Limburger Germany's Famous Stinky Cheese

Limburger was first produced  by Trappist monks in the Limburg region of Belgium during the early 19th century. The cheese quickly became popular and was copied by the Germans who began to produce it in the Allgau region. It's fame has grown worldwide and is now considered a German original.

Limburger is a washed rind, pasteurized cow's milk cheese that has a strong pungent aroma. The rind is thin, sticky and edible with a pale orange to light brown color and distinctive corrugated ridges.The interior paste has a pale straw or white color. As this cheese ages it will soften and become almost runny. The flavor is mild, grassy and mushroomy with a slight tang on the finish. Overall this is a one dimensional and somewhat disappointing cheese but this is not meant to say that it should be dismissed. However if you are looking for a stinky cheese with more depth of flavor try  French Alsatian Munster, Epoisse or Taleggio

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When shopping for Limbuger look for foil-wrapped 8oz packages that are not soft or bulging or you may be in for a very unpleasant purchase. Please remember that Limburger will have a strong aroma but then again that is part of it's allure. Limburger can be purchased in most supermarkets, Whole Foods and online at Amazon. Try to find an imported brand most domestically produced Limburger is forgettable.

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Limburger can be served with raw vegetables, fruit and crackers. It also goes well with salty fish like sardines and anchovies.

Parings: Malty Beers

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Grayson Cheese The American Taleggio

Grayson  is not a unique cheese but it is one of the excellent newer arrivals in the renaissance of American cheese making. It is produced by the Meadow Creek Dairy located in the southwestern mountains of Virginia. This area of Virginia is well known for its mineral rich soil, pure air and pristine water, these elements form the backbone of the dairy and agriculture production.

Details: Grayson is an American "stinky cheese" that is  strictly seasonally produced so the milking process begins in early March and continues until early winter with the last milking day being Christmas Eve. The raw milk used to make Grayson comes from a free ranging, closed herd of Jersey cows that graze on mixture of perennial grasses, grains and iodine rich Norwegian kelp.

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This cheese is based on the recipe for the popular Italian cheese Taleggio but it has its own signature due to its longer aging process (60 days) and the type of raw milk that is used to produce it. However like Taleggio it is formed into squares that weigh about 5 pounds. Grayson is a surface ripened, washed rind raw milk cheese so it will have a moderate stink factor however this will begin to disappear when the cheese is cut and allowed to breathe. Its edible washed rind  is well formed with a deep red color and is soft and pliant to the touch. The inner paste has a light yellow or straw color and when ripe will be bulgy or slightly oozy like brie. Grayson is a nice substitute for Brie and a nice introduction to Taleggio.

Flavor: Grayson's flavor profile is rich and beefy, slightly salty with a nutty sweet buttery finish.

Serve Grayson as a dessert course drizzled with honey, spread on crusty bread, or with dried fruit or sweet melons. It can also stand on its own so it can be used as a table cheese and can be substitute for Taleggio or Brie in your recipes. Please remember that this is a seasonally produced cheese so is may be hard to find, but when you do find it you will be rewarded with an excellent example of American cheese making.

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Store Grayson in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator wrapped in wax paper and placed in a zip lock bag. If any mold should form in its rind or inner paste simply cut or scrape it off .When shopping for this cheese do not purchase  any that look very runny or smell like ammonia another sign of abuse is a dried out looking cheese.

Wine Pairing: Malbec, Albarino, Cabernet or Gewurztraminer Grayson also pairs well with beer