Oltermanni facts for kids
Oltermanni is a popular Finnish cheese that's a bit like Danish Havarti cheese. The name "Oltermanni" means Alderman in Finnish, which is a type of local leader. People in Finland often enjoy Oltermanni cheese on rye bread or with other tasty dishes, like Karelian pasties. This cheese is made by a company called Valio, and it's known for being less salty than many other cheeses.
The Story of Oltermanni Cheese
Oltermanni cheese was first created by a dairy farm in Isokyrö, Finland. In 1980, Valio, the company that makes Oltermanni, celebrated its 75th birthday. To mark this special occasion, they gave a small, round Oltermanni cheese to every farmer who supplied them with milk. This special gift was wrapped in a bright yellow bag.
The cheese became so popular that Valio decided to start selling it to everyone in 1981. This is how Oltermanni cheese became a favorite in Finnish homes!
Different Kinds of Oltermanni
Over the years, Oltermanni has grown into a family of cheeses with different options for everyone.
- In 1997, a lighter version of Oltermanni was introduced. This cheese has less fat, about 17%.
- Later, in 2008, an even lower-fat version came out, with only 9% fat.
- Valio also makes a special product called Valio Oltermanni rapeseed, which uses vegetable fat.
- For those who love a rich flavor, there's Oltermanni Täyteläinen, which has a higher fat content of 33%.
Oltermanni and Border Rules
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became harder to get Oltermanni cheese in some places, like Russia, because of rules about crossing borders. This made the cheese very hard to find, and some people even started selling it for much higher prices than in Finland.
To help manage this, supermarkets near the border in Finland started limiting how much Oltermanni cheese people could buy. They allowed each household to buy up to 11 kilograms (24 lb) of cheese. However, Russia had its own rules, allowing only 5 kilograms (11 lb) of cheese to be brought into the country. This sometimes led to people trying to bring more cheese across the border than was allowed.
