Fleur d’Aunis Washed Rind Cheese

A Great Value Washed Rind Cheese – Fleur d”Aunis

I really like this cheese because it is a “value” cheese” however it is still an imported cheese from France so it’s not going to be that inexpensive.

It’s also a “washed rind” cheese that is first bathed in Pineau des Charentes, a Cognac-fortified aperitif wine and then brushed gently with salt water. This salt re-crystalizes on the rind to give it some additional texture so if you enjoy eating cheese rinds, you’re going to like this one.

Fleur d’Aunis or Flower of Aunis is a pungent cheese, what I like to call a “stinky” cheese but in a good way. It is made from pasteurized cow’s milk and has a 50% fat content.

With a meaty mouth feel and buttery taste, throw in a little briny-nutty flavor and you have a great cheese for all occasions.  I paid around $15 per pound where most of the washed rind cheeses, except for Taleggio, sell for $22 and up.

Washed Rind Basics

“Washed rind” is a way to describe cheeses that have their exteriors washed with mildly salted water to help attract bacteria essential for developing the moist rinds with their distinctive reddish color and wonderful pungent smell.

There are high moisture content washed rind cheeses like Taleggio and Epoisse that get broken down by the bacteria with age and become creamier over time. When they are perfectly ripe, the soft interior will actually ooze but remember they also get “slinkier” with all that oozing.

Other washed rind cheeses that start with lower moisture content like Gruyère or Appenzeller actually become firmer and drier as they age.

Fleur d’Aunis – The Short of It

Milk Type: pasteurized cow’s milk

Region: Charentes-Poitou – north-west coast of France

Country: France

Type: Semi-soft

Shape: Round

Wheel Weight: 6.5 pounds

Rind: Sticky, gritty to the touch, pale orange, edible

Paste: Golden yellow, smooth but with fissures & a little rubbery

Taste: rich, buttery, nutty & just a little bit tangy

Aroma: The rind smells like wet hay in a barn while the paste smells nutty with mushroom aromas

Fat content: 50%

Aging Time: 1 month

Texture: Creamy

Online Sources: Cheese

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I strongly urge you to find a good cheese shop near you so you can get to know your cheesemongers and they get to know you. However, if you don't have a good local cheese shop or they don't have some of the cheeses I recommend, here are some online sources for you. Be careful to buy the best product you can afford so you don't end up with an inferior product. The links below are affiliate links.

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Di Bruno Brothers is close to home to me. They have been in Philadelphia since 1939 and prided themselves on bringing amazing food to the city of Philadelphia and drawing food lovers together in their ‘home.’ They also have a store just outside of Philly where I get most of my cheese and cured meats. If you can't find a particular cheese in your market, most likely Di Bruno Bros. will.

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For the Gourmet

In 2002, a group of classically trained and talented Chefs found themselves as Executive Chefs in kitchens across the country. While creating their menus and gourmet specials it became obvious that certain quality products they had found in specific regions of the country and around the world were not always available to them. They quickly began to realize the value of getting the best, freshest and origin specific gourmet products to their kitchens and more importantly, to their customers. That need and passion for the freshest and finest gourmet products evolved into For the Gourmet.

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