There’s nothing strange about adding a bit of milk or cream to a cup of coffee, but in northern Sweden, they prefer a different kind of dairy with their coffee – cheese.
Kaffeost is a combination of hot coffee and a particular type of cheese called leipäjuusto, which loosely translates to “bread cheese”. But there’s no bread involved in this unusual combination, just cheese and coffee. The name most likely comes from the cheese’s absorbent quality, which allows it to take on a surprising amount of coffee flavor after soaking for only a few minutes. The spongy texture may not be for everybody, but the taste is said to be more than worth it. Leipäjuusto is noticeably sweeter than your average block of cheddar, so adding a few pieces to your cup of coffee is surprisingly similar to adding cream, or milk and sugar to it.