Cheese of the week: Ridder

Name: Ridder

Place of Purchase: Wheatsfield Co-Op at 413 Douglas in Ames, Iowa

Country of Origin: Norway (Tine Brand)

Price in Iowa: $7.99/lb

Milk: cow

Processing: I couldn't find much on the processing, other than it has a washed, putty rind that.

Texture: semi-soft

Color: pale yellow, like butter

Rind: washed

Aroma: mild dairy, but not extremely aromatic

Taste: The flavor of ridder changes with time. From the time that the rind is broken by cutting, the flavor changes from mild nutty, to stronger nutty and tart, to a piquant/tart/dairy flavor. However, if you employ heat at all in your preparation, the flavor reverts to its original mild nuttiness.

Mouth feel: Creamy, heavy, similar to fresh mozzarella.

Notes: We served the ridder on a cheese plate at a picnic. About half of it was eaten, but its fresh flavor didn't wow anyone (especially when paired with stilton, appenzeller and gruyere). But, a few days later, I started to finish off the leftovers and I noticed the the flavor was different. I did a little research, and discovered that the flavor and aroma profile of ridder changes over time, but only after cutting. So, if you really want to experience this cheese, try it multiple times and pair it with fruit. We also tried a recipe using it in macaroni and cheese. The aroma lingered, but the aged flavors did not transfer well after heating. However, the creamy texture of the cheese turned a plebian treat into something much "fancier."