Mondseer
Mondseer is an Austrian semi-hard cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk, sold in disks of about one kilogram. Its hand-salted, red-culture rind gives it a yellow-reddish surface and a sweet-sour, sharp flavor.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Austria |
| Specific Origin | Austria |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized |
| Fat Content | 45% |
| Rind | Washed |
| Texture | Semi-hard |
| Flavor | Spicy |
| Aroma | Strong |
| Colors | Pale yellow paste, yellow-reddish rind |
| Forms | Disks of about 1 kg (2.2 lb), small wooden boxes |
| Age | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Also Known As | Mondseer Schachtelkäse, Mondseer box cheese, box cheese |
What is Mondseer Cheese?
Accounts of where Mondseer started do not agree. One says the cheese has been made in the Salzburg area since 1818, possibly first at the Castle of Huettenstein, and that the name Mondseer only came into use in 1955. Before that it was called box cheese. Another account puts the start of production at 1830 and traces the name to the monastery in Mondsee, Austria.
It is made from pasteurized cow's milk, either whole or part-skim, and shaped into disks. During aging the surface is brushed by hand with salt water and smeared with red cultures, which turns the rind yellow-reddish. Maturation runs three to six weeks. Fat content is 45 percent, and wheels usually weigh one kilogram (2.2 pounds).
The texture is smooth and creamy with slotted holes, close to Munster or Limburger. The aroma ranges from mild to slightly pungent. The flavor is sweet and sour at once, somewhat acidic and sharp.
Smaller portions are sold in small wooden boxes, which is where the name Mondseer Schachtelkaese, or Mondseer box cheese, comes from.
How Does Mondseer Cheese Compare?
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