Butterkäse and my observations

 This is going to be a short blog, but it's on a cheese I've long wanted to try and my sister again came in for the clutch and managed to find it for me. Without further ado, let's cover the first German cheese on my cheese-tasting journey, Butterkäse.

Butterkäse (pronounced as "boo-ter-kay-zuh") is a German semi-soft pasteurized cow milk cheese. Literally meaning "butter cheese" (because of its taste and texture being very butter-like) and "ladies cheese" (due to its very mild taste and appearance), this is a cheese of wide renown in Germany and Austria, and American cheesemongers in Wisconsin are also known to make their own.

Here are some facts before I begin the taste testing. First off, this is a young cheese aged about a month at most with a high degree of milk fat. While it is made from the curd and the whey is drained off in the process, there is little attempt to drain any and all moisture from the curd, meaning the curd remains soft. It's so creamy some varieties are nearly as spreadable as actual butter.

As for the actual taste testing, my mother and grandmother and I all gave a whirl. As for me, I considered it a mild cheese, with moderate salt hints, and definitely a buttery taste.

My grandmother noted it's not hard to chew but is slightly harder than mozzarella and she was of the opinion it was a decent snacking cheese, albeit in small doses, due to a high degree of milk fat.

My mother, who used to work in a German restaurant, she had her own notes. She concurred on it being a snacking cheese but also considered it ideal for the average German meal with its predilection for soured and pickled products and strong flavors. In fact, soft cheeses such as this were often served with German cuisine to provide some balance to their robust flavors. When she heard that it was commonly used with sandwiches, she didn't disagree with their value for those at all, saying she often served softer varieties of German cheese, especially with strong dishes like certain sandwiches and German beers.

While I'm not sure I want to go full tilt on a German meal just yet, such tastes being a bit strong for my usual palate, I definitely enjoyed this cheese and consider it a fine addition to any cheese plate.