Leipäjuusto facts for kids
Leipäjuusto (pronounced "LAY-pah-yoo-stoh") is a special Finnish fresh cheese. It's also known as juustoleipä or, in the United States, Finnish squeaky cheese. This cheese is traditionally made from "beestings," which is the very first milk a cow gives after having a calf. Sometimes, milk from reindeer or even goat milk can also be used. Leipäjuusto originally comes from areas in Finland like Southern Ostrobothnia, Northern Finland, and Kainuu.
What's in a Name?
For a long time, this cheese was called leipäjuusto mostly in places like Ostrobothnia and Lapland. In another area called Kainuu, it was known as juustoleipä. Today, both names are used, but leipäjuusto is the more common one.
Some people also call it narskujuusto. This funny name comes from the sound the fresh cheese makes when you bite into it – it actually "squeaks" against your teeth!
How Leipäjuusto is Made
To make leipäjuusto, the milk is first curdled. This means it's made to thicken and separate into solid curds. These curds are then shaped into a round, flat disk, usually about two to three centimeters thick.
After shaping, the cheese is baked, grilled, or even flamed with fire. This gives it its unique brown or slightly burnt marks, which are a key part of its look and taste.
In the past, leipäjuusto was often dried. This helped it last for a very long time, sometimes even several years! When it was time to eat the dried, hard cheese, people would heat it over a fire. This made it soft again and gave off a wonderful smell. Even today, some people still dry the cheese for a few days in a well-aired place. It has a mild and pleasant flavor.
Ways to Enjoy Leipäjuusto
You can eat Leipäjuusto warm or cold, and there are many delicious ways to serve it:
- The most traditional way is to serve it in slices, often alongside a cup of coffee.
- Some people put a few pieces of the cheese into a cup and pour hot coffee over them. This is why the Swedish name for it is kaffeost, which means "coffee cheese."
- It's often served in diamond-shaped pieces, about 5 to 7 centimeters long, with cloudberry jam or fresh cloudberries.
- Another tasty way is to cut slices of the cheese, pour a little cream over them, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and then grill it in the oven for a short time. This is also served with cloudberry jam.
- In modern Finnish cooking, diced leipäjuusto is sometimes used in salads. It's a milder choice compared to feta.
- For dessert, leipäjuusto can be fried in a pan with butter until it softens. Then, it's served with jam, usually cloudberry jam, much like Camembert cheese.
