Lille Aske
A small, puck like cheese covered in ash. Geotrichum candidum rind and best when it is a bit runny under the rind. Raw milk. Tends to develop a more compact texture with age. From a very small artisan dairy in south west Norway. Delivery prospects uncertain. From Jæren, Rogaland.
To drink: A good Pouilly Fumé on the dry side, or a Riesling kabinett if you want some sweetness.
Myrull
An organic, raw milk, slightly matured chèvre style farmstead cheese. Light with G. candidum rind. Texture is even and creamy. Long taste with volume, hint of sweetness, but also some bitter tones at the end. Balanced. A cheese with character. In season from from May till approximately Christmas. Grindal ysteri, Trøndelag.
To drink: A Sancerre pairs well, but the cheese has so much character that you may want to try a white Burgundy. If you want something from the Loire; Les Gruches from Domaine Bobinet in Saumur is recommended.
Jåblom
Organic, raw goats’ milk cream cheese. Fresh, creamy and acidic. Use it for cooking, or eat it as it is with some honey. Grindal ysteri.
To drink: Whatever you fancy on the white side.
Sommersnø
An organic, raw milk goat cheese in chèvre style made on the farm with milk from their ow goats. Fine Geotrichum candidum rind and an even, bright white paste. Very creamy mouthfeel. Dairy flavours, fine acidity and extremely well integrated salt. A very well made cheese. Comes from the wonderful Lofoten islands in northern Norway. Lofoten ysteri.
To drink: A dry white from the Sauvignon blanc grape.
Kubbeost
A fresh goat milk cheese chèvre style. Made from raw milk piked up at a neighbouring farm in Hallingdal. G. candidum rind.
Delicate cheese with a mild and gentle taste. Tends to soften with age which can be challenging at times. Rueslåtten ysteri.
To drink: A dry white from the Sauvignon blanc grape.
Rød Geit
Semi firm goat’s milk cheese, washed and rubbed and matured for a minimum of eight weeks. Paste has a light colour and rind is towards pink. Fresh and fruity with fine acidity as young, develops more farmyard flavours as it ages. Rueslåtten ysteri.
To drink: A Sauvignon blanc, but also a Riesling Kabinett will pair well.
Kvit Undredal
A semi firm goat’s milk cheese from the midst of the UNESCO world heritage area around Flåm, Sognefjord on the west coast of Norway. A lot of tourists have sailed past Undredal on board the huge number of tourist ships that visit Flåm every summer. Fine taste of goat but nothing pungent. Comes in three varieties, fairly fresh, medium aged and well aged which means eight months to a year. The variety called “Ancient” is matured for a minimum of 12 months. Balanced with well integrated salt. They also make an unsalted cheese called Sognakvitost (see below). Undredal stølsysteri.
To drink: White, dry and crisp. But a light red will also do. If you’re there, try something from the local and artisanal Ægir brewery at Flåm. I am sure they’re happy to recommend something that pairs well.
Sognakvitost
This is a completely unsalted variety of Kvit Undredal, ususally sold fresh. Traditional cheese from the area and rarely sold other than locally. Often-most used as garnish. Appears rather bland on its own, but with salted foods it works very well. Undredal stølysteri.
To drink: Whatever you drink with the main dish, but local beer will do the trick.