h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Brunost - Norwegian Brown Cheese - A823024
Author: NAITA (xy, not xx) - U75717

I'll try to make my next entry about something not Norwegian, but in the mean time, please have a look at this tidbit.

This looks good! The Guide seems to have gone mad about cheese lately, and I think this balances out the other cheese entries nicely!

Azara

I think I might have had brunost once. I recall buying a brownish-cloured sweet-tasting Scandinavian cheese from a deli. Although I didn't enjoy the cheese itself, I did enjoy this entry

So that's what it's called!!!

I had this about six years ago on a trip to Norway, sweet, caramel flavoured stuff served as part of a breakfast buffet....

I loved it - although why it was being served for breakfast I've no idea

What is it? Has a University Cheese project burst, or something? We've had Feta, brie, cheddar, cheshire and now Norwegian brown stuff go through (no pun intended) PR in the last few weeks.

Jolly good entry, though.

B

It's like Hollywood, someone makes a war moview and suddenly everyone is making a war movie, someone starts planning a moview where a big rock hits earth and all of a sudden there's one movie with a comet, one with an asteroid and a couple hangers on.
Thank you for the kind words though. Hmm, I suddenly remember I was going to see if it was possible to buy Brunost online.

Scoutbait!

Hi NAITA, I'm afraid h2g2 already has a cheese correspondant (actually, it's not an 'official' position, but don't tell him - he's rather touchy about it)

but seriously folks, this is a great entry,

one thing i was thinking is that you might consider describing the texture of the finished product somewhere. There was just a mention of needing a knife to slice it...

Is 'prim' related to the product with an '-ula' attached? This was what had me assuming until the end that we were describing a soft, spreadable cheese...

And finally, it may just be me, but i would have thought you might consider putting the production process before the different types. Just a thought.

anyway, nice entry, look forward to joining the ranks of h2g2 cheesey-pieces!

2002 h2g2 Year of the Cheese

cya on the front page
spiff

Hi Spiff.
Regarding the texture, how about something like:
"To get nice slices it is essential to have a cheese slicer as it is almost impossible to use a knife on Brunost in a controlled manner. The texture is cheese like, but because of the high sugar content Brunost is much stickier than 'real' cheeses."
The second sentence is the addition.

Prim has nothing to do with primula. The latter is a latin word, while Prim is thought to derive from a norse word meaning simmer or boil. But Prim is spreadable, while Brunost is not.

I like the production process right where it is. The basics of production (boiling the stuff until it can be shaped into 'cheeses') is mentioned in the History section, for those impatient to learn how things are done.

Hiya,

fair enough about the process, . And you're right, primula is a word in Latin - apparently meaning 'little first one'.

But it's also an international brand of 'nordic' spreadable cheese. At least, the makers are, i believe Norwegian. Where it's made and indeed from what i couldn't say.

About the texture; i'm personally not particular keen on the comparison with 'real' cheeses coz there are so many different-textured real cheeses. I assume you mean harder cheeses like cheddar - but they are by no means the norm in France, for instance, where a lot of cheese are positively gooey!

Anyway, I'm sure you'll get the point across, one way or another. Looking at it again, I think the comparison with 'spreadable' Prim makes it quite clear that we are talking about quite a solid cheese.

cya
spiff

OK, I did some further research and discovered that Primula is an alternate brand name for the Norwegian Kavli company. But those 'cheeses' aren't really a special kind of cheese, they are processed gouda cheese. ('chemicals' are added to 'melt' it)

I don't really know what more I can do with the texture... Brunosts differ in texture as well, depending on type and heat, room temperature Fløtemysost will be like the soft french cheeses, only stickier, while ekte geitost straight from the fridge will be hard and almost crumbly. If you think it necessary I'll add descriptions of the textures of the different types.
But that will have to be tomorrow.

I don't think I want to add anything more about texture. I've thought of several ways to describe it, but don't think any of them really get the idea across.

Don't worry about what i think is 'necessary' - i'm not in charge here.

I would have liked to see some info on texture, as i'm a bit confused between the early 'this stuff doesn't look like cheese' comment and 'you can't cut with a knife' at the end.

but you don't 'have' to change anything.

See what others think, maybe you'll get a completely different view.

I know you're not in charge, that's why I'm ignoring you.

But seriously:
It doesn't look like cheese because it's brown. There may be cheeses out there that I don't know about that have a dark caramel colour, but to most people they wouldn't look like cheese either.

You can't cut it with a knife because it will stick to the blade, either getting the knife completely stuck if you're cutting a thick slice (which you shouldn't) or scrunching the slice into a complete mess.

One comparison I _could_ make is that most cheeses are somewhat like rubber while Brunost is more like clay. If you push your thumb into a cheese the depression will more or less 'bounce back', in Brunost it will remain.

But I feel these comparisons don't really clarify the issue.

If they make sense to you, and hopefully someone else, I'll see if I can fit them in, as it is you'll just have to try to get ahold of the actual stuff.

Good Entry!

A few minor points:

"No way this is cheese" - I think this should be "No way is this cheese".

caramell --> caramel

and taste nothing --> and tastes nothing

Main types of brown cheese are --> The main types of brown cheese are

One thing I remember about Brunost is that it is really chewy until it suddenly liquefies.

As a resident of a region known for dairy products, I really like this entry. . . and it fits so well with the 'cheese craze' that's been going on as of late in the edited guide! Furthermore, it tells of a unique variety that many people are unfamiliar with.

NAITA, You might want to clarify that reference to 'real cheeses' at the end, and make it a more specific comparison, but otherwise, I think this entry is great as it stands. It's a interesting and entertaining read!

Cheers!
Raindawn

Congra... oh! I'd just assumed that this was going to be a 'Your entry has been picked' message...



no hard feelings, raindawn, .

SCOUT!

Spiff, you evil, evil man. I was certain _your_ message was the 'Your entry has been picked' one. Oh, well, I guess I'll just go back to not scratching my chin.

"Next to cross country skiing and trolls there are few things more Norwegian than an open faced sandwich with Brunost"

What about the famous Blue Parrot? 'Beautiful plumage' etc.