TLDR: Some people put cheese in their coffee!

In Bryanston there were two snackbreaks everyday. They had fruit, cake and cookies. They also included coffee and tea. To accompany the warm beverages there would be cream, milk, oat milk, multiple sugars, and CHEESE. As in grated-cheese-in-a-bowl kind of cheese. The first time I saw the cheese I thought surely it must be some kind of caterer hazing ritual thrust upon a new staff member. The second time I saw it I was confused but didn’t question it. The third time I asked the staff handing out cups of coffee. They said it is something they do for their Swedish guests but they had never seen anyone try it.

They leave out cheese for us to put in our coffee!

This is a real thing from far North Swedish Lapland. From what I’ve read it allows them to get a little more nutrition and fat in their diets. They take cubes of Kaffeost and let it warm and marinate in their coffee. I assure you putting cheese in coffee is not the same as putting coffee in cheese! It tastes nothing like mocha cheese cake. I know because I tried it. I grabbed a cup of strong British coffee and made my way for the bowl of cheese. After heaping in a couple of small forkfuls into my coffee I informed the staff that I would report back with my findings. They would not make eye contact with me at that point.

I did report back to the staff about my findings. It did not phase the coffee flavour at all. Using my spoon I pulled up the melty gooey cheese. It was a light Emmental cheese flavour with a hint of coffee. Not a combo I would seek out on purpose. The melty cheese was a nice treat. There WAS cheese oil floating at the top of the mug but I sipped through that and I feel I’m stronger for it.

Go ahead and judge me I don’t regret trying it!