Brunost
A caramelized whey cheese iconic to Norwegian cuisine.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Brunost, meaning "brown cheese" in Norwegian, is the common name for mysost, a category of soft, cheese-like foods produced from whey, milk, and/or cream. The milk sugars are caramelized through boiling, giving it a distinctive brown color and sweet flavor. The term brunost usually refers to the most popular varieties, fløtemysost and Gudbrandsdalsost. While primarily made and enjoyed in Norway, its popularity has reached South Korea. It is considered one of Norway's most iconic foods and a key element of the nation's culinary and cultural heritage.
The practice of boiling down whey to create a brown, spreadable cheese has existed in Scandinavia for centuries. An archaeological find in central Jutland from 2016 identified a cheese residue on pottery from around 650 BCE, but this residue is more likely from a type of fresh cheese or fermented milk product, not caramelized whey cheese like brunost. The modern, firm, fatty brunost is traditionally credited to milkmaid Anne Hov from Gudbrandsdalen. In the second half of the 19th century, the region faced economic hardship from declining grain and butter sales. While working at the Valseter mountain farm near Gålå, Hov is said to have added cream to the whey during boiling, creating a firmer, fattier product that later became known as fløtemysost. However, specific details such as the exact year 1863, the use of an iron pot, reducing fluid content to under 80 percent, or the name feitost are not reliably documented in widely accepted historical sources and are largely folkloric. This variety quickly became popular and is now the second most common type in Norway. A cheese manuscript from 1805 by Ole Olsen Evenstad does not mention adding goat's milk or cream. After marrying and moving to the Rusthågå farm, Hov began larger-scale production and invented a version with goat's milk for a stronger taste. Local trader Ole Kongsli saw its potential and exported it to Oslo as Gudbrandsdalsost, which became so successful it helped lift the region out of recession. Hov is recognized for her contributions, though the exact year and age at which she received the King's Medal of Merit are not consistently verified in authoritative sources and remain disputed. Today, the largest producer is the Norwegian dairy co-operative Tine, which markets 13 varieties and three types of prim. The second-largest is Synnøve Finden, with tw
- field
- Food product
- nationality
- Norwegian
- known_for
- Caramelized whey cheese, iconic Norwegian foodstuff
- origin
- Norway
- key_varieties
- Gudbrandsdalsost, fløtemysost, ekte geitost
Lore & Background
Boiling down whey to create a brown, cheesy spread has been common in Scandinavia for centuries. An archaeological find from September 2016 in central Jutland determined that a cheese residue on pottery from circa 650 B.C.E. is more likely a type of fresh cheese or fermented milk product, not caramelized whey cheese like brunost. The creation of the modern, firm, fatty brunost is traditionally attributed to milkmaid Anne Hov from Gudbrandsdalen. In the second half of the 19th century, while working at the Valseter mountain farm near Gålå, Hov is said to have added cream to whey, creating a firmer, fattier product that later became known as fløtemysost. However, specific details such as the exact year 1863, the use of an iron pot, reducing fluid content to under 80 percent, or the name feitost are not reliably documented in widely accepted historical sources and are largely folkloric.
Reader's Guide
Brunost is a family of cheese-related foods made with whey and milk and/or cream. Though not technically cheese, it is produced by cheese makers and sold, handled, and consumed as cheese. The texture is firm but slightly softer than Gouda, and it does not crumble. The taste is sweet and caramel-like, with a tang more noticeable in goat's milk variants. Production involves boiling a mixture of milk, cream, and whey for hours to evaporate water and caramelize milk sugars. The most popular variety is Gudbrandsdalsost, which contains cow and goat milk, cream, and whey. The second most popular is fløtemysost, milder due to lack of goat's milk. The third is ekte geitost. Brunost is mostly used as a topping for sandwiches, crispbread, and biscuits, and is common in the traditional Norwegian matpakke lunch. It is also popular on waffles and as an ingredient in cooking, particularly in gravy for game meat. Nutritionally, brunost contains high amounts of calcium, proteins, vitamin B, and iodine, but also high natural sugar and fat content, and is high in lactose. The world's largest producer is the Norwegian dairy co-operative Tine, which markets 13 varieties and three types of prim. The second-largest is Synnøve Finden, with two varieties of brunost and two of prim. Smaller artisanal producers exist mainly in Norway and the US.
Did You Know?
- Brunost has been made in Scandinavia for at least 2,500 years, with an archaeological find from 650 B.C.E. possibly similar to brunost.
- Anne Hov invented the modern firm brunost in 1863 by adding cream to whey and boiling it down in an iron pot.
- The world's largest producer of brunost is the Norwegian dairy co-operative Tine, which markets 13 varieties.
- A very similar product, requeijão moreno, is made in Minas Gerais, Brazil, probably developed independently.
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