{{Short description|Sour milk cheese}} thumb|300px|Nieheimer sauermilchkäse '''Nieheimer''' is a sour milk cheese made using cow's milk and named after Nieheim, a town in Höxter district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.<ref name="USDA 1949 p. 84"/> It is prepared from curds that are first formed into a cake form and aged for around five to eight days.<ref name="USDA 1949 p. 84"/><ref name="Sicard 2020 p. 108"/> After this time, the cakes are broken down into smaller pieces, salt and caraway seeds are added, and the pieces are then covered with straw while drying.<ref name="USDA 1949 p. 84"/> Milk or beer is also sometimes added at this time.<ref name="USDA 1949 p. 84"/> After being flavored, the cheese is then placed into casks that are packed with layers of hops and further ripened.<ref name="USDA 1949 p. 84"/><ref name="Dairy Industries 1957"/> Nieheimer is prepared without the use of rennet.<ref name="Ensrud 1981"/>
It is a firm cheese that may even be hard at times, has a "yellowish to gray-green" colored rind, has a 28% fat content, and is sometimes purveyed covered with hop leaves.<ref name="Sicard 2020 p. 108"/> It is commonly grated or shaved when being used.<ref name="Sicard 2020 p. 108"/>
In some areas, Nieheimer is referred to informally as "hop cheese", although hop cheese itself is a different type of cheese.<ref name="USDA 1949 p. 84"/>
==See also== * German cuisine * List of cheeses * {{portal-inline|Food}} * {{portal-inline|Germany}}
==References== <references>
<ref name="USDA 1949 p. 84">{{cite book | author=United States Department of Agriculture | title=Agriculture Handbook | publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture | issue=54 | year=1949 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=diyg4UPyvl0C&pg=PA84 | access-date=8 April 2021 | page=84}}</ref> <ref name="Ensrud 1981">{{cite book | last=Ensrud | first=B. | title=The Pocket Guide to Wine and Cheese | publisher=New Orchard Editions | year=1981 | isbn=978-1-85079-021-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7YdkrsVVXgcC | access-date=9 April 2021 | page=82}}</ref> <ref name="Dairy Industries 1957">{{cite book | title=Dairy Industries | publisher=United Trade Press | issue=v. 22 | year=1957 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UdRGAAAAYAAJ | access-date=9 April 2021 | page=192}}</ref> <ref name="Sicard 2020 p. 108">{{cite book | last=Sicard | first=T. | title=A Field Guide to Cheese: How to Select, Enjoy, and Pair the World's Best Cheeses | publisher=Artisan | year=2020 | isbn=978-1-57965-975-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WrCpDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT108 | access-date=9 April 2021 | page=108}}</ref>
</references>
{{German cheeses|state=expanded}}
Category:German cheeses Category:Acid-set cheeses
{{germany-cheese-stub}} {{cheese-stub}}