🧀 Holsteiner Tilsiter
Holsteiner Tilsiter is a German PGI semi-hard cow's milk cheese from Schleswig-Holstein, with small irregular holes and a mild to spicy flavour.
Holsteiner Tilsiter is a German semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk in the state of Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany. It is a regional form of Tilsiter cheese. Since 2010 the name has been protected in the EU as a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication, eAmbrosia file PGI-DE-0807).
Tilsiter appeared in the 19th century and spread across northern Germany; in Holstein it is made by local dairies from regional milk. The milk is set with rennet and starter culture, the curd is cut, shaped into loaves or wheels and salted in brine.
During ripening the rind is regularly treated with brine containing a bacterial culture, so it turns yellow-brown and gives the cheese its typical aroma. Ripening lasts several weeks or longer, which determines the strength of flavour.
The paste is pale yellow to yellow and springy, with many small irregular holes. The taste ranges from mild and creamy to spicy and piquant in older cheeses.
How to eat it: on buttered bread, in sandwiches, on a cheese board, in hot dishes and gratins, as it melts well. Beer or a dry white wine go with it (see Wine and cheese). Keep it in the fridge away from mild cheeses because of its strong aroma.
The cheese belongs to Semi-hard cheeses and German cheeses; it is made from cow's milk.
Why it matters to you: the PGI guarantees that a cheese sold as Holsteiner Tilsiter was made in Schleswig-Holstein following the approved specification.
Facts
| Raw material | Cow's milk |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
| Region | Schleswig-Holstein |
| Taste | Mild and creamy to spicy |
| Legal basis | EU PGI since 2010, PGI-DE-0807 1 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Holsteiner Tilsiter → kind of → 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Cow's milk
- Part of
- 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses, 🧀 Tilsit cheese, 🏷️ Protected cheese names, 🇩🇪 German cheeses
Frequently asked questions
Where is Holsteiner Tilsiter made?
In the state of Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany, from local cow's milk.
Is it true that a strong smell means Tilsiter has gone bad?
No. The aroma comes from the rind, which is treated with brine and a bacterial culture during ripening; this is normal.
How is Holsteiner Tilsiter different from plain Tilsiter?
The name Holsteiner Tilsiter is protected as a PGI and may be used only for cheese from Schleswig-Holstein.
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ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.