Schleswig-Holstein · Germany
Tilsiter.
Tilsiter is a bridge between butter and earth—creamy and mild, yet with a subtle tang that awakens the palate without overwhelming it. Its semi-hard paste yields easily to the knife, releasing aromas of fresh cream and cellar floor, while the natural rind carries whispers of grass and time. A cheese that tastes equally at home on a board or melted into warm bread.
Rate this cheese
The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Tilsiter was created in the mid-19th century in Tilsit (now Sovetsk, Russia) by Dutch Mennonite immigrants. Swiss cheesemakers carried the recipe home as early as 1893; after the World Wars, expelled East Prussian dairy families spread it across Germany.
German Tilsiter is produced with either washed rind (full-flavored) or natural rind (milder). It remains popular across Germany as a slicing and cooking cheese.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Cow · pasteurised
- Family
- Semi-hard
- Rind
- washed
- Age
- 1–4 mo
- Intensity
- 2 / 5
- Texture
- semi-hard
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
These bars are a visual read of Tilsiter's flavour and aroma notes, scaled by the cheese's overall intensity — a quick guide, not a lab measurement.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100 g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100 g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Serve, cut & store
Out of the fridge,
into its prime.
Guidance for semi-hard cheeses — general practice, not a per-wheel measurement.
Rest
Take it out about ≈1 h before serving — cold stiffens the fat and locks up the aromas; cool room temperature is when the flavour shows up.
Cut
Cut thin half-moons or batons from the wedge; trim waxed or inedible rinds as you go.
Store
Wrap leftovers in cheese paper or wax paper — never cling film, which suffocates the rind — and keep them in the warmest part of the fridge.
Rule of thumb: the softer and riper, the longer it needs. Thick pieces need longer than thin — and don't leave cheese out much past two hours.
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Tilsiter.
43 pairings across 7 categories.
Wine
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
Counter listings for Tilsiter are being verified. Check back soon.
Verified counter listings coming soon. Our team updates listings monthly.
Substitutes
No Tilsiter at the counter?
These will play a similar role on the board and in the pan.
Take it with you
Want to remember this one?.
Log it, pair it, and keep your own tasting notes — Caseo is free.
