FOOD NEWS
Why Cheese Buttons Are One Of North Dakota’s Most Famous Dishes
BY PEGGY AOKI
When northern European settlers arrived in the Dakota Territories in the late 1800s, they brought foods with them, including famous cheese dumplings called cheese buttons.
Cheese buttons are typically made from a simple dough mixture of flour, eggs, and water, encasing a cheese filling, most commonly a dry cottage cheese.
The dumplings are boiled until they float to the surface. Some prefer them with melted butter and onions, while others savor them with a sour cream or toasted breadcrumb sauce.
The cheese button recipe was passed down through German-Russian families for generations, making use of wheat and local homemade cottage cheese. They symbolize cultural continuity.
As descendants of those early immigrants continue to celebrate their roots, the cheese dumpling remains a symbol of cultural continuity and blending of traditions.