Jarlsberg

Description

Jarlsberg is a semi-hard cheese made from Norwegian cow's milk. The cheese, which is very famous in Norway and throughout Scandinavia, takes its name from the Jarlsberg region in the south of Norway, about 80 km from Oslo. The region, in turn, takes its name from the Jarlen, the princes from the Viking Age. Jarlsberg is one of the most famous Norwegian cheeses.

In 1956, Professor Ola Martin Ystgaard and a few of his students at the Agricultural University of Norway began to research the processes of cheese making. The result of their research was the recipe according to which Jarlsberg is made today. Around 1960, Jarlsberg began to be produced on a large scale. 

Jarlsberg matures for at least 100 days. During this time, it benefits from the special mixture of high altitude air on the fjells (plateaus) in the mountains and moist, salty sea air. This and the relatively high milk content give Jarlsberg its special cheese flavor. Jarlsberg therefore bears a certain resemblance to an Emmental cheese. Jarlsberg cheese tastes mild and nutty.