Cooking with Sweden's King of all Cheeses, Vasterbottensost

Cooking with Sweden's King of all Cheeses, Vasterbottensost

• June 05, 2015

Scandinavian food and Swedish cheese is one that I don't know much about and when a cookery class combines both, of course I had to be there. 

Vasterbottensost* is Sweden's king of all cheeses and it's unique taste is is what makes it so special. When I posted a photo of it on Facebook, a friend from Sweden immediately sent a big thumbs up. It's the real deal! 

Bronte Aurell, co-founder of ScandiKitchen is showing us the Scandi way of cooking with Vasterbottensost. If you've eaten at ScandiKitchen before, you'll know what to expect as it has a big following! 

We're going to be making: Cheese flan, Swedish meatballs and mash (not the Ikea kind!), cream cheese spread and a side salad.

Taking a tour of the spacious kitchen that's hosting this one-off cookery class. 

Ingredients all weighted out and prepped.

The spotlight is on and we will be going through tons of it.


Ready to nibble with our glass of delicious red wine before class begins.  

Agneta, Vasterbottensost's brand manager has flown over from Sweden especially for this class. 

According to legend, it's thanks to the fluke of dairy maid Eleonora Lindstrom that Vasterbottensost was born. She was left alone to stir the curd but got distracted by visits from her lover. Each time the fire went out, the curd cooled, meaning it had to be reheated and stirred again. 

Somehow, the heating, cooling and stirring meant the cheese didn't make the usual grade and was left to sit on a shelf for 12 months. When the cheese was eventually tasted, the taste and texture was so good that Eleonora's technique was replicated and used ever since. 

Vasterbottensost now carries the title of "By appointment to his Majesty the King of Sweden". After that wonderful introduction, we're ready to cook! 

I'm partnered with Megan from Got To Be Gourmet, as Bronte makes her way round to make sure everyone is ok. 

Bronte is a fabulous teacher and her approach to good honest food is right up my street. Nothing fancy, but good, home cooked style food.

Cheese flan is up first.

Meatballs next.

The meatballs smell insanely good as they cook. Can we have dinner now please?!

Cheesy mash.

And more cheese.... 

Bronte shows us how to make and flavour the gravy for the meatballs. Adding lingonberry was a revelation and instantly added the right kind of depth for the gravy! I will definitely be doing this again at home. 

Cream cheese spread.

Cream cheese spread on crackers with wild cloudberry. They are a perfect match. So simple but so good!

Cloudberry is a rare berry found in Sweden. As it's very difficult to cultivate, pickers go into the wild in search for them. How wonderful is it that we get to try this little treasure? Thanks to Bronte! 

A simple courgette salad with more cheese. Can't quite believe the amount of cheese we are using and of course, munching through!

Our beautiful meatballs are done. Oh the moans that came out of me as I chomped my way through the plate. They are utterly delicious! The meatballs are so succulent and tastes miles apart from the Swedish meatballs I'm used to (ahem Ikea).

There's a cute and quirky dining area just outside of the kitchen for us to enjoy our hard work.

My fellow foodie and cooking partner, Megan!

I've never made a flan of this beauty before. I'm so full, but manage a tiny slither. It is divine. 

Luckily, the girls helping run this event have takeout boxes at the ready and we take home all the leftovers. There's no wastage and I have the flan for lunch the next day with a salad. 

G was happy to see me bring this much home!  

Vasterbottensost were so generous and sent us home with not only all the food we'd made, but also a wonderful goody bag. For the first time in my life, I now own a cheese grater! We even received a jar of precious wild cloudberry too.

Thank you so much to Vasterbottensost and Bronte for an amazing evening! I will be sharing the recipes in my next posts.

Have you guys cooked with this much cheese before?!

*I was invited by Vasterbottensost for this event. All opinions are honest, my own and unbiased in any way.