Liederkranz cheese
Encyclopedia
Liederkranz is an American re-creation of Limburger cheese
, made subtly different by the use of a different bacterial culture for smear-ripening. Liederkranz is a cow's milk
cheese
, with an edible pale yellow-orange tan crust, and a semisoft, pale interior with a mildly pungent flavor and distinct aroma
that could become unpleasantly ammonia
-like if aged incorrectly. Liederkranz was created in 1891 by Emil Frey (1867–1951), a young Swiss cheesemaker in Monroe, New York
, who created Velveeta
there in 1923. (Philadelphia Cream Cheese
was invented in another town of Orange County, New York
.) Frey named the cheese after a local singing society, a Liederkranz Club ("singing circle"), perhaps the famous one in New York, or perhaps really just on a whim for its Germanic sound.
The Monroe Cheese Company, the original source of Liederkranz, passed to new ownership, but Emil Frey stayed on and followed Liederkranz production to Van Wert, Ohio
, in 1926. In 1929 the company was sold to the Borden Company. Frey retired in 1938.
At the end of 1981, after a fire damaged its Van Wert plant, Borden terminated its natural cheese lines in favor of "processed cheese
". A few months later the Fisher Cheese Company purchased the Van Wert plant and began to produce Liederkranz. In 1985 bacterial contamination of a batch of Liederkranz and several other cheeses induced Fisher to withdraw Liederkranz from the market, selling the franchise and the bacterial culture to Beatrice Foods
(and thus eventually, later Beatrice acquirer ConAgra) and the New Zealand Dairy Board
. That was the last batch of Liederkranz to be made for 25 years.
In 2010, the cheese was reintroduced by DCI Cheese Company of Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin
, which had acquired the trademark and the cultures (whose survival had been doubted during Liederkranz's long absence from the market).
Limburger cheese
Limburger is a cheese that originated during the 19th century in the historical Duchy of Limburg, which is now divided among modern-day Belgium, Germany, and Netherlands. The cheese is especially known for its pungent odor commonly compared to body odor....
, made subtly different by the use of a different bacterial culture for smear-ripening. Liederkranz is a cow's milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
, with an edible pale yellow-orange tan crust, and a semisoft, pale interior with a mildly pungent flavor and distinct aroma
Odor
An odor or odour is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also commonly called scents, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors...
that could become unpleasantly ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
-like if aged incorrectly. Liederkranz was created in 1891 by Emil Frey (1867–1951), a young Swiss cheesemaker in Monroe, New York
Monroe (town), New York
Monroe is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 31,407 at the 2000 census. The town is named after President James Monroe....
, who created Velveeta
Velveeta
Velveeta is the brand name of a processed cheese product having a taste that is identified as a type of American cheese with a texture that is softer and smoother. It was first made in 1918 by Swiss immigrant Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York. In 1923, The Velveeta Cheese...
there in 1923. (Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Cream cheese
Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting, white cheese with a high fat content. Traditionally, it is made from unskimmed milk enriched with additional cream....
was invented in another town of Orange County, New York
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
.) Frey named the cheese after a local singing society, a Liederkranz Club ("singing circle"), perhaps the famous one in New York, or perhaps really just on a whim for its Germanic sound.
The Monroe Cheese Company, the original source of Liederkranz, passed to new ownership, but Emil Frey stayed on and followed Liederkranz production to Van Wert, Ohio
Van Wert, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,690 people, 4,556 households, and 2,947 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,803.8 people per square mile . There were 4,927 housing units at an average density of 831.4 per square mile...
, in 1926. In 1929 the company was sold to the Borden Company. Frey retired in 1938.
At the end of 1981, after a fire damaged its Van Wert plant, Borden terminated its natural cheese lines in favor of "processed cheese
Processed cheese
Processed cheese, process cheese, cheese slice, prepared cheese, cheese singles or cheese food is a food product made from normal cheese and sometimes other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers, extra salt, food colorings, or whey...
". A few months later the Fisher Cheese Company purchased the Van Wert plant and began to produce Liederkranz. In 1985 bacterial contamination of a batch of Liederkranz and several other cheeses induced Fisher to withdraw Liederkranz from the market, selling the franchise and the bacterial culture to Beatrice Foods
Beatrice Foods
Beatrice Foods Company was a major American food processing company. In 1987, its smaller international food operations were sold to Reginald Lewis, a corporate attorney creating TLC Beatrice International, after which the majority of its domestic brands and assets were acquired by Kohlberg,...
(and thus eventually, later Beatrice acquirer ConAgra) and the New Zealand Dairy Board
Fonterra
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
. That was the last batch of Liederkranz to be made for 25 years.
In 2010, the cheese was reintroduced by DCI Cheese Company of Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin
Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin
Richfield is a village in Washington County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,373 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. The unincorporated communities of Colgate and Hubertus are located partially in Richfield.-Incorporation:...
, which had acquired the trademark and the cultures (whose survival had been doubted during Liederkranz's long absence from the market).
External links
- Monroe Cheese Festival website: history of cheesemaking in Monroe
- DCI Cheese Company website