Port_Salut.jpg

Port Salut

Danish Port Salut pairs well with full-flavored foods, such as sardines and onions.

Port Salut was originally introduced about 150 years ago by Trappist monks. A great many French and German Trappist semisoft cheeses have been developed since then; each is unique to its region. No longer produced by monastery farms, this mild, semisoft cheese is now commercially manufactured in the Lorraine region of France.

Varieties

Fine Port Saluts are now also made in Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and elsewhere.

French Port Salut

Varietal names of Port Salut cheeses in France include Echourgnac, Tamie, Pave d’Auge, Nantais, Reblochon, Tomme de Savoie, Trappiste de Belval, Saint-Paulin, and Pont l’ Évêque (reported to be one of the great cheeses of Normandy).

German and Austrian Port Salut

Look for Steinbuscher, from Germany, and Mondseer, from Austria.

Belgian and Dutch Port Salut

Varieties from this region include Loo Veritable and Brigand, from Belgium, and Kernhem, from Holland.

Danish Esrom

Another semisoft Port Salut variety, this is a flavorful, pale-yellow cheese made from part-skim cows’ milk. Its orange rind is created as the cheese is polished with brine, which also contributes to its rich flavor.

Scandinavian Port Salut

Scandinavian varieties include Ridder, from Norway, which is also known as Riddar in Sweden.

Buying and storing tips

Like other semisoft cheeses, Port Salut can be kept for at least two weeks when refrigerated.

Availability

The most familiar varieties are widely available in natural food, grocery, and specialty stores.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Danish Port Salut pairs well with full-flavored accompaniments, such as sardines, onions, crackers, and beer. French Port Salut makes a good and popular table and grilling cheese.

Nutritional Highlights

Port Salut cheese, 1 oz. (28g)
Calories: 100
Protein: 6.7g
Carbohydrate: 0.16g
Total Fat: 8g
Fiber: 0.0g
*Good source of: Calcium (184mg)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.