If you follow my blog, you know I am a huge fan of “stinky” cheeses especially the washed rind variety. In the recent past I depended on my friend Cheeseman Jack to turn me on to new versions of stinky washed rind cheeses from around the world. Unfortunately Jack no longer has a shop at the farmers market I visit every Saturday morning although he still has his store at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.

DiBruno Bros replaced Jack’s Downtown Cheese in Ardmore and although I’m sad to see Jack gone, two of his protégées work for DiBruno. Now Dan and Bill don’t have the encyclopedic knowledge Jack does, but they know their cheese and are very willing to share what they know and are always ready to offer a sample of something new and different.

What does this have to do with Epoisse? The short answer is nothing except Jack turned me onto this wonderful cheese and it has become one of my top 5 favorite cheeses ever since. The kids think it smells like dirty feet but my wife Meg and I love a taste on Saturday mornings served on some just baked French bread.

Let me tell you a little bit about this delightfully stinky cheese:

Epoisses Cheese In Short

Type: Unpasteurized cows’ milk
Origin: Burgundy, France
Process: Washed with water and brandy three times a week for six weeks.
Texture: At 30 days, slightly grainy; at 40 days, a sticky, smooth, velvety paste–”spoonable” at room temperature when well-aged
Shape: a round, flat disc
Color: pale orange at 30 days; deeper, orange/red/brown at 40 days
Rind: Thin rind washed with brine and brandy, wrinkles as it ages
Flavor: pungently meaty, earthy, salty, nutty

The Rest of the Story

Epoisses, named for the town in which it is produced, is traditionally made with unpasteurized cows’ milk.  According to stories, Epoisses was initially produced by an order of monks living near Epiosses in the Burgundy region of France in the 1600s.  Their emphasis was on agriculture and hard work, so making cheese was a natural for them.  Eventually, the monks left, but not before passing on the secrets to Epoisses production to the population at large.

Production continued for centuries but was almost forgotten by the mid-20th century.  In the 1950s, the Berthaut family of Epoisses (the town) pretty much singlehandedly revived the industry.  To this day, the bulk of Epoisses is produced by the Berthauts, although several other artisan cheese makers in the region have entered the Epoisses game.

While production probably varied a bit throughout the later 1900s, Epoisses was given an AOC status in 1991.  Similar to AOC designations for wine, every cheese maker wanting to produce Eppoises has to hold to strict AOC standards.  To make Epoisses, milk is heated to 86F (30C) and held there for 16 hours.  After 16 hours, the curd is cut into rough chunks and then placed in molds to drain.  The young cheeses drain for 2 days and then are salted and set aside on racks to dry.

As Epoisses ages, it is hand rubbed with a mixture of brine (salt water) and marc.  Marc is a rough brandy (think grappa) that is made from the skins, seeds and stems after grapes have been pressed for wine making.  This mixture, called pomace, is then fermented to produce marc.

Needless to say, it is pretty powerful stuff.  As with all washed rind cheeses, this mixture of brine and marc serves a dual purpose.  It inhibits mold growth that in turn allows bacteria, which give the cheese its distinctive aroma and flavor, to grow, and it also adds its own flavor to the young cheese.

The rind is washed three times a week for four to six weeks, at which time it is packed in cool round wooden boxes for sale.  Since the United States has strict laws governing raw milk and raw milk products manufactured or sold here, the Epoisses we can get in the US is made with heat-treated milk.  US law states that any raw milk cheese must be aged for a minimum of 60 days, so Epoisses misses the mark by a month.

Pasteurization Process

The Pasteurization process makes the milk safe from harmful bacteria, but it also kills off the enzymes present in the milk as well as some of the fresh flavor.  No matter how fast Pasteurization happens, cooked milk just tastes like, well, cooked milk.  I can only imagine how much more complex AOC designated Epoisses de Bourgogne sold in Europe tastes than what is available from my local cheese shop, but I would be first in line to try it. Epoisses is quite possibly my favorite “stinky cheese,” and I would love to taste the traditional version available in France.

Epoisses pairs well with hearty Burgundies–no surprise there.  You can also try it with a nice dessert wine, such as Sauternes.  Since Epoisses has such an assertive aroma, it is not the best for cooking, but allowed to come to room temperature and spread on some toasted nutty bread, the flavor of Epoisses really shines.

Related Topics

Washed Rind Cheeses

All About Cheese

And Now, for the Stinky Cheese Lovers Among Us, Have I Got a Cheese For You!

This review comes with a warning:  If you are the kind of person who thinks that Gorgonzola smells bad or you draw the cheese line firmly at cheddar, this post is not for you.  If, however, you love stinky cheese; if Limburger is one of your favorite cheeses; if cheese gets better for you the more it ages, then you might want to get to know Red Hawk.

We have a new cheese purveyor at the farmers market I go to in Ardmore, PA. Di Bruno Bros. took over my friend Cheeseman Jacks booth as well as 4 or 5 more. I miss Jack and his rough demeanor and his incredible knowledge of cheese but Di Bruno Bros. brought with them a much bigger repertoire of cured meats and exotic gourmet items as well as a lot of great cheeses. I asked the stinky cheese man (just kidding) for a washed rind cheese with lots of aroma like Epoisse and he came up with this Red Hawk and boy was he right.

Red Hawk cheese is made by the chefs-turned-cheesemakers of Cowgirl Creamery, Sue Conley and Peggy Smith.  They first made it by mistake, when they were making a batch of their popular Mt. Tam cheese.  One of the chefs noticed that the rind wasn’t developing correctly, so she tried washing it off.  She then set it aside and forgot about it.

And when she remembered it again a few weeks later, it had developed a distinctive reddish-orange rind.  After they tasted it, they realized they were onto something and perfected the technique.  It’s a triple cream, washed rind cheese (as is Limberger, if that gives you an idea of its pungency).  It is made with organic cow’s milk which I like, especially as a father, because it is pesticide free. That is, if I could get my kids to eat it.  They both are adventurous eaters, but won’t go near the stuff and leave the room if they smell it.

It reminds me of a comedy routine.

“This cheese is so stinky…”

“How stinky is it?”

“It’s so stinky that it makes Limburger smell like roses.”

“It’s so stinky that I can still smell it on my hands hours after I’ve eaten it.”

“It’s so stinky that the dog won’t have anything to do with it.”

I learned that I am the bad father when I store my beloved stinky cheeses in the refrigerator.  One of my girls will open the fridge door to grab a snack, only to reel back in horror at the smell.  Even double-wrapped in plastic wrap, I will admit that there is a lingering…earthy…aroma about the refrigerator!  And if I leave it out to let it come to room temperature so I can enjoy some?  Forget it.  As the cheese tempers, the smell becomes more pronounced, and I am left alone in the house while the girls seek refuge outside.

Now, before I completely scare you away, hear me out.  Red Hawk might not be for the faint of heart, but if you like “stinky” cheeses–and this might be the stinkiest cheese I’ve ever eaten–there are a number of reasons why you should give it a try.

1. Red Hawk won Best in Show at the American Cheese Society’s Annual Conference in 2003.  It also came in second Best in Show and won a Gold Ribbon at the conference in 2009.
2. All the milk to make the cheese comes from Straus Family Dairy in Marin County, California.  How many single dairy source cheeses do you know?  Exactly.  I like that I know where they get their organic milk and how the cows are treated.  In this case, I think it really is true:  Happy cows do come from California.
3. The cheese comes in 10 oz rounds:  enough for you and nine of your closest friends to try it, but not so much that you can’t figure out what to do with the leftovers.
4. Red Hawk is aged for four weeks before being wrapped up and sold, but the cheese will continue to age in your refrigerator, so if you have the inclination and your family will let you, taste a bit every few days to see how the flavor, texture and aroma changes over time.
5. It pairs equally well with bold red wines, sweet dessert wines and hearty stouts.  Now your beer-loving friends and your wine-loving friends can come enjoy the same cheese tasting!
6. As a triple-cream cheese, the cheesemaker adds extra cream to the milk in the mix. This adds to the butterfat which in turn adds to the creamy, silky, smooth mouthfeel.  This is a truly decadent cheese.

So, if you have stuck with me this far, let me tell you what to look for when you buy it, because I know you want to try it.

• Be sure to ask your cheese guy to give you a sample before buying.  It will be coming straight out of the refrigerator, so remember that the aroma and the flavor will be muted.
• Smell it.  It should be pungent and earthy, but if it smells like ammonia, that’s a sure sign that it is over the hill.
• It is a bit pricey–mine was over $30/pound–so don’t buy more than what you can eat in a couple of weeks
• My wife and I served it with some apple slices and French bread.  This was a nice pairing because the tart apples seemed to mellow out the cheese a bit.
• Do let it come to room temperature before eating so the flavor and aroma have a chance to bloom.

Do you like stinky cheeses?  What is your favorite?  Are your kids afraid of it like mine are?  Have you ever tasted Red Hawk?  I’d love to hear from you, so feel free to leave a comment.

Related Topics

Stinky Washed Rind Cheeses

Stinky Brie Cheese

All About Cheese

Roquefort Dressing

Why Does My Brie Cheese Smell Like Ammonia?

Brie Noir

I received a comment from Angie who read my post, Moldy Brie Cheese asking about some brie she purchased that looked lovely, but had an overwhelming ammonia smell. I sent her question to my favorite cheesemonger, Jack Morgan, who gave a great reply.

Jack gives a small plug for his cheese shop here in Philadelphia at the end of his explanation but it is also great advice when seeking out a reputable cheese store anywhere. It is so important to find a cheese person who doesn’t just try to sell you cheese but answers your questions and let’s you try their cheeses. Be nice to your cheese purveyor and you will be surprised how much they will go out of their way to make sure you are satisfied.

From Angie:

I have read conflicting responses on other sites about the ammonia smell to Brie. The rind is pure white, and the cheese is a beautiful color, but the ammonia smell is throwing me. I have never tried this particular kind until tonight – Martin and Collet French Brie. I don’t know that I’ve had a French Brie before, but I do not recall it smelling like ammonia. Please help!

From Jack:

Brie does not necessarily have to be “pure white”.  True “Brie”, that soft-ripened” cheese named after the town of it’s origin, should not, in fact be all white. The various colored spots that may decorate the rind (fleuri) of a authentic brie will tell you a little about the state the cheese is actually in.

Just as our experiences tell us a green banana will taste different than one which is yellow, spotted, or black (and all are very usable in each state of ripeness) so too with the average soft-ripened, bloomy rind cheese.

In truth, a pure white brie will usually denote that the cheese has been “ultra-pasteurized”; a system of heating the curd using very high heat for long periods of time, twice, so that most, if not all bacteria will be killed off. (The word “bacteria”should not be confused with “pathogens”). This process allows the cheese to be “shelf stable”. The resulting cheese is now an approximation of brie.

This super market ideal is based on ill informed facts on how long a particular cheese on a grocers shelf will last before profits are lost with the ultimate decay of the aforementioned product. Knowing this, if one can only buy cheese at a supermarket and you see a “spotted” brie, avoid it. Surely since the cheese has been stabilized you can correctly deduce that the cheese is “old”, rather than aged or professionally cured for x amount of time.

Ammonia Smell

A by product of all bloomy rind cheeses is “ammonia” smell. This some-what offensive aroma results when the cultures used to make the cheese consume and convert the proteins in the curd into ammonia. Refrigeration traps this aroma in the cheese not allowing it to evaporate away. Exposing the cheese to air will help dissipate this aroma.

It is what it is. A lemon should be sour. Excessive anything is never good so it will be up to the individual consumer to decide what is palatable. If you are unable to taste before you purchase, make sure the cheese slightly bulges to touch, is not to colorful, and the smell does not overwhelm you.

Each and every person’s taste buds are legitimate. There are no hard fast rules to what we should like or dislike. Rare steak can be as enjoyable as well done. Do you want yellow bananas or black bananas for puddings and daiquiris? Find a cheese shop, establish a courteous relationship, and  try some samples before you buy.

The photo above is “Brie Noir”; One year “aged”.  At what point is this cheese not serviceable? The answer is up to who will use it and for what purpose.

A small plug for my shop - All customers are allowed to taste most of our cheeses. We supply service and knowledge that matches the superior products we sell. We do not require that any particular consumer have any knowledge what so ever on what it is they may want.

Cheese snobbery is a predictable result of insecure, self-important individuals. We try not to intimidate. The experience of tasting and purchasing should be pleasurable. After all, it is only cheese.

Jack Morgan
Downtown Cheese
The Reading Terminal Market
Philadelphia, Pa.

Related Topics

Moldy Brie Cheese

Interview with Cheeseman Jack Morgan

Cheese Primer

Cheese Guide for Home Cooks