…you really start to like the stinky cheeses :)
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Vacherin Mont d’Or from Switzerland is a soft, rich, seasonal cheese made from cow’s milk in Switzerland or France, usually in villages of the Jura region (an origin that has been officially controlled since 1981), and has a grayish-yellow washed rind. It is often served warmed in its original packaging and eaten like fondue. |
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Époisses is a pungent unpasteurised cows-milk cheese. Smear-ripened (washed in marc de Bourgogne, the local pomace brandy), it is circular, with a distinctive soft red-orange colour. It is sold in a circular wooden box, and in restaurants, is usually served on a spoon due to its extremely soft texture. The cheese is often paired with Trappist beer or even Sauternes rather than a red wine. Each cheese is rinsed up to three times per week in a mixture of water and marc, and brushed by hand to spread the bacteria evenly over the surface. The yeast and fermenting agents produce the distinctive orange-red exterior, as it develops over a period of around six weeks. |
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Livarot is a French cheese of the Normandy region, and protected by an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) since 1975. It is a soft, pungent, washed rind cheese made from cow’s milk. It is both beloved and reviled for its earthy aroma. It is sold in cylindrical form with the orangish rind wrapped in 3 to 5 rings of dried reedmace. For this reason, it has been referred to as ‘colonel’, as the rings of dried bullrush resemble the stripes on a colonel’s uniform. |
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Reblochon is a French cheese from the Alps produced in the region of Savoyand has been granted the AOC title. It is a soft washed-rind and smear-ripened cheese traditionally made from raw cow’s milk. It has a soft centre with a washed rind covered with a fine white mould. Reblochon has a nutty taste that remains in mouth after its soft and uniform centre has been enjoyed. It is an essential ingredient of tartiflette, a Savoyard gratin made from potatoes, bacon (lardons), and onions. |