Tasteless relocation of cheese? – Skaraborgs Allehanda

What is in the plate is more than food. There is a geographical presence in dishes such as pitepalt, saffron patties, frozen ribbon, cereals and puff pastry.

What is in the plate is more than food. There is a geographical presence in dishes such as pitepalt, saffron patties, frozen ribbon, cereals and puff pastry. And what dishes are associated with a region, there is often a logic around it. People ate what was available – such as Mälargös, Vänergös or Vätternröding.

But what happens if geographically linked foods lose their connection to the place where they were formed? This question became relevant after the dairy empire Arla decided to transfer boxholms cheese production from Boxholm, in Östergötland. The cheese should instead be made in Östersund. A city that ironically observed earlier this year that messenger production has been transferred from the messholm capital to Haninge, outside of Stockholm.

However, the food associated with a particular place moves is relatively common. Åseda smoked cheese produces Arla for Danish milk for several years in Denmark. Västerviks mustard is produced in Eslöv. And the mustard Slotts left Uppsala and Sweden several years ago.

Moving circus can be an expression of two things. Either consumers are not willing to pay for food retains their geographic anchorage. Or, these are food businesses that want the added value of a brand without having to pay the additional costs that may be associated with maintaining a smaller production unit. But for some reason, the events are in a way a failure of the political idea of ​​Swedish food production and agriculture: the food produced in Sweden has an added value that consumers are willing to pay.

At the same time, what does it mean more than a food moving? Maybe this can affect the taste. For example, the dairy company that makes Västerbotten cheese says that the popular cheese can only be produced at the small dairy in Burträsk. But nobody knows why.

Another aspect of the fact that food production is in motion is that it affects local identity. When food is removed from a place, not only do the jobs disappear, but also a relationship between generations. Östgötten Sven Otto Littorin (M), former Minister of Labor, is one example. He reacted to Arla's plan to relocate Boxholm's cheese production: "I grew up with these cheeses – they are childhood memories for me." Littorin told SVT East (19). / 10).

In the case of cheese, it is much more than the dairy itself, which can be important: historically, production included a whole village. The cows graze and eat the local special composition of grass and herbs, which has been affected by the soil. Animals and milk are handled by the local workforce.

We say we become what we eat. So maybe we rotted some cheese moved.

Edvard Hollertz / SNB