Gjetost (not kosher) sliced thin with apples. Picture from applepiepatispate.com.
In Norway, there is a famous (non-kosher) caramelized goat’s milk cheese called Gjetost–which means “goat cheese” in Norwegian. It comes in dense little sticky blocks and is the color of peanut butter. I want this kosher, but it does not exist.
One huge problem in kosher cheese is that there are so many cheeses that you read about in magazines and online, but that are not available to the strictly kosher consumer. How do you get by? You have to tweak what you have.
A friend from my home state of Alabama and he said in his thick Southern accent, “Honey, just take you a cracker and put a little peanut butter on it with a slice of Cheddar cheese and apples.”
- My friend in Alabama said to use just a thin shmear of peanut butter for the base.
I can’t say this tasted exactly like Gjetost, but the sweet nutty flavor of the peanut butter combined with the tangy Cheddar was a hit. I used Sharp Cheddar by Les Petites Fermieres, cholov stam. Any Cheddar will do, but the sharper the better to counter the sweet peanut butter. The crunchy apple adds a bonus point!
Elizabeth Bland
The Cheese Mistress
kcheese.com
Our family is Norwegian and Kosher. I have corresponded with Rabbi Melchior in Oslo and he says that Tine brand Ekte Geitost is on the Norwegian list of Kosher products. This is great for our family since we can get Tine Ekte Geitost in our town at three different stores. That said, peanut butter with cheddar might be a better everyday snack since imported Geistost is a little too expensive to be a staple.