If you’ve ever seen a moose in person, the last thing you would ever think is hey, I wonder if I can get some milk from that thing! But someone somewhere did exactly that, possibly originating in Scandinavia or Russia where it is now a popular delicacy.
Even more rare than moose milk, is the cheese. Moose Cheese is one of the most expensive cheeses in the world due to the painstaking process of procuring the milk, the amount of milk it takes to make the cheese, and the fact that so far, only one little farm in Sweden has been able to make it.
There are currently 4 different types of moose cheese being sold from the “Elk House” in Sweden. They currently make feta, creamy blue cheese, dry blue cheese, and a rind-style cheese similar to camembert. A popular local delicacy in Sweden using moose cheese is called the Moose Cheese Parfait.
Feta Moose Cheese
This is the Elk Houses’ top seller, with a tangy, creamy taste to it. It is very smooth and slightly acidic. This is commonly sold in restaurants in the local area and is a popular topping for desserts. It crumbles for an excellent topping choice, similar to regular feta.
Blue Moose Cheese
Depending on how long it is aged for, the Swedish farm will sell their blue cheese made of moose milk as creamy or as dry. It is very similar to blue cheese made from other animals, with a bit more woodsy taste to it.
Very similar to camembert, this rind-style cheese is creamy and soft, with a rich flavor without the spice you get from other animal cheeses. It has been set to have a slightly gamey taste to it.
Moose Milking
Christer and Ulla Johansson, who run the Elk House in Bjurholm, Sweden, only have 3 available dairy moose on the premises. These moose can only be milked between May and September, and only produce anywhere from 1-6 liters of milk per day.
While the Elk House is the only place in the world to make cheese out of moose milk, they are not the only ones to procure the milk itself. There are several farms in Russia and Canada that have moose on the premises for milking. In Canada, moose milk is commonly sold in restaurants and even bars. The Moose Milk Cocktail, a combination of whiskey, sweet cream or ice cream, sugar, and moose milk is a popular Canadian cocktail.
Conclusion
Unlike Pule, the most expensive cheese in the world, moose cheese does have the potential to become a booming business. Unlike the endangered Belken Donkey used for Pule, Moose are prominent in places like Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Sweden, so it’s not a stretch to say that once people catch on, the rarity of Moose Cheese may plummet.
But for now, it holds its spot at the top for one of the rarest and most expensive cheeses in the world. So, if you’d like a taste, it is just a plane ticket and a long bus ride away. The amazing health benefits, unique taste, and experience might just be worth it.
