Anyone who thinks of Sweden when they think of handmade cheese is probably not visiting Cheese Berlin for the first time – otherwise, they would hardly make that association. Yet Almnäs Bruk is a real beacon in this field. Right on Lake Vättern between Stockholm and Gothenburg, Thomas Berglund has created a cheese universe that revives old recipes and writes new stories.

First and foremost is Wrångebäck: registered since 1889, it is considered the oldest protected cheese variety in the north. A cheese icon that has graced the tables of polar expeditions, parliamentary anniversaries and royal celebrations – and was revived in 2008 by Almnäs Bruk after a decades-long hiatus, using old cultures, ancient boards and the help of the last surviving master cheesemaker.

There is also Almnäs Tegel, a hard cheese in the shape of a brick, branded with small children's feet – a reminder of the farm's former brickworks, where children once left their footprints in the clay. And there are even more varieties that are deeply rooted in medieval techniques and regional history. But Thomas (a fabulous storyteller) is best placed to tell you all about that himself.