Sounds like "schmeerkase"

[Kris H.]

First of all, I'm not German or from German ancestors, but I'm asking out of a personal historical curiousity.

My father used to talk about something he ate as a child and always wished he could have again, and I think he would call it something like "schmeerkase." My impression was that it might be something like what we called "head cheese" which if I remember right was a conglomeration of bits and pieces of meat all messed together and could be sliced up. I didn't and still don't like foods like this, and I don't want to make it, I just want to know if anybody knows about it!

Thanks very much.

[Inge 1505]

Kris H. wrote:
First of all, I'm not German or from German ancestors, but I'm asking out of a personal historical curiousity.

My father used to talk about something he ate as a child and always wished he could have again, and I think he would call it something like "schmeerkase." My impression was that it might be something like what we called "head cheese" which if I remember right was a conglomeration of bits and pieces of meat all messed together and could be sliced up. I didn't and still don't like foods like this, and I don't want to make it, I just want to know if anybody knows about it!

Thanks very much.

To a German Schmierkäse is a spreadable cheese (From schmieren = to grease and Käse = cheese).
Today it is a highly processed cheese product. Cheese melted with salt and dairy products and often flavoured. Common flavours are cream, herbs, salami! You can buy it in 7 oz containers with a lid or more traditionally packaged shaped into wedges of about 1 1/2 oz and wrapped in aluminium foil, then six of those are packed in a circular cardboard container, usually 3 different flavours. Opening one of those aluminium foil wraps without "greasing" yourself and everything else is challenging. Therefore the familiar term "Schmierkäse" I suppose. Officially it is called Streichkäse ( from streichen = to spread).
If there is any Schmierkäse containing meat it would be the salami flavoured one, but there are only the tiniest little bits of it.
Here is a link to some Schmierkäse available in the US.

[Kris H.]

Thanks, Inge!

I think my memories have conflated two different products, then. There are a lot of similar cheeses to what you describe available here in the U.S.

Thanks for clearing up my confusion!

[Inge 1505]

Glad I could help.