Danish Smoked Cheese

This is the only original Danish cheese. The rest of the Danish cheeses (including the Havarti) is cheeses adapted from other parts of the world.

You'll need:

1 large bowl (at least 4 liter)

1 cheese cloth

1 colander

1 metal strainer

1 smoker or barbeque with lid

smoking chips or straws of rye + stinging nettle harvested the day before use

3 liter milk

100 milliliter buttermilk

salt

Pour the milk and buttermilk into the bowl and mix well. Place the bowl on a warm place (I use my stoker) and cover the bowl with a tea towel. Let the bowl stand undisturbed for 24 hours.

Take the cheese cloth and dip it in boiling water. Then place it in the colander. Spoon the now coagulated milk into the colander in 3 or 4 batches, sprinkling with a little amount of salt between each layer. Place the colander in the bowl (clean it up first) so the whey can run off from the casein (the stiff part of the coagulated milk). Let the whey run off the next 12 - 18 hours. Empty the bowl now and then. Fold the cloth more and more tight around the cheese as if you'll squeeze the liquid out of the cheese. The cheese will become more firm that way.

Prepare the smoking chips acording to the description on the packet. Remove the cheese from the cloth and place the cheese in the metal strainer. Start the fire and add the smoking chips. When the smoke is heavy, place the strainer in the smoker and let the cheese stand until the surface is golden brown. Optionally you can sprinkle with caraway seeds

Serve the cheese with chives and radishes.