Cheese of the Week - Abertam

Abertam

Abertam Cheese

Traditional, farmhouse, hard cheese made from sheep's milk. It has a shape of irregular ball with thin, yellow to orange, natural rind. It is used as a table cheese or for melting. Abertam is made in Karlovy Vary, the famous spa town. The natural pastures of this mountainous part of Bohemia provide the sheep with a rich diet that is revealed in the robust flavor of the hard, pressed cheese. The cheese ripens in two months.

Abertam is considered an excellent cheese for melting and is substituted in a wide range of recipes to add flavor. One of the best known fondues is made by combining the cheese with milk butter, flour, sour cream and spices. The cheese is also used in grilled preparations and does not burn when grilled. The cheese has a slight tangy flavor which makes it a popular ingredient in cakes and dip prepared with apples. It is also used as a sandwich spread.

With a fat content of 45%, not considered a very healthy ingredient, especially for people who suffer from heart disease, high cholesterol and/or obesity, abertam  is, however, advisably consumed  in controlled quantities.


Country: Czech Republic

Milk: ewe milk

Texture: hard

Fat content: 45 %

Producer: Karlovy%20Vary