Saturday was ‘Wash Day’…

No, not the weekly chore of laundry…But an educational, “aromatic” cheese course on Washed Rind Cheeses that I attended this last Saturday.  Washed Rind Cheeses fall under the category of Surface Ripened Cheeses, which means that they age from the outer surface inward. They are also stinky cheeses because of this washing (or smearing) process.

These cheeses have a long standing history and are sometimes referred to as ‘Monastery Cheeses’, as many were developed in Monasteries across Europe. Since the middle ages Monks and Nuns have been the source of many of the original European cheeses and wines. 

Working under the premise – “Ora et Labora” (Pray and Work). This motto summarizes monastic life in two words.  The Monks and Nuns devote a large portion of each day to manual labor, thus providing for their own living expenses as well as helping others in need. 

These cheeses, most of which were founded in France, Belgium, and Switzerland, share a basic recipe and milk type; they are soft ripened,semisoft, or semihard cow’s milk cheeses made from uncooked curds and with washed rinds. 

One of the most famous examples of this genre is Muenster, which takes its name from an old form of the word monastery.

Let’s get back to the cheeses….These cheeses have been washed with a brined water solution, or beer, or spirits, or something called Morge (a salt water solution with remnants of older cheese bits in it). These washes help develop a very thin rind which helps keep bad bacteria away, while allowing good bacteria (brevibacterium linens or just simply b.linens) which also allows an orange/pink coloring, and pungent odors to develop…think Limburger type.

I mentioned Limburger because while many have not enjoyed it, its stinky reputation has proceeded it, which was precisely why this class (and the study at the Oregon State University, Food Innovation Center) developed this training.

We were given four Washed Rind Cheeses in a blind tasting (meaning we were not told their name) and asked to evaluate them on the following: Flavor, Aroma, Texture, and Taste. We were asked to rank them in order of preference and whether we would purchase or not…..Then, we were told that #573 was Limburger. When this same study was given to tasters at Oregon State, half the group tasted them ‘blind’, while the other half were told what they were tasting. The results?...The study showed that people do have a negative connotation of the name ‘Limburger’, as the half of the class that tasted it ‘blind’ really enjoyed it.

My favorites were Pont-l'Eveque (#417) and Grayson (#642).

So in summary, when buying these cheeses, be adventurous! Ask your local cheesemonger for their recommendations, pairings, and for a sample! I think that you will be pleasantly surprised by these wonderful cheeses!

While laundry may be nothing to celebrate, exploring these great cheeses are!