Fynbo is a semi-hard Danish cheese made from cow’s milk, originating from the island of Fyn. It is aged for several months and has a flavor reminiscent of buckwheat. It is a rennet cheese and is often compared to Samso cheese. Fynbo is exported but is usually only found in gourmet cheese shops. It can be stored for a long time due to its semi-hard texture and brine flavoring. Denmark is one of the top five cheese exporters in the world. Fynbo cheese is among a group of 30 other cheese names on the global market that have been given mutual permission.
Fynbo is an off-white or tan colored Danish cheese made from cow’s milk that has a flavor reminiscent of buckwheat. It is typically formed into a 4-pound (1.8 kilogram) cylinder cheese wheel and aged for several months, retaining about one-third of the fat content. The cheese originated on the Danish island of Fyn, the third largest of the Danish islands, and is still made there as of 2011.
Because Fynbo is a rennet cheese, it gets better with age as it ages and is harder than farmed cheeses that can be eaten immediately after drying. It is characterized by a semi-hard cheese, which is only one level below the harder types of cheeses classified as hard. Danish cheeses come in many types, and Fynbo is a local favorite, though it can be hard to find in other countries, such as the United States. It is sometimes compared to another Danish cheese called Samso which is also named after a much smaller island in Denmark than Fyn. Samso cheese is slightly elastic, has some holes like Swiss cheese and is also made from cow’s milk.
Even though Fynbo is exported to the international market and sold alongside other types of cheese, it is usually only found in gourmet cheese shops. Cheese connoisseurs compare it most closely to the flavor of Monterey Jack cheese, which is recommended as a substitute in recipes calling for Fynbo. Because many Danish cheeses are delicate and creamy in flavor and texture, they can often be substituted for one another in recipes. In Denmark, by itself, it is commonly eaten in salads and as slices in sandwiches as a favorite type of cold cheese.
Cheeses prepared with rennet have the longest shelf life of the cheese varieties. The harder the cheese, typically the longer it can be stored safely. Because Fynbo is a semi-hard cheese and is often flavored with brine, which acts as a preservative, it can be stored for a long time.
Cheesemaking in Denmark dates back to 3000 BC and, as of 2003, was producing 327,000 tonnes annually, of which 77% was exported. Germany is the largest importer of cheese to the EU overall and Denmark’s largest cheese export market, followed by Sweden and the United Kingdom. Despite Denmark’s relatively small size among its European neighbors, as of 2005, it was one of the top five cheese exporters in the world, including Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy.
Interestingly, the names and recipes of some cheeses are protected internationally by the Stresa Convention of 1951. These highly protected cheeses are Roquefort in France and three Italian varieties of Gorgonzola, Parmigiano and Pecorino. Fynbo cheese, which was once called opstukken Danish Gouda until 1952, is among a group of 30 other cheese names on the global market that have been given mutual permission. This means that the name can be used for domestic or international exports for Fynbo when produced in other countries. Only seven countries have joined the Stresa Convention protections for the origins of cheese, however, all of them exist in the European Union.
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