I love cheese. I crave cheese. Any type of cheese. For several months, I have been driving by this cute little place on Montana with a sign outside that says “This Place Stinks!” So my friend and I go in, in search of the stinkiest cheeses.
The minute we walk into the quaint European-style fromagerie, I get a strong whiff of what’s to come. Then I see, stacked tightly side by side behind a glass encasement resembling a meat counter, every kind of cheese one could imagine. Wow. Across from the counter are wines, oils, and other gourmet items that I am sure I couldn’t live without. We settle in to taste some of the smelliest cheeses.
Check this out – the owner tells us that some of the first smelly cheeses were created by Trappist Monks who would press the cheese with their feet while making it. The smelly bacteria on their feet, called b-linens, gave the cheese the pungent odor. Hmmm, doesn’t sound too appetizing, but we’re assured that the b-linen (brevibacterium) bacteria is safe and is no longer made with the help of someone’s smelly feet.
We were also informed that stinky cheeses come in orange washed rinds (washed usually with a saltwater brine that helps to create the b-linen) and are best served at room temperature to savor the flavor and complexity of the cheese.
Soon, we are tasting five of the stinkiest cheeses in the place, while the proprietor gave colorful descriptions of each:
1 Epoisses de Bourgogne – “If you’ve never tasted Epoisses, you need to. It’s the sexiest food you will ever eat. It’s creamy and has a rich, luscious taste. If you’re afraid of smelly cheese but want to know what all the fuss is about, start here and you will understand.” Those French cheesemakers are hot!
2 “Grayson is made in the U.S. by Meadow Creek Dairy in Galax, Virginia. Galax is in the Appalachian Mountains and borders Grayson County, after which this cheese is named. Meadow Creek is at a very high altitude, away from pollution. The cattle graze on fresh grass and drink clean water, resulting in a rich, meaty, slightly smelly cheese.” This one is my personal favorite.
3“Krummenswiler is a creation from the Stadelmann Family in Toggenburg, Switzerland. It’s a firm cheese made from raw cow’s milk, in the style of Appenzeller, a cheese made a little to the north of the Stadelmanns, but richer and sweeter.” It’s recommended that we enjoy this cheese with hard cider or big burgundies.
4 Tomme du Berger, is both fantastic and fantastically confusing. “It was invented by two brothers. One had a goat dairy in Provence and the other had sheep in Corsica. They combined their resources to make this unique cheese. Now the cheese is produced in Sardinia, shipped to Corsica, then on to Provence for aging. Big flavor, love the tart, goat cheese flavor.
5Limberger? “That’s right, Limberger. According to the internet, Limberger is the only thing that can kill Mighty Mouse!” But maybe not this one – this one is from Bavaria and it’s very smooth, rich, meaty and buttery.
We left the shop fully satiated and educated about smelly cheese. We bought some to take with us, along with freshly made sandwiches for lunch. What a great way to spend the morning!
Good Taste Santa Monica is all about people, food, wine, destinations, items and everything else that I think are in good taste, have good taste, or taste good.
Enjoy! BB
