Andy Montoya
Havarti is a semi-soft Danish cow's milk cheese that can be sliced, grilled or melted. It was previously called 'Danish Tilsiter' after the German cheese type tilsiter, but in 1952 it was renamed after Havartigården near Holte, where the Danish cheese pioneer Hanne Nielsen worked in the 19th century. It is now a staple in Danish cuisine, although less than half of the world's production is made in Denmark.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of cheese | Semisoft |
| Milk used | Cow's milk |
| Country of origin | Denmark |
| Year of origin | 1921 |
| Year of renaming | 1952 |
| Named after | Havartigården near Holte |
| Named by | Danish cheese pioneer Hanne Nielsen |
| Other names | Danish Tilsiter, flødehavarti, cream havarti |
| Rind | Rindless |
| Texture | Smooth |
| Colour | Cream to yellow |
| Aroma | Buttery |
| Taste | Subtle |
| Uses | Slicing, grilling, melting |
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What You'll Learn
Havarti is a semi-soft Danish cow's milk cheese
Havarti is made by introducing rennet to milk to cause curdling. The curds are pressed into cheese moulds which are drained, and then the cheese is aged. It is a washed-curd cheese, which contributes to its subtle flavour. It is rindless, smooth, and slightly bright-surfaced with a cream to yellow colour depending on the type. It has very small and irregular openings called 'eyes' distributed throughout. Havarti has a buttery aroma and can be somewhat sharp in the stronger varieties, much like Swiss-type cheeses.
The original Havarti cheese is different from flødehavarti ('cream Havarti'), which is made from high-pasteurised milk. Less than half of the world's Havarti production is made in Denmark, with other major producers in the EU being Germany and Spain.
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It can be sliced, grilled or melted
Havarti is a semisoft Danish cow's milk cheese. It can be sliced, grilled or melted, and is a staple in Danish cuisine. The cheese was originally called 'Danish Tilsiter' after the German cheese type tilsiter, but in 1952, it was renamed Havarti, after Havartigården near Holte, where the Danish cheese pioneer Hanne Nielsen worked in the 19th century.
Havarti is made like most cheeses, by introducing rennet to milk to cause curdling. The curds are pressed into cheese moulds which are drained, and then the cheese is aged. Havarti is an interior-ripened cheese that is rindless, smooth, and slightly bright-surfaced with a cream to yellow colour depending on type. It has very small and irregular openings called 'eyes' distributed throughout.
The original Havarti cheese is different from flødehavarti ('cream Havarti'), which is made from high-pasteurised milk. The original Havarti is made from raw milk, which is pasteurised and then has the cultures needed for the milk to coagulate added. When the curd is at the correct consistency, it is separated, drained of whey and poured into moulds.
Havarti is a washed-curd cheese, which contributes to its subtle flavour. It has a buttery aroma and can be somewhat sharp in the stronger varieties, much like Swiss-type cheeses. It ages with grace and develops stronger tones of hazelnut over time.
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It was previously called 'Danish Tilsiter'
Havarti is a semisoft Danish cow's milk cheese. It was previously called "Danish Tilsiter", after the German cheese type Tilsiter. Danish production of Havarti began in 1921, and in 1952, the cheese was renamed after Havartigården near Holte, where the Danish cheese pioneer Hanne Nielsen worked in the 19th century.
Hanne Nielsen created a Tilsit cheese with caraway for King Christian IX of Denmark. Some sources, such as *The Oxford Companion to Cheese*, say that Nielsen invented Havarti cheese, while the *Dansk Biografisk Leksikon* states that the current Havarti is not based on her cheesemaking.
Havarti is made like most cheeses, by introducing rennet to milk to cause curdling. The curds are pressed into cheese moulds which are drained, and then the cheese is aged. Havarti was traditionally a smear-rind cheese, but modern flødehavarti is not. Flødehavarti is made from high-pasteurised milk. Havarti is a washed-curd cheese, which contributes to its subtle flavour. It is rindless, smooth, and slightly bright-surfaced with a cream to yellow colour depending on type. It has very small and irregular openings called "eyes" distributed throughout. Havarti has a buttery aroma and can be somewhat sharp in the stronger varieties, much like Swiss-type cheeses.
Havarti has become a staple in Danish cuisine, and is also produced in Germany, Spain, the United States, Canada, Finland, Poland, France, Australia and New Zealand.
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It was named after Havartigården near Holte, where Hanne Nielsen worked
Havarti is a semisoft Danish cow's milk cheese. It can be sliced, grilled, or melted. It was previously called "Danish Tilsiter", after the German cheese type tilsiter, but in 1952, the cheese was renamed Havarti, after Havartigården near Holte, where the Danish cheese pioneer Hanne Nielsen worked in the 19th century.
Hanne Nielsen is credited by some sources, such as *The Oxford Companion to Cheese*, with the invention of Havarti cheese. However, the *Dansk Biografisk Leksikon* states that the current Havarti is not based on her cheesemaking. Nielsen created a Tilsit cheese with caraway for King Christian IX of Denmark.
Havarti is made like most cheeses, by introducing rennet to milk to cause curdling. The curds are pressed into cheese moulds which are drained, and then the cheese is aged. Havarti was traditionally a smear-rind cheese, but modern flødehavarti is not. Flødehavarti is made from high-pasteurised milk. Havarti is a washed-curd cheese, which contributes to its subtle flavour. It is an interior-ripened cheese that is rindless, smooth, and slightly bright-surfaced with a cream to yellow colour depending on type. It has very small and irregular openings called "eyes" distributed throughout. Havarti has a buttery aroma and can be somewhat sharp in the stronger varieties, much like Swiss-type cheeses.
Havarti was quick to rise in popularity and has become a staple in Danish cuisine. It is made from the milk of Danish cows, and ages well, developing stronger tones of hazelnut over time. The recipe for Castello Havarti cheese has remained the same since its conception, prioritising taste and a wide range of uses. Raw milk is pasteurised and the cultures needed for the milk to coagulate are added. When the curd is at the correct consistency, it is separated, drained of whey and poured into moulds.
Less than half of the world's Havarti is made in Denmark. Other major producers in the EU are Germany and Spain. Internationally, the main producers are the United States and Canada, with other producing countries including Finland, Poland, France, Australia and New Zealand. In the United States, the main producing state is Wisconsin, with other producing states being California, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington.
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It is made like most cheeses, by introducing rennet to milk to cause curdling
Havarti is a semisoft Danish cow's milk cheese. It can be sliced, grilled, or melted. Havarti was previously called "Danish Tilsiter", after the German cheese type tilsiter. Danish production began in 1921. In 1952, the cheese was named Havarti, after Havartigården near Holte, where the Danish cheese pioneer Hanne Nielsen worked in the 19th century.
Havarti is made like most cheeses, by introducing rennet to milk to cause curdling. The curds are then pressed into cheese moulds which are drained, and then the cheese is aged. Havarti was traditionally a smear-rind cheese, but modern flødehavarti is not. Flødehavarti is made from high-pasteurised milk. Havarti is a washed-curd cheese, which contributes to its subtle flavour.
The process of making Havarti begins with raw milk being pasteurised and the cultures needed for the milk to coagulate are added. When the curd is at the correct consistency, it is separated, drained of whey and poured into moulds. Havarti is an interior-ripened cheese that is rindless, smooth, and slightly bright-surfaced with a cream to yellow colour depending on type. It has very small and irregular openings called eyes distributed throughout. Havarti has a buttery aroma and can be somewhat sharp in the stronger varieties, much like Swiss-type cheeses.
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Frequently asked questions
Havarti is a semi-soft Danish cow's milk cheese. It can be sliced, grilled or melted.
Havarti is made by introducing rennet to milk to cause curdling. The curds are pressed into cheese moulds, drained, and then aged.
Flødehavarti, or 'cream Havarti', is made from high-pasteurised milk. The original Havarti is made from raw milk.
Havarti is produced in Denmark, Germany, Spain, the United States, Canada, Finland, Poland, France, Australia and New Zealand.
