerbotten cheese was invented there in the 1870s, supposedly by a dairy maid, . According to legend, she was left alone to stir the curd of a traditional cheese but was interrupted, either by other chores or an assignation with her lover. This resulted in alternating periods of heating and stirring of the curdling milk. Västerbottencheese and ''västerbottensost'' are registered trademarks owned by
Norrmejerier, and the cheese is only produced at their dairy in Burträsk.
It is a hard
cow
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...
's
milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modula ...
cheese with tiny eyes or holes and a firm and granular texture. As in
Cheddar cheese, the
curd
Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance such as l ...
is heated, cut, and stirred before the cheese is moulded and aged. Strong in flavour, its taste is described as somewhat like
Parmesan cheese
Parmesan ( it, Parmigiano Reggiano; ) is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cows’ milk and aged at least 12 months.
It is named after two of the areas which produce it, the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia (''Parmigiano'' ...
, salty, but with more bitter notes. It is light yellow in colour and has a fat content of 31%.
Västerbotten cheese must be aged for at least 12 months, but 14 months is more common practice.
Many Swedish people consider it the king of cheese and demand for it has often outstripped the limited supply. It has also been served as part of the Nobel Diner, and other Royal diners. For this reason, it is roughly twice as expensive as other types of aged cheese.
In Sweden, Västerbotten cheese is considered a must-have for the late summer
crayfish party
A crayfish party is a traditional summertime eating and drinking celebration in the Nordic countries. The tradition originated in Sweden, where a crayfish party is called a '. The tradition has also spread to Finland via its Swedish-speaking po ...
and is also eaten together with the traditional dish of pickled herring, year round. It adds a distinctive flavour to the highly popular Västerbotten cheese
pie, or ''västerbottensostpaj'', as it is known in Sweden. Its filling consists of Västerbotten cheese, cream and eggs, and black pepper. The pie is eaten widely in Sweden, especially during the celebrations of
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
,
Easter
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
,
Midsummer
Midsummer is a celebration of the season of summer usually held at a date around the summer solstice. It has pagan pre-Christian roots in Europe.
The undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr ...
and during the crayfish season in August.
See also
*
Swedish cuisine
References
Other sources
*
External links
Vasterbottensost.comVasterbottensost at Swedishfood.comThe Swedish Cheese That Can't Be Moved (BBC News) accessed 1 Aug 2015Västerbottensostpaj
recipe
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasterbotten cheese
Swedish cheeses
Västerbotten
Cow's-milk cheeses
Grainy cheeses
Purveyors to the Court of Sweden