Gamalost is a Viking Cheese

Gamalost, the unusual Norwegian delicacy still produced by Tine (Norwegian dairy company) in Vik, known to be insanely high in protein, and believed to improve sexual performance in men, is, in fact, a Viking cheese that goes back over a millennium.

The cheese is originally mentioned as “forn ostr” in Fóstbræðra saga (Saga of the Sworn Brothers), as well as “ostkista” in Brennu-Njáls saga (Njáls Saga). Now, the burning of Njal’s farm at Bergþórshváll around 1011 (263 AS) is a fact. When some of the buildings were excavated in 1885, a white substance was discovered. Upon analysis in København (Copenhagen), it was found to be the remains of sour milk cheese. In fact, what is known today as Gamalost.

The modern name of “Gamalost” means old cheese. In the old days, it was known to be pretty old indeed, as it was a staple taken in long raids without the need for refrigeration. The cheese is made with a special mold (Mucor mucedo), which is added to skimmed-milk cheese after being cooked in acid whey. The result is a very unusual cheese that doesn’t look like cheese, doesn’t have the texture of regular cheese, with the taste of a particularly strong blue cheese.