The Liederkranz Cheese Story

DCI Cheese Company is pleased to reintroduce Liederkranz (pronounced LEE-duhr-krahntz), an American-made, surface-ripened snack cheese with a distinctly strong aroma and unique, full-bodied flavor. This time-tested favorite of cheese connoisseurs has been out of production since 1985. After a 25-year hiatus, the cheese is returning to the market March 2010 in response to a dedicated fan-base.

Liederkranz is an American replication of Germanys Limburger cheese, made subtly different by the use of a distinct bacterial culture for ripening. The cow's milk cheese has the same texture and unique aroma, but features a distinctively robust and buttery flavor. It is made in a small, rectangular shape and has a moist, edible, golden yellow crust with a pale ivory interior and a heavy, honey-like consistency. It is particularly well complemented by dark bread and dark beer and can be used as an appetizer, on salads or sandwiches, or with fruits. As the cheese matures, the crust turns golden brown and the cheese a deeper color. Both flavor and aroma become much stronger.

The mildly pungent cheese was created in the late 1800s by Emil Frey, an apprentice cheesemaker at the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York. The owner, Adolphe Tode, also ran a successful New York delicatessen. At the time there was a heavy wave of German immigrants and Tode received many requests from them for Bismarck Schlosskse, a traditional soft, smelly cheese. Due to inadequate refrigeration, much of this delicate cheese spoiled in transit. To meet the demand, Tode challenged his companys cheesemakers to duplicate the popular German cheese. After years of experimentation, Frey stumbled upon a spreadable, Limburger-style product.

The first samples of the new cheese were taken to the famous New York City singing society, the Liederkranz Club, whose members were patrons of Todes deli. When they pronounced it wonderful, the cheese was named Liederkranz in their honor. Translated from German, the name means "wreath of song".

After a series of ownership changes, production was moved to Van Wert, Ohio, in 1926. This aided the cheeses distribution, bringing it closer to its biggest purchasers: the Midwests heavily Germanic population. Liederkranz was last manufactured in Ohio in 1985.

DCI Cheese Company from Richfield, Wisconsin, is pleased to reintroduce Liederkranz, preserving the pleasantly strong flavors and aromas of the original semisoft, surface-ripened snack cheese.