Prästost

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Prästost ("priest cheese", sometimes spelled prastost or prestost) is a Swedish cheese with historical roots in Sweden's one-time custom of paying tithes with agricultural goods including milk.^[1] It was common for the church to make cheese from this milk from the 16th though 19th centuries. Today, this style of cheese once produced in churches across Sweden is factory-made from pasteurized cow's milk. The shortened name Präst was granted European Union trademark protection in 2001.^[2]

Prästost is sometimes soaked or cured in whisky or other spirits; Saaland Pfarr is one such whisky-soaked variant.^[3] A version of prästost aged for 12 months and cured in Absolut vodka has been marketed as VODCheese.^[4]

A 1969 USDA booklet describes the manufacturing technique for one whisky-cured style of prästost:

Fresh, whole milk is set with rennet at a temperature of 90° F. When the curd is very firm, it is cut coarsely, then put in a sieve to allow the whey to drain off. The curd is collected in a cloth and kneaded to expel more whey. Whisky is mixed with the curd, then the curd is packed in a basket and salt is sprinkled on the surface. Curing is done in a cool, moist cellar. The cloth covering is changed daily for 3 days, and the cheese is washed with whisky after the third day.^[5]

[edit] References

1. ^ Ridgeway, Judy. The Cheese Companion: The Connoisseur's Guide. Quintet Publishing. ISBN 0762405007.  p. 20
2. ^ Nilsson Blom, Ulla-Kerstin and Per-Olof Wereen (2002. "Cheese and cheese-making: With a special emphasis on Swedish cheeses". Bioscience Explained, Vol 1, No 2, 2002.
3. ^ Carlton Brown, Robert (1955). The Complete Book of Cheese. Gramercy Publishing Company: New York, 1955.
4. ^ Cheese, Sweden. Product review. Igourmet.com, 2007.
5. ^ Doane, C.F.; Hargrove, Robert C.; Lawson, H.W.; Matheson, K.J.; Sanders, G.P; Walter, Homer E. (1969). Cheese Varieties and Descriptions. U.S. Department of Agriculture.  p. 95.