The cheese mold is made from a basket of braided wicker produced by the Latvian master basket maker, Astrida Smilktene. It is an accurate reproduction of the baskets made locally hundreds of years ago, some of which are on display in our regional museum in Skara, Västergötland.
At the Birmingham, England World Cheese Awards in November 2012, Anno 1225 received a Gold Award, of which we are very proud. It’s an interesting coincidence that during a summer internship at Almnäs, Astrida’s grandson, Janis, helped to make the batch of Anno 1225 that won the award.
Unlike our other cheeses, Anno 1225 is not washed with salt water. It is aged in its own storage facility, where the local fungi and yeast cultures can establish themselves freely on the surface. After a few weeks, the rind is covered with a natural mold and the only thing we do is to turn the cheese every three days. In this way, after 5 to 7 months of storage we get a cheese that is completely influenced by our local fauna. Each Anno 1225 weighs 3 to 4 kilograms (7 to 9 pounds).
As Anno 1225 settles down into its basket, it’s weight slowly imprints the traditional braided wicker patterns into the rind. Anno 1225 offers a slightly acidic, damp-earth smell, reminiscent of cellars and mushrooms, a subtle contrast to the tangy, fresh, light and creamy taste. The rind is edible, adding a complexity to the taste experience characterized by a slight bitterness and a drier mouth-feel.
Country of origin: Sweden
German:
Die Käseform für den Anno 1225 ist ein Korb aus Weidenzweigen, hergestellt von der lettischen Korbflechterin Astrida Smilktene. Er wird nach dem exakten Vorbild der Körbe geflochten, die vor Hunderten von Jahren in unserer Gegend gefertigt wurden. Einige von ihnen kann man im Regionalmuseum von Västergötland in Skara besichtigen.
Im November 2012 gewann der Anno 1225 bei den „World Cheese Awards“ in Birmingham, England, eine Goldmedaille, auf die wir sehr stolz sind. Erstaunlicherweise half bei der Fertigung gerade dieser preisgekrönten Serie des Anno 1225 Astridas Enkel Janis, der zu dieser Zeit ein Praktikum auf Almnäs machte.
Anders als unsere anderen Käsesorten wird der Anno 1225 nicht mit Salzwasser gewaschen. Er reift in einem separaten Lagerraum, in dem sich die lokalen Pilz- und Hefekulturen frei auf der Oberfläche absetzen können. Nach einigen Wochen ist die Rinde von einer natürlichen Schimmelschicht bedeckt. Das einzige, was wir tun, ist den Käse alle drei Tage umzudrehen. Auf diese Weise erhalten wir nach 5 bis 7 Monaten Lagerung einen Käse, der vollständig von unserer örtlichen Fauna beeinflusst ist. Jeder Anno 1225 wiegt 3 bis 4 kg.
Wenn der Anno 1225 dann in seinen Weidenkorb gelegt wird, sorgt sein Gewicht dafür, dass sich das traditionelle Weidenkorbmuster langsam in seine Rinde prägt. Der Anno 1225 riecht leicht säuerlich und nach feuchter Erde, der Geruch erinnert an Keller und Pilze und bildet somit einen raffinierten Gegensatz zu seinem herben, frischen und cremigen Geschmack. Die Rinde ist essbar und ergänzt das Geschmackserlebnis durch eine leicht bittere Note und ein trockeneres Mundgefühl.
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