What makes a good breakfast cheese?
Cheese for breakfast? What a concept! Cheese is packed with nutrition and can serve as a healthy addition to just about any meal. It’s packed with protein, fat, and calcium as well as other essential vitamins. If you’ve never thought of incorporating cheese into breakfast, let us get you thinking about it now. We’re going to give you our top 4 recommendations for cheese to serve at breakfast and tell you why they work so well.
1. Gjetost
You can think of Gjetost as cheese candy. It looks like caramel … it tastes like caramel … yet, it is in fact cheese. Gjetost is a Norwegian cheese made using a blend of pasteurized goat’s milk and cow’s cream. It comes in the form of a fudgy-looking log and is part of the brunost, or brown, cheese family. Gjetost has a dense, fudgy texture and rich flavors of caramel. In Norway, Gjetost is commonly enjoyed during breakfast or during kveldsmat, a return to breakfast as the last meal of the day.
Why It Works
Because Gjetost is such a decadent cheese, it’s best served in extremely thin slices (which can be created using a cheese plane or sharp cheese knife). These slices can then be added to bread, waffles, or pancakes to bring a healthy touch of sweetness to the plate. Gjetost also pairs exceptionally well with fresh fruit and a cup of coffee.
2. Fruited Stilton
Stilton is an English cheese that comes in two forms: Blue and White. Penicillium roqueforti is added to create the blue veining and funk that defines Blue Stilton. The making of White Stilton does not involve the introduction of Penicillium roqueforti and the end result is a crumbly white cheese that tastes similar to plain yogurt. Both versions have been granted PDO status (Protected Designation of Origin) and can only be produced in the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire. It’s made using locally produced and pasteurized cow’s milk and comes in a cylindrical shape.
Why It Works
As we just mentioned, White Stilton by itself has a delicate lactic flavor reminiscent of yogurt. This makes it the perfect base for blending in fruit. Common versions of Fruited Stilton include apricots, blueberries, cranberries, and (our personal favorite) mango and crystallized ginger! These cheeses work particularly well for breakfast because they’re light and satisfying, like a yogurt parfait! Fruited Stilton can be enjoyed on its own or alongside a cup of fresh fruit and piece of whole grain toast.
3. Saint Angel
Saint Angel is a luscious triple crème produced in France. With this style of cheese, extra cream is added during the cheese making process. The result: gooey, scoopable decadence! By definition, a triple crème must contain at least 75% butterfat. Now you might be thinking, “I can’t load up on those kinds of calories at breakfast!” Don’t fear. Fat in cheese is measured on the basis of fat in dry matter. Because triple crèmes have such a high moisture content (about 45%), the amount of fat actually being consumed is less than you might think. Plus, you’re getting the other nutritional benefits from the cheese (calcium, protein, and essential vitamins).
Why It Works
Saint Angel spreads like butter, pairing perfectly with a toasted piece of sourdough and a dollop of jam. It’s smooth like whipped cream and exhibits a lactic tang. If you’re hosting a brunch and serving champagne, a triple crème like Saint Angel is a must! The yeasty notes in the champagne will cut through the richness of the cheese and the effervescence will help lift the butterfat from the tongue in the most magnificent way. It’s a pairing everyone must experience at least once in their life.
4. The MoonRabbit Cheddar
The MoonRabbit Cheddar is a sweet-finish cheddar produced by Deer Creek Creamery in Wisconsin. What makes this cheese incredibly unique is that it gets bathed in Green Chartreuse liqueur. The Chartreuse adds a delicate herbal bouquet with hints of clove, citrus, rosemary, and thyme that beautifully complements the cheese’s creaminess while imparting a light green hue.
Why It Works
The MoonRabbit pairs exceptionally well with citrus flavors. If you’re an advocate of orange juice in the morning, a little hunk of this cheddar will be a satisfying and complimentary bite to go along with it. You can also pair The MoonRabbit with a small handful of pistachios or fresh orange wedges.