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

Keurig K-Cafe Coffee Maker  from Amazon

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.

German Cheese sampler  at Amazon

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

Parings: Malty Beers

.

Morbier A Classic French Cheese

Morbier is a cow's milk cheese that is named after the town of Morbier. .Morbier produced in the Jura region and has been given AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlle) name control. It is defined by the thin dark layer of vegetable ash through the center of the paste. This cheese's origin is very humble and it's creation may even be considered to be an afterthought. Traditionally, during the production of Comte some curd would be left over and to preserve it for the next day. The cheese makers would press the curds in the molds and then cover them with vegetable ash to prevent the formation of a rind. The following day new curd would be placed on top of the ash layer forming a complete wheel of cheese. The wheels were then lightly pressed and washed with brine to form the rind. The washing process creates a moist outer rind that has a pungent aroma. Yes this can be considered a "stinky cheese". Today Morbier is made from only one days production and the ash layer is added to keep the traditional appearance alive. The finished wheels are then aged for a least 60 days.

Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker  from Amazon

Morbier is sold in the United States as both a raw milk and pasteurized cheese. The raw milk version has much more flavor and is the much better choice. Both versions should have a paper label on them that notes that  it is Jura Morbier. This cheese has a smooth, moist, yellow rind that is inedible. Once you get past the moderate stink factor the inner paste is light yellow and semi-soft with a buttery mild flavor, a nutty finish and a slight tang. The ash layer is plainly visible through the center of the cheese but does not impart any flavor to the cheese. Do not let the smell of this cheese stop you from trying it, be bold and you will be rewarded by it's wonderful flavor.

French Cheese Sampler at Amazon

When shopping for this cheese always stay away from those that appear to have a cracked rind, a dry looking inner paste or look slimy. Morbier does have a moderate stink factor but stay away from any that smell rancid or like ammonia.

Serve Morbier with sandwich meats on crusty bread or melt it over potatoes or rice dishes. It is also a nice alternative for fondue and cheeseburgers.

Store this cheese in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in a Ziploc bag.

 
Wine Paring: A good Pinot Noir, cru Beaujolais or Gewürztraminer.

An Introduction To The Types Of Cheeses Found In A Good Cheese Shop

There are several types of cheese that one will encounter in a good gourmet cheese shop. We are not talking about goat, sheep or cow milk cheeses but are referring to the terms used to distinguish the manner in which the cheeses are produced. These processes are important to the final product with respect to their taste, smell and texture.

Pressed Cheese: The curds of these types of cheese are hand or mechanically pressed to remove the maximum amount of water during production. This produces hard and semi-hard types of cheese. After pressing the cheese may be cooked to remove even more moisture from the curd. This cooking process creates a very firm inner paste and a hard outer rind. If the cheese remains uncooked or thermalized its inner paste and outer rind will remain only semi firm. Uncooked cheeses tend to be sweet and fruity when they are young but will develop a much more complex flavor as they age. After further drying the young cheeses are subjected to a salt bath and are then allowed to age in cool rooms or caves. Natural rind cheeses tend to have hard outer rinds and are for the most part inedible, however some cheddars and semi-firm cheeses will have edible rinds

Examples of Cooked Pressed Cheeses include; Gruyere, Swiss Emmental, Gouda,  Parmigiano Reggiano, Asiago, French Comte, and Idiazabal

Examples of Uncooked Pressed Cheeses include; Morbier, Red Leicester and Tete de Moine, Roncal, Pecorino Toscano, Manchego, Farmhouse Cheddar and Hirtenkase

Washed Rind Cheese: These cheeses have also become known infamously as " stinky cheeses". Before beginning the aging process some of these cheeses may be cooked. During their aging process these cheeses are washed or "bathed" with liquids like wine, apple or pear juice. The sweetness of the wash enables the growth of bacteria on the outer rind. This beneficial bacteria is actually encouraged and produces the stinky aroma and the sticky, reddish-orange rinds that are for the most part inedible. It also inhibits the growth of unwanted mold on the cheese. For many of theses cheeses the stinky aroma is only held in the washed rind so that when it is removed an exquisitely flavored inner paste is revealed. So reward yourself and be daring.

Examples of Washed Rind Cheeses include; Epoisses, Taleggio, French Munster, Stinking Bishop, Pont-L'eveque,Vacherin Fribourgeois and Mahon

Soft Ripened Cheeses or Bloomy Rind Cheeses: For the most part these cheeses are not cooked but their rinds are exposed to mold. The mold is encouraged to cover the entire outer rind and it forms a white or light beige velvety layer that holds in the soft inner paste. The outer rinds are edible but it is really a matter of personal taste. As these cheeses age or "ripen" they become gooey or completely runny. This type of cheese is wonderful as a table cheese when served with fresh fruits and crusty bread.

Examples of Soft Ripened Cheeses include; Camembert, Brie, Chaource and Italian Toma

As mentioned in previous posts a ripe Brie should bulge when it is cut but if appears to be runny you should avoid it because it is past its prime.

Triple Cream Cheeses: To be considered a triple cream a cheese must contain at least 75% butterfat. This high fat content produces sinfully decadent cheeses that have wonderful texture and flavor. Some triple creams are soft-ripened and some are freshly produced with little aging.

To fully enjoy these rich cheeses serve them with Champagne or indulge in a Parisian breakfast by spreading them on a crusty baguette. Mascarpone is sometimes considered to be a triple cream cheese becaues it does contain at least 70% to 75% butterfat but rennet is not used in its production so no curds are produced therefore many cheese purists consider it to be a dairy product like cream and not a cheese at all.

Examples of Triple Cream Cheeses include; Explorateur, Brillat Savarin or Pierre Robert

Blue Veined Cheeses: Blue cheeses are made from cow's sheep and goat's milk. After the cheeses have been formed and placed in caves or cellars and begin to age they are pierced with needle and molds are introduced to create the blue and sometimes green veining. Blue cheese can be mild in flavor or  have a very powerful flavor and some will be somewhere in between. So there is a blue cheese for almost everyone.

We hope that this will make your next visit to your local cheese shop a little less intimidating and that you will be a better informed cheese buyer. You should never feel that your questions or concerns are silly, any GOOD cheese seller will be more than happy to let you sample any of his cheeses and to answer any of your questions. If you meet some resistance to sampling or the sales staff seems aloof or uninterested in your questions find another cheese shop!