The first wheel of Jarlsberg® was shipped to Canada 50 years ago on a Transatlantic freighter, the “Måkefjell”. Although this first 1963 shipment contained only 10 cases of the Norwegian cheese, today Jarlsberg®’s famous logo is a familiar sight virtually everywhere in Canada where cheese is sold. Last year alone, Canadians enjoyed more than a million kilograms of Jarlsberg®.
Originally pioneered by G.A. Wagner of Montreal, and now managed by TINE subsidiary Norseland Inc., Jarlsberg® has, in fifty years, gone from humble beginnings to being one of the nation’s best known branded specialty cheeses.
Jarlsberg® is a firm ripened cheese with a smooth taste and texture and a distinctive mellow flavour. While considered a specialty cheese, its versatility has made it an everyday family favourite in homes across Canada. Whether sliced into sandwiches, melted into comforting casseroles, or enjoyed on its own as a snack, this Norwegian cheese’s mild and nutty flavour has been tantalizing Canadian taste buds now for a full five decades.
To celebrate fifty delicious years in Canada, Norseland Inc. has published Jarlsberg®, Ja! – a collection of recipes that span 50 years of famous Jarlsberg® flavour in Canada. From classic 60s appetizers to contemporary main course dishes, the booklet showcases Jarlsberg®’s tremendous versatility and distinctive flavour.
