Bread Cheese

What is Bread Cheese?

Bread cheese is a Finnish fresh cheese, called leipäjuusto or juustoleipä in Finnish. It comes from Southern Ostrobothnia, Northern Finland and Kainuu. In the United States it is sometimes sold as Finnish squeaky cheese.

The traditional version is made from cow's colostrum. American makers generally use cow's milk, and goat milk can be used as well. Commercial versions are typically cow's milk.

The milk is curdled and set into a round disk two to three centimeters thick, then baked, grilled or flambéed. That step leaves the brown or charred marks on the surface. Cheese was once dried and kept for several years, and drying still happens today by leaving it in a well ventilated place for a few days.

The flavor is mild. Bitten fresh, the cheese squeaks against the teeth, which is where dialect names such as narskujuusto come from. Dried cheese goes almost rock hard; heating it over a fire softens it again and brings out a strong, appetizing smell.

Slices served alongside coffee are the classic way to eat it. Pieces can also be dropped into a cup with hot coffee poured over, which is what the Swedish name kaffeost refers to. Diamond-shaped pieces about 5 to 7 cm long are served with cloudberry jelly or fresh cloudberries, and slices can be soaked in cream, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, then grilled for a moment. Diced, it replaces feta in salads. Fried in butter until soft, it becomes a dessert with jam.