by Jason Patzer
I like to connect my columns to the central theme of each issue, and one might think that would be a problem this month. Well, I’ve got news for you: Not only is it not a problem, but I was actually looking forward to the opportunity.
Kaffeost is popular across the broader definition of Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland. I first heard about it while watching a travel food show called Somebody Feed Phil. In the Helsinki episode, he tried a version of it, and his Finnish hosts weren’t even really sure how it came to be so popular. They jokingly said that it might have been Santa. Regardless, as a coffee enthusiast living in the cheese state, I had to check it out. Not to mention, Finland is consistently rated as the happiest country in the world — maybe Kaffeost is the reason why.
The process is really quite simple. You only need two ingredients: cheese and coffee. You can’t get just any cheese, though — you need to get something called bread cheese. Wisconsin-based cheesemaker Carr Valley has the most readily available version around here. It is a firm cheese that has been baked. It doesn’t squeak like a fresh cheese curd does, but the texture is somewhat similar, so there can be a bit of a squeak. It is mild in flavor and described as buttery and slightly salty. It doesn’t melt like a standard cheese, and that’s what makes it perfect for dunking or soaking it in your coffee.
The cheese is cubed into small, bite-sized pieces and placed in your coffee mug. Freshly brewed coffee is poured over the top. The heat from the coffee softens the cheese, and the two ingredients share subtle flavor nuances with each other.
In my experience, a medium roast coffee worked well, as the roast flavor of the coffee complemented the baked and toasted notes of the cheese. As far as the coffee goes, the overall flavor doesn’t change much, but the mouthfeel is where you really notice it. As you can see in the photos, there will be a bit of an oil slick on the coffee. This creates a creamy, heavier mouthfeel — somewhat similar to adding actual cream to your coffee but without diluting the coffee.
All in all, this hasn’t become a regular thing at my house, though I have had it a few times. I still prefer my coffee with a nice coffee cake or pastry instead. However, if you need or want to watch your carb or sugar intake, this is a nice healthy alternative to have alongside your morning coffee. Bread cheese is also a high-protein food so if you’re a just-coffee-for-breakfast kind of person, this would be a great addition to help hold you over until lunch. Or, like me, it can just be a fun little thing to do on occasion and share with friends.
This article was originally published in the March 2026 issue of Appleton Monthly Magazine.
