Jarlsberg Cheese Spread

Almost five years ago I shared the recipe for my favorite Pimento Cheese Dip (I am shuddering looking at those photos posted, yikes). Quintessentially Southern, Pimento Cheese is one of the foods traditionally served at Kentucky Derby parties. Often spread on white bread (crusts removed of course) and cut into small sandwiches, every family has their favorite generations old, sometimes secret homemade recipe. Once you have tasted a homemade Pimento Cheese you will never again buy anything store bought or in a jar. Perhaps if you live in the South there are local food stores who make and sell some pretty good fresh Pimento Cheese. But if you live up here in the North, you are more likely to find a needle in a haystack.

While on my daily trek to the grocery store this week, my attention was drawn to some tiny samples of a cheese spread served on crackers. Normally I don't eat any store samples, but some inner voice was compelling me to try it (maybe it was my starving voice). And so I did. I wanted to eat all of the samples of what I learned was a store-made Jarlsberg Cheese Spread. Partly because I was hangry, and partly because it was pretty good. Unbeknownst to me, this spread has been around for awhile. Apparently I have been living under a rock or maybe a boulder. As not only have I never had this spread before, I don't think I remember ever eating Jarlsberg Cheese.

So what exactly is Jarlsberg Cheese? It's a mild, semi-sort cow's milk cheese of Norwegian origin. Resembling a Swiss Emmental with it's distinctive, open, and irregular 'eyes', it tends to be sweeter and stronger in flavor than Emmentaler. The semi-firm yellow cheese, generally coated in a waxy rind, is buttery, rich in texture, mild, and slightly nutty in flavor.

More importantly, what adult beverages should Jarlsberg cheese be paired with. A good Merlot or Cabernet is generally recommended. Although, pairing it with some sparkling wine (Prosecco, Moscato D'Asti, Champagne, and/or Sparkling Rose) might be the most fascinating combination. Bottles of iced cold beer would be an equally good pairing option. 

I looked at a few recipes online but didn't think any of them would be as creamy as the one I tasted in the store. So I set off to create my own Jarlsberg Cheese Spread recipe. As bold as this is going to sound, I think this recipe is a winner! It's seriously, addictively, lip-smacking delicious, and amazing! Honestly, I needed a moment after I tasted it.

Almost all of the Jarlsberg Cheese Spread recipes I looked at called for the use of minced red onion. Given the flavor profile of the cheese, I thought minced shallots, with their soft undercurrent of onion and pop of garlic flavors, might make for an even more delicious spread.

Having tasted the store-bought Jarlsberg Cheese Spread made with red onion and this one made with shallots, I would lean more toward making a shallot based spread. But I wouldn't refuse to eat one made with minced red onions.

Paired with an assortment of crackers and/or baguettes, this Jarlsberg Cheese Spread might become your favorite summer entertaining and/or signature Kentucky Derby party appetizer. Trust me when I say this homemade version will be better than anything you can buy at the grocery store. 

From start to finish, the cheese spread takes less than 30 minutes to make. While you could serve it immediately, I recommend giving it some chilling time in the refrigerator. Initially I mixed in one cup of mayonnaise with the one pound of grated Jarlsberg. However, one cup of mayo wasn't providing the consistency I was looking for. In the end, I used somewhere between 1 1/3 and 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise. The use of heavy cream helped to further give this spread an even creamier texture.

Who knew that eating a sample in the grocery store could be so enlightening and life-changing. I suppose I should partake in food samples more often. Because you just never know where one bite will lead you.

And now you have two cheese spread options for your Kentucky Derby party. Although I would recommend you make them both.

Recipe
Jarlsberg Cheese Spread

Ingredients
1 pound plus block of Jarlsberg Cheese, shredded on the largest hole side of the grater
3 rounded tablespoons shallots (or red onion), finely minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Assortment of crackers, sliced baguette, and/or grilled baguette

Directions
1. Add all of ingredients in the large bowl, beginning with adding in only 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise. Mix with a spatula. 
2. If mixture does not have a creamy consistency, add the additional mayonnaise.
3. Transfer cheese spread to a serving dish. Chill for at least one hour before serving.
4. Serve with an assortment of crackers, sliced baguette, grilled baguette and/or any combination of the three.

Notes: (1) I used Duke's Mayonnaise, however, Hellman's would be an equally good choice. (2) I used an assortment of crackers (one with a savory onion flavor profile ad one plain wafer) and a baguette. A lightly toasted or grilled baguette would be a great accompaniment to this Jarlsberg Cheese Spread. (3) Spread can be made a day in advance and will last several days in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. (4) This spread would also be good on a grilled Reuben. Instead of using Swiss cheese, use the Jarlsberg Cheese Spread. Your reuben sandwiches will be amazing! (5) Recommend buying a piece of Jarlsberg Cheese slightly larger than one pound, to account for the weight reduction when the rind is removed prior to grating.

Wilder Park (Elmhurst, Illinois) on an April morning (2019)