Old Erik launches brown cheese based on a 150-year-old recipe

Starting to cook brown cheese is something I've been waiting for for 20 years, says Carlos Helguera from the Gammel Erik cheese factory. The founder and cheesemaker is already a master behind award-winning white cheeses. Now he is ready to launch the brown cheese Seianna, – made from an almost 150-year-old recipe from Skånaliseter Gårdsysteri.

Finally, we won't have to empty 90 percent of the raw material down the drain, Carlos exclaims, happily showing off the cheese factory where the brown cheese cooking is in full swing. “It's crazy to start brown cheese cooking in addition to everything else we work on, but that's what we like.”
He says enthusiastically: – When I heard that Svein Håpnes was going to retire and close down the cheese factory at Skånliseter, I thought it was too bad. As a fourth-generation cheesemaker, he has an incredible amount of expertise in a craft and recipes for cheeses that form an essential part of the village's identity. For more than twenty years, I have been troubled by the fact that we have not been able to make use of the whey. When I heard that Svein was going to retire, I got in touch.

A good buy

This fall, he became the owner of a 400-liter brown cheese pot with 50-kilogram block molds and the equipment needed to start brown cheese production. In addition, he received both the recipes from the cheesemaker and the cheesemaker himself, included in the purchase.  

-Svein has been absolutely fantastic, he assures. – There have been a few hiccups along the way and a couple of batches have had to go straight into the trash. If we hadn't had Svein as a mentor, I can promise that there would have been a lot more loot. Now we have finally managed to produce some batches that have the color and consistency we want.

An important legacy

– What has been the biggest challenge?
– It's about getting the right fat content, consistency and colour. We've settled on a dark and strong brown cheese that is firm and caramelising. The whey boils for 18 – 20 hours and it's only the last two hours that are interesting, he says. – That's when the cream is added and the right consistency and colour are created.
I have already tested it out on people in the local community. The cheese factory is located opposite the municipal building, – I have also visited them with tastings for product development. We have so many great raw materials here in Namsskogan that I want to take care of. I am therefore very happy that we can continue the craft after Svein. 

Ready for launch

The actual launch will take place at the Christmas market in Trondheim in December. 5000 labels have already been printed with the inscription: Brunost cheese as it was made on Skåneliseter – when the beard was long, the hands rough and the smoke from the cooking pot lay thick.
– And the next project?
– We will have to develop a special form for the cheese. Today it is stored in 50-kilogram blocks that we then manually divide with a piano string, for sale. It would have been extra fun to use the municipal coat of arms, which is an elk antler. – Otherwise, I will have to come up with something else.
– My wish is to expose the authentic food culture that has existed for generations here in Namsskogan and which is our pride, says the innovative cheesemaker who is already in the process of setting up his own artisan bakery in connection with the cheese factory.

Text: Trude Henrichsen. Photo: Bjørn Tore Ness, Namdalsavisa