A favorite of epicures and gourmands around the world, stinky cheese is thought of as an acquired taste to some and a luxurious treat to others. Highly aromatic, stinky cheese's pungent aroma and mild nutty mushroomy characteristics make it an ideal addition to any well-rounded cheese plate or charcuterie board. Ranging in texture, you’ll find stinky cheeses that are grainy, smooth, or even runny, and a flavor profile that runs the gamut from bold and intense to mild and smooth. No matter what your preference, we have a fantastic range of options to choose from. Order online today to start enjoying a more intense and nuanced cheese experience!
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Not for the faint of heart, stinky cheese is a divisive genre of food. The darling of gourmands and food connoisseurs, its malodorous characteristics are enough to put most of us off it for good. But don’t fear, the stinky cheese smells much stronger than it tastes, and if one can work up the courage to try it, will be pleasantly surprised by its delightfully subtle taste and buttery soft qualities. The unmistakable aromas and flavors of stinky cheese enter it into a class of its own, but most pungent cheeses can also be lumped into the category of “washed-rind cheeses.”
Unlike blue cheeses which ripen from the inside out, washed rind cheese work in the reverse, ripening from the outside in. Bacteria known as Brevibacterium linens or b-linens are encouraged to grow on the outside of the cheeses thanks to frequent baths of saltwater and/or alcohol. These ritual baths wash away mold and stimulate bacterial growth, which gives the rind their characteristic pinkish-orange mottled appearance and lend the cheese its signature nutty woodsy and ever-complex flavor profile.
The practice of washing cheeses in saltwater or alcohol originated with French cheesemaking monks. At that point in history, alcohol was often more sanitary than water, and so beer or wine was the most accessible alternative. A happy accident, it helped achieve the delightful flavors and aromas we now associate with washed-rind cheeses and laid the foundation for a classic French cheesemaking tradition that is still in practice today!