Because I write about food, people are always sending me stuff to eat. There are worse things that could happen to a person.
Last week, I received a selection of Jarlsberg cheese, which is generally considered a type of Swiss cheese.
So what’s the difference, if any, between Jarlsberg and of Swiss cheese?
Jarlsberg is not from Switzerland; it’s from Norway. It was, however, apparently developed in this Scandinavian country with the help of Swiss cheesemakers.
- Jarlsberg, unlike Swiss cheese, is a registered name; the cheese was actually developed in 1956 in Norway based on early records of a Swiss-type cheese that was made in that country.
- Because it looks just like Swiss cheese, it gets categorized that way, but it’s got a stronger and some say “nuttier” taste than, say, Emmenthaller, which is a genuine Swiss cheese.
- It’s not a “baby” Swiss – though some marketing designates it as such – because the whole “baby” cheese thing is an American invention.
Both Jarlsberg and Emmenthaller, as well as the French Gruyere (which is much like both of these other cow cheeses), melt extremely well.
What I like most about Jarlsberg, though, is what seems to be the sweet-creaminess of the cheese, which makes it very suitable for nibbling with a glass of wine. It’s tender, not the least bit sharp, creamy and sweet.
I’m not a big person, and the only reason I wish I were larger is that I’d have more capacity and be able to eat more cheese. I’ll have to work on that.
