Prastost
Prästost, or priest cheese, is a Swedish cow's milk cheese named for the centuries when farmers paid their church tithes in dairy goods. It is now factory-made from pasteurized milk and sold under the Präst trademark.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Sweden |
| Specific Origin | Sweden |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized |
| Fat Content | 45-50% |
| Texture | Semi-soft |
| Flavor | Salty, spicy, strong |
| Aroma | Aromatic, rich |
| Colors | Yellow |
| Alternative Spellings | Prästost |
| Also Known As | Priest Cheese, Saaland Pfarr, VODCheese |
What is Prastost Cheese?
Prästost means priest cheese, and the name comes from the Swedish practice of paying tithes with farm goods, milk among them. Milk itself spoils fast, so farms turned their share into cheese instead. The habit ran from the 16th century through the 19th.
The old method produced a small eyed cheese. Curing was kicked off by stirring a small batch of fermented curds into the fresh ones. Cheese of this type was once made in churches across Sweden.
Production has moved to dairies. Today the cheese is factory-made from pasteurized cow's milk, and it is marketed under the Präst trademark, registered in 2001 and owned by Svenska Ostklassiker AB, a subsidiary of Svensk Mjölk.
Several Swedish producers make it. Arla Foods sells it under the Arla and Falbygdens Ost brands, Skånemejerier under the Skånemejerier and Allerum brands, and Wernersson Ost under its own name. Lidl carries a version under its Matriket brand.
How Does Prastost Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Prastost against.
