Sörmlands Ädel

Appearance & taste

Sörmlands Ädel is a cylinder 19 to 21 cm in diameter and 10 to 12 cm high and weighs 2.8 to 3.0 kg. The surface bears a blue-green-black mould flora. The cut surface is uniformly yellow with bluish-green mould, and the consistency is soft to semi-firm and elastic. The cheese contains 31 to 35 % fat, which is 51 to 60 % in dry matter.

It smells of sour cream butter at room temperature and of a damp cellar, with notes of mushroom and truffle and mild notes of orange flesh and bitter orange. The specification describes the taste as broad, round, creamy and complex, not sharp or sour, with notes of acidity, hints of salt and umami as well as cellar, stable and caramel notes; it becomes stronger as it ripens. The aftertaste is long and full-bodied, the mouthfeel creamy, pleasantly salty and slightly grainy. Sörmlands Ädel is one of the acidic blue cheeses (“bleu acid”) but, according to the specification, does not have their bitterness.

Production

The milk comes from cows of the Swedish Red and White, Swedish Holstein and Swedish Mountain breeds, which are fed organically. From May to September they are outdoors and graze on pasture; when the pastures do not provide enough grass, they are given an organic mixture of silage, straw, barley, oats, wheat, field beans and minerals. The chilled milk may be at most 72 hours old when it is processed.

The milk is pasteurised at a low temperature, and lactic acid bacteria, natural rennet and blue mould are added; according to the specification, the mixture of two different strains of Penicillium roqueforti is unique to this cheese. The curd is cut and moulded when, in the cheesemaker’s judgement, it has the right texture, grain size and moisture. The cheeses are pressed, turned regularly and salted. Holes are then pierced in them, through which oxygen enters and carbon dioxide escapes, so that the blue mould grows. To slow this growth, the cheeses are wrapped in a special film and ripened at a cooler temperature. The cheesemakers adapt times and temperatures to the fluctuating fat and protein content of the milk. All steps from milking to ripening take place in the area.

Origin & history

The area is the province of Södermanland. The specification attributes the particular characteristics of the cheese to the milk of the three cattle breeds named and to the skill of the cheesemakers developed in the area, who guide the production process with a trained sense of sight, taste and touch.