[1] It is semi-hard, yellow, and made from cow's milk, in the shape of wheels or blocks, with a maturation period of three months.
The most likely is that it is a false cognate in Norwegian of the Dutch Nagelkaas, which translates to "nail cheese", owing to the nail-like shape of the cloves.
Another theory is that as a factory-made variation of the Dutch Leyden cheese, which has its origins in the 17th century, the Norwegian nøkkel (meaning "key") is a reference to Leiden's coat of arms.
[5] Kraft Foods first called it "Caraway" then later used "Kuminost Spiced Cheese" on the label.
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