Gjetost

Gjetost or Geitost is a traditional Norwegian cheese.

When I was much younger, I was a world class mountain runner. At age 16, I set the women's record at the grueling Pikes Peak Ascent in Colorado. Of course with all the training I was doing, I had to consume a lot of calories. During one of my better mountain running seasons while I was in college, I fell into the habit of eating large amounts of Geitost cheese on Carr's Whole Wheat Crackers, which are more like biscuits or cookies than crackers. The combination is delightful and downright addicting. When I could find it, I preferred the Ekte Geitost, the pure goat's milk type, to the regular, half cow's milk and half goat's milk, version. This hasn't changed. I'm all about the pure goat milk kind which is usually darker in color. My training partner at the time preferred the regular Geitost on a baguette with a pat of butter.

Carr's Crackers with Gjetost is a great combination.

Gjetost or Geitost, a type of Brunost, is one of those cheeses that people either love or hate. There's little in between with this odd dairy product. It's distinctive not only in its unmistakable taste but also in its strange appearance. It's brown, brun in Norwegian. Yes, you read that right. It's brown cheese. The raw sienna color comes from milk sugar that has been caramelized when whey is cooked for several hours during the cheese-making process. The more water evaporates, the more the texture of the cheese ends up like fudge, only harder and slightly drier.

It's brown cheese!

Gjetost comes in rectangle blocks or thick round tubes. This slice from a tube is cut in half.

Norwegians are smart about not over indulging and serve thin slices of this cheese on rye bread or cook it as part of the topping of a cheesecake, but there's nothing quite like biting into a thick piece of Geitost in a way that leaves teeth marks in the remaining chunk of cheese between your fingers. The creamy, chewy, dry texture makes you smack your lips, and the dairy residue coats your mouth in a way that allows your taste buds to bask in its full flavor. That intriguing flavor lingers even if the zing of the initial taste dissipates.

Ekte Geitost has a more robust, pungent taste with a hint of the country that emerges after the first bite. It's definitely goatier than the regular version. Be careful with the Ekte Geitost, because a few versions can taste rather fishy. Fortunately, those kinds are rarely imported. To find them you probably have to travel to the Fjords.

Ekte Geitost or Gjetost is made with pure goat milk.

Despite the cheese-making process being fairly simple with no molds added, no washing of any rinds and no special aging, Geitost ends up being a unique and lovable cheese with a distinct tangy, sweet, caramelized peanut butter taste. In the same way Nutella is used for finicky kids at breakfast time, Geitost is often served to children in Norway who are picky eaters. The sweetness of the cheese is a draw, and there are calcium, vitamins and other minerals hiding in there too. Just a dash of saltiness can be detected, which is a nice contrast to the mostly sweet flavor. Unfortunately for vegetarians, the rennet used is animal based.

Prim is a Gjetost paste that's made when the whey isn't cooked as long.

Serve Geitost on crackers or bread. Cook it in sweet tarts, or eat it plain with some sliced green apples. You can also try it as a fondue, dipping cubes of cake, fruit or cookies into the melted mixture.

Gjetost cheesecake is a sweet dessert that isn't found often in the United States.

Liquor Mart in Boulder has an outstanding selection of wines, beer, champagne and more.

Kevin Downs, Assistant wine manager at Liquor Mart in Boulder, Colorado, suggests the following pairings for this cheese:

Just when I think Lize can’t come up anything more unusual, she comes up with this one. While the classic match for goat cheese is Sancerre, the wonderful Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, I don’t think it would work well because of the sweetness of the cheese.

If I were to do a dry wine, one thing that comes to mind is a Fino sherry. This is a dry, fortified wine from Spain and it has a very nutty flavor that I think would work very well with the sweetness. Hartly & Gibson make a nice one for only $13.97 and Barbadillo is pretty much the same quality at only $11.99. Barbadillo also makes a non fortified still white wine from the same grape as sherry is made from, Palmino. It sells for $9.99 and would be ideal.

Because of the sweetness of the cheese and the funky “goatiness”, I think a Riesling would work very well, Like Kungfu Girl, at $11.99, or Clean Slate for $9.99. Gewurztraminer, especially from Alsace, is intensely aromatic with lychee and spice on the nose and palate and a touch of sweetness. This wine would stand up well to this cheese. Ziegler, at $14.99 does a great job with theirs. I’m going to find this cheese as soon as I can as it sounds absolutely fascinating!

Enjoy!

A Riesling pairs well with Gjetost.

Epoisses

Roll out the red carpet; it's time to meet the king of cheeses. Sorry Roquefort and Brie, but the crown goes to Epoisses, a cheese so sublime, it might just take you to the peak of pleasure.

Chateau D'Epoisses

Epoisses originated in the village of Epoisses in Burgundy. It is said that the magnificent dairy product was first made by the monks at the Abbaye de Citeaux or one of the sister Abbayes in the sixteenth century. Eventually, when the community at the Abbaye Citeaux left, local farmers in the area began making Epoisses. Today the creamerie at the Abbaye de Citeaux is back up and running, making cheese with the eponymous name, but it's one that's rare and not as majestic as Epoisses.

Production of the once popular Epoisses dwindled during and after the Second World War, but in 1959, Robert and Simone Berthaut, two farmers in the region, decided to jump into the cheese-making business and focus on making this extraordinary cheese. Since then, artisanal fromageries in and near the area produce it, but under AOC regulation, only cheeses made in specific communities in the Cote-D'Or region in Burgundy can claim the true title of Epoisses.

During his time, it was reported that Napoleon was fond of Epoisses, as was the famous epicurean Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin years later. In fact, it was Brillat-Savarin who dubbed this cheese the king of cheeses, with good reason. It's a cheese that will make you swoon.

Napoleon was a big fan of Epoisses.

Sometimes the anticipation of eating something is at least as good as the moment the luscious food touches your tongue. Such is the case with Epoisses, a creamy, cow's milk creation that could easily pass as food for the Gods. There are both pasteurized and unpasteurized versions, but most of the imported kinds are pasteurized. The milk used is generally from cows who have grazed on the lush grasses and herbs in the area.

Epoisses comes in a wooden container.

Inside the elegant wooden box that protects the delicate little disk of fromage sits a slightly golden and orange-red, brandy wash-rind or smear-ripened cheese that's classified as stinky but is more on the verge of alarming any nostrils than actually offending them. Just looking at the beautifully formed wheel makes your mouth water. The rind glistens just a little bit, inviting you to poke, sniff and examine it more closely.

The rind is wrinkly and somewhat smelly, but the cheese inside is divine.

To say Epoisses is a soft cheese is an understatement. The smooth, velvety paste has just a hint of firmness to match its more textured rind, but it melts beautifully in your mouth, flooding your taste buds with a mild, nutty and downright decadent milky flavor. If you close your eyes while sampling this cheese, you might imagine hints of bacon and blanched almonds. There's also an undeniable light sweetness that emerges only briefly and quickly dissipates. As the cheese ages, the aroma and flavor intensify, moving the Epoisses more into the stinky cheese category. The pungent flavor is subtle but not completely lacking. It doesn't match the cheese's more powerful aroma.

Does this make your mouth water or what?

Serve Epoisses on crackers, raisin bread, crusty French bread or on a spoon straight out of the container. Try cooking Epoisses in a ham and apple tart or adding it to your favorite mac and cheese recipe. You can't really go wrong no matter how you serve this outstanding gem.

Epoisses can be hard to find. Some cheese shops only carry this luxury item during the holidays, but a few places have it in stock more consistently. I lucked out this December when I stumbled upon the very last wheel of Epoisses in the case at Whole Foods. It seemed like there was a single stream of light shining down on it at the time. The cheese was definitely calling my name. I quickly grabbed it and placed it in my shopping basket. Sometimes it's the little pleasures that bring the biggest smiles.

*Please note that this is not the Epoisses by Herve Mons

Liquor Mart in Boulder has an outstanding selection of wines, beer, champagne and more.

Kevin Downs, Assistant wine manager at Liquor Mart in Boulder, Colorado, suggests the following pairings for this cheese:

Lize came up with a cheese that is almost impossible to match with wine this time! Most would suggest drinking it with a red Burgundy, especially an old one, but I find that a cheese like this totally eviscerates that wine. If I was to do a red, I’d find as earthy and funky a wine as I could find. Santadi’s Grotto Rosso ($14.99) from Sardinia would be a reasonable choice as would Alexakis Kotsifali-Syrah from Greece $14.99). Some suggest an old Chateauneuf du Pape. 

Whites usually work better with all cheeses, but here it’s a tough call as well. An Alsatian Gewurztraminer will work, such as Trimbach or Ziegler ($13.99) or perhaps an off dry Riesling such as Kung Fu Girl ($11.99) or Monchoff Estate ($14.99). 

Sauternes from France or another botrycised dessert wine such as Tokaji from Hungary work the best…the sweetness and earthy acidity working quite well with the powerful flavors of this cheese. This is actually one cheese that I might suggest an alternative drink. A strong Belgian ale or a big IPA beer works very well with this cheese. This is a wonderful cheese and is meant to be experienced regardless of what you have with it. Enjoy!

Tokaji from Hungary pairs well with Epoisses.

Rogue River Blue

With a population of just over 2,100, Rogue River in Jackson County, Oregon isn't exactly one of the largest cities in the United States. The verdant little area is nestled along the banks of the Rogue River. Its rugged landscape includes wooded areas, forested mountains and suburban neighborhoods. With very little snowfall but a lot of rain, the area continually looks like an El Greco landscape.

               

The Rogue River in Oregon flows not far from the Rogue River Creamery.

While I enjoy pretty much every kind of cheese, I tend to get overly excited when I am about to try something different, really different. Rogue River Blue is a wild and wonderful extravagance that makes cheese sampling fun. I'm not at all surprised that Rogue River blue cheeses have received many awards and that the company has received worldwide attention and admiration. The history of the company is quite fascinating: http://www.roguecreamery.com/store/content/38/History/

Rogue River Blue is a cheese made with old-world techniques, modern love and a little bit of new age idealism. With aging facilities created that replicate the conditions of the curing limestone caves in Cambalou, home of the famous Roquefort cheese, Rogue River Creamery has figured out a way to create some of the finest blue cheeses in the country. The company not only focuses on making beautiful, tasty cheeses, it is dedicated to quality and sustainability as well. And wow, Rogue River Blue is a chef d'oeuvre with its magnificent appearance. The cheese is artistically wrapped in grape leaves that have been soaked in pear brandy, giving the entire cheese a mature, seductive allure. Be sure to buy this cheese soon, because it's a seasonal cheese made during the fall. Production stops after the winter solstice.

Rogue River Blue is wrapped in Syrah leaves that have been soaked in pear brandy from Oregon.

Using raw milk from Holstein cows that graze mostly on lush grasses, herbs, berries and hops with just a bit of alfalfa and grain, Rogue River Blue ends up having a deeply rich, complex and earthy flavor. Macadamia and hazelnut notes mingle with a strong fruity pear flavor right from the start. The sweetness is undeniable in this moist, slightly gritty but mostly creamy blue, and a wonderful tart, tang cuts through, one that's typical of good European blue cheeses. With the sweet, nutty flavors comes a burst of saltiness that makes your taste buds come to attention without overwhelming them. There's also a slight herb taste, especially close to the edge, but avoid eating too close to the damp grape leaves, as the flavor can be on the musty side.

Rogue River Blue cheese is wrapped in grape leaves.

This is a cheese that grows on you the more you eat it. If you love it right off the bat, you will eventually get strong cravings for it and even dream about it. If it's not your favorite in the beginning, you will at least learn to appreciate its luxurious qualities. Vegetarians will jump for joy when they find out this blue is made with vegetarian rennet. It's not often that vegetarian cheese is so robust, flavorful and exciting. The raw-milk cheese is aged nine to twelve months, allowing the flavors to develop and mature. Its texture is less crumbly than a lot of blues but still fractures easily when you cut into it. It has a creamy but hearty feel in your mouth.

Despite the strong flavors of Rogue River blue, and despite its sweetness, this is a great cheese for baking in savory tarts, crumbling on salads or serving as part of a fruit and cheese plate. You can also add some to a hamburger with fried egg on a soft bun. Of course, a nice hunk of this blue served with a toasted ciabatta roll is also fantastic. Another option is to accentuate the already sweet cheese by serving it with nuts and fig jam or honey on crackers.

A toasted ciabata roll with Rogue River Blue makes a divine snack.

Liquor Mart in Boulder has an outstanding selection of wines, beer, champagne and more.

Kevin Downs, Assistant wine manager at Liquor Mart in Boulder, Colorado, suggests the following pairings for this cheese:


Wine with Rogue River Blue. If enjoying this cheese in its pure form (alone or with perhaps some nuts or bread) the best wines to match with it are all sweet, with one exception, as sweetness balances Saltiness beautifully. 

Port, either a well aged Vintage Port or a Tawny, is an excellent match. The sweetness offsets the saltiness of the cheese, and the big body of the wine holds up to its massive flavors. Vintage Ports can set you back $100 or more, but the Taylor Fladgate 10 Yr. Old Tawny is wonderful at $31.99 and their Fine Tawny is a bargain at $15.99 ( aged about 5-6 yrs.) 

Even better are sweet white wines. Those affected by Botrytis (“noble rot”) are especially good with this blue, as the earthiness combined with the sweet, full body work beautifully. Sauternes from France are the classic wine of this type but are very expensive. Just as good is the Tokaji Aszu 3 Puttonyos, from Hungary, a delicious wine for $22.99 a 500ml Bottle. Eisweins are also an excellent choice. While the German ones are outrageously priced, beautiful examples are made in, of all places, Ontario, Canada. The Jackson Triggs, at $24.99 a 375 ml bottle is delicious. 

German Rieslings work well, as long as they are on the Spatlese or Auslese level of sweetness. The Rictere Brauneberger Juffer- Sohnnenuhr Auslese (you got to love those German wine labels) at $28.99 is perfect, but far easier on the wallet (and the pronunciation) is Chateau St Michelle Late Harvest Riesling at $10.99. Finally, that all purpose wine – bubbly - works here. Brut actually works well, but a nice Demi Sec, with a bit of sweetness, is especially yummy. Check out Gruet at $16.99.

Taylor Fladgate 10 Yr. Old Tawny port pairs well with the big flavors of this blue cheese.

Kite Hill Soft Ripened Cheese

It had to be done. Since I live in Boulder -- a health-food eating, yoga-apparel-wearing, Prius-driving, new age community where gluten-free, vegan and organic foods were popular long before they became trends -- I felt compelled to sample and review some vegan cheese. Despite my thin, pale appearance, I'm not vegan, but I fit right in the Boulder "bubble" in that I am a self-proclaimed foodie who pays attention to labels. Even though I'm not vegan, I did give the lifestyle a try many years ago, and I even came up with a vegan truffle recipe that was surprisingly good. I admire vegans; I just can't seem to handle the diet. Kite Hill has made at least some vegan options more appealing, though.

Years ago, I was chatting with a friend who happens to be vegan, telling him that vegan cheeses weren't very appetizing. I told him someone needed to come up with a way to make vegan specialty cheeses and insisted it could be done, though I had no idea how. Little did I know that someone would actually figure out a way to do it less than a year after I had that conversation. Lo and behold, a vegan Brie-like cheese has been born!

Soft-ripened almond milk cheese.

I'm impressed. Looking at the company's history, it's no wonder why the cheese came out as well as it did. They had an outstanding team of some of the best culinary, cheese-making and scientific experts working on this project, and these wizards have done something extraordinary. Rubbery, bland vegan cheese this is not. It's surprisingly good and flavorful. It's also lower in fat and calories than most specialty cheeses. For anyone who has given up dairy and misses it, this is a must try. Even people who love and consume dairy regularly will be amazed.

The texture and appearance of the rind of Kite Hill semi-soft ripened cheese is very much like a standard brie, only not quite as tough. It has the same earthy, mushroomy flavors one would expect with a fluffy, bloomy white rind. Inside the soft rind is where things aren't quite as perfect. For a non-dairy cheese, this is probably as close to perfection as things can get, though. Imagine a wheel of Brie running off with a package of silken tofu and having tasty little babies. The result is a very soft and creamy product that lacks the slight firmness and more textured mouthfeel of true semi-soft cheeses. It feels a bit squishy in your mouth. The small wheel of non-dairy cheese isn't as tall as a regular Brie either. It looks sort of flattened in comparison, but the overall look is still pretty.

Wheel of Kite Hill ripened non-dairy cheese.

Wheel of Kite Hill cheese sliced in half.

The flavor could also be considered some kind of Brie-tofu hybrid, but it's more sophisticated than that. It's mild with definite almond notes. There's a little bit of pungency lurking in there somewhere, a slight tang to it, but it's not overly strong or sharp. The earthy and mushroomy flavors linger from start to finish. You won't get this cheese running with added ammonia flavors as it ages. Its flavor remains pretty consistent whether it's young or older. The entire time I was sampling this charming little cheese, I was thinking, "Well done, Kite Hill, well done!"

I would recommend serving this cheese not directly from the refrigerator as suggested on the Kite Hill website, but closer to room temperature. Somewhere between cold and room temperature is about right. The flavors are more pronounced if the cheese isn't eaten extra chilled, even if the texture isn't quite as firm. Serve the cheese as you would any other semi-soft cheese: on crackers or crusty French bread, in sandwiches or with fruit. Though it can be placed in a heated oven and technically baked, it won't come out like a true baked Brie. Instead, it will end up more like a baked custard. The flavor will be good, but don't expect much gooeyness when you dip into the end product.

The soft-ripened cheese comes in a traditional-looking wooden container with a brightly-colored Kite Hill label on the top.

Kite Hill vegan cheese.

Kite Hill products are available at Whole Foods Market. They are usually found in the refrigerated section along with other vegan products, not in the cheese section.

Liquor Mart in Boulder has an outstanding selection of wines, beer, champagne and more.

Kevin Downs, Assistant wine manager at Liquor Mart in Boulder, Colorado, suggests the following pairings for this cheese:

Since we are discussing a vegan cheese, we need to talk about vegan wines. Actually, there are very few vegan wines. In fact, most organic wines are not vegan. During the process of wine making, the wine is finely filtered, usually using animal products. The most commonly used materials are egg whites, casein (an animal protein) and isinglass, which is a very pure gelatin derived from fish. 

There some estates that are beginning to use other materials that are not animal derived such as carbon, bentonite clay, limestone and plant casein. Most of these estates don’t mention this on their labels, so you’ll need to ask your wine person if you are interested. 

This cheese, being brie-like, calls for a white wine. Since the flavor is not too strong I would go with a Sauvignon Blanc. Frey, an organic producer, does a good one for $12.99. Another wine that works well here is Viognier with a floral aromatic nose and a medium body that stands up to the mild funkiness of the cheese. Rosenblum, famous for their Zinfandels and a vegan producer, makes a great one called Kathy’s Cuvee for $18.99. Bubbles work beautifully with this cheese. Mumm Napa’s Brut would be perfect at $19.99 and allow you to stay vegan. There is a wine out there for everyone, including those who maintain a vegan lifestyle.

Cheers!

Award-winning Mumm Napa Brut pairs well with Kite Hill's vegan cheese.

Pave du Nord

Cap Gris Nez: The town of Calais is near Cap Gris Nez cape in the Pas-de-Calais region.

Calais is a town and ferry port in northern France. It has a long and variable history with ownership changing hands many times before finally ending up in the hands of the French. Due to its location, it's no surprise that it was once a territorial possession of England. It is said that on a clear day, one can even see Dover from Calais, and the nicely positioned plot of land served as a major trading center between the two countries. Today, the Chunnel Tunnel lands right near Calais on the French side. Long before Wold war II, Calais was also briefly in Spain's possession before being handed over to the French again. During the war, the little jewel of a city was nearly destroyed when German troops invaded and attempted to use the prime location to attack England.

Being so close to England, it makes sense that some of the more well-known cheeses in and around the area are reminiscent of cheddar cheese. Like the region it comes from, Pave du Nord is a complicated and hard to describe cheese. Pave du Nord gets its name, because the cheese is shaped like the classic French cobblestones, Pave. It seems to mimic the rugged land it hails from in terms of its appearance and texture. Keep in mind that cheeses made in the far northern regions of France are not made from milk coming from the Normandy cows that feast on lush grasses. It's a little colder and not as comfortable for dairy animals up north.

French cobblestones.

Pave du Nord may be France's answer to cheddar cheese, but it's not quite the same. The French version is milder, smoother, a tad more curious and much harder and drier than most cheddar cheeses. The cheese is hard to cut, so when I say hard, I don't just mean it's in the hard cheese category; it's also literally hard. It's startlingly orange, like normal cheddar went tanning in Jersey. That's due to the added annatto, a natural coloring derived from achiote seeds. I believe the annatto is what creates some of the very faint spicy, floral and savory notes in the cheese as well. 

Pave du Nord is bright orange.

The rind is super tough and probably best if it's not eaten, even though the flavor is earthy. Not to gross anyone out, but there are microscopic cheese mites that are intentionally introduced to the rind. These critters burrow into the rind and supposedly give it flavor. People use the rind in cooking, but it's not the best eating rind. If you do eat it, you might want to scrape off the outermost part, unless you are one of those adventurous eaters or are training for a spot on Fear Factor. Actually, since you can't actually see the mites, approaching the rind isn't too scary. Just don't think about it too deeply. 

If you are underwhelmed with the first bite, wait and let the flavors develop on your palette. It's not a shockingly flavorful cheese, but Pave du Nord has a nice milky taste with slight notes of raw hazelnuts. There's a slight sweetness to it. If you concentrate, you can detect a very light creamy caramel taste. Something about it suggests the slightest hint of something that resembles Parmesan too, but it's closer to cheddar than any Italian cheeses. This one isn't as zesty and doesn't crumble either. You could think of it as a wild country cheddar going off to finishing school and coming back more refined, sophisticated and tame.   

Pave du Nord cheese.

This is a pressed raw milk cheese, but it's not overly sharp or tangy. There's a tenderness about it, despite being on the rustic-looking side. People compare it to Mimolette, which is richer and more complex. Pave du Nord is more like a younger, less potent version of the Mimolette cheese. 

People say Pave du Nord is a good melting cheese, but it doesn't really melt all that well on its own. It's too hard for that. Unlike a true cheddar, this cheese isn't going to get all oooey gooey when it's faced with heat. Instead, it will end up in a contained, hard clump. It's like trying to melt an aged Manchego, about the furthest thing from melting Mozzarella. It's better shaved on salads, grated with other cheeses to enrich the flavors or served as a snacking cheese. It works well in dishes like mac and cheese or potatoes au gratin that have added milk or cream. If you serve it on crusty bread, consider adding a pat of butter to counter the dry and salty characteristics of this cheese.

Use Pave du Nord in your potatoes au gratin recipe.

Liquor Mart in Boulder has an outstanding selection of wines, beer, champagne and more.

Kevin Downs, Assistant wine manager at Liquor Mart in Boulder, Colorado, suggests the following pairings for this cheese:

If one is going to properly match this cheese with wine, it is probably best to not eat the rind as it is extremely difficult to find a wine that goes well with cheese mites.

Cheddar and cheddar like cheeses go very well with red wines. Well aged stronger versions go well with bigger tannic reds like a tannic mountain Cabernet or a Barolo, and a classic is Port with Stilton. However, this cheese is more subtle, so we need wines that are less overpowering.  More fruity, lighter Cabernets would work here, such as those from Chile, like Mont Gras or Casa Lapostolle, both around $12. One of my first choices would be a Cabernet Franc from the Loire (Coincidently not too far from Calais) such as Chais St Laurent Bourgueil ($12.99) or  Domaine Filliatreau Saumur ($15.99). Both of these are medium body with just the right amount of fruit and acidity to balance the mild nuttiness and earthiness of the cheese. The other great choice here would be a Langhe Nebbiolo. This beautiful medium bodied wine has wonderful red fruit and just the right amount of tannin to work perfectly and not overpower like their cousins Barolos or Barbarescos. Rivetto makes a good one at $17.99, and I love Eugenio Bocchino’s Roccabella at $20.99.

If you have to do white, do a crisp flavorful New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (Ana is my new favorite at $11.99), and bubbles work too. Whatever wine you choose, enjoy this wonderful cheese from the north of France. Cheers!

Eugenio Bocchino Roccabella pairs well with Pave du Nord.

Brebis Fougere

Lately I've been getting lost in the magnificent cheese section at Whole Foods on Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado. Not only do they carry one of the best selections of cheeses I have ever seen, but the people who work there are extraordinarily knowledgeable and kind. It's no wonder why I'm always stumbling upon new and wonderful cheeses to sample. My biggest concern is how to pace myself with all these tempting dairy products!

Corsica, the birth place of Napoleon, is a mountainous island just west of Italy and southeast of France.

Whenever I see a cheese with a label that's marked with Herve Mons as the affineur, I assume it will be superb. Herve Mons has a way of aging cheeses that elevates them. He's a perfectionist, and all his cheeses, even the more rustic ones, have an elegance that similar cheeses lack. Such is the case with Brebis Fougere, a cheese with origins in Corsica but aged in the famous maturing cellars of Herve Mons in France. It's no wonder Herve holds many cheesemonger titles. He can take nearly any cheese and age it to perfection.

Brebis Fougere, a semi-soft, wash-rind sheep's milk cheese with an elegant little fern sprig on top as decoration, is a stinky little thing. Don't let the pretty appearance fool you, because this petite bundle of fromage will make you gasp. It is funky. If you were a cat, you'd probably arch your back and let out a low screech after the first bite, but once the initial shock is over, the nicer qualities of the Brebis Fougere emerge and get you purring. 

The first bite of Brebis Fougere might be shocking, but give the cheese a chance.

Inside the tacky orange rind is a creamy, slightly sticky but soft cheese. If you get some of the rind on your hands, the stinky aroma will cling to you for a long time! Despite the texture of the wash-rind, it's not as rustic looking as other cheeses in this category. Any ridges or crannies on the surface are evenly spaced, making the cheese seem elegant, and the fern leaf embedded on top adds to its overall charm. The fern also adds a tiny bit of fragrant herb and spiciness to the mushroomy flavor of the rind, even though you're supposed to remove the leaf before consuming. There's a very, very slight grainy texture on the rind that quickly dissipates in your mouth. It's not at all unpleasant and adds to the coarser qualities of the cheese. 

Brebis Fougere "Ewe Fern" with embedded fern leaf.

Fern on one slice of Brebis Fougere.

The texture of the interior is nice and smooth. It's definitely in the category of the stinky cheeses, but the flavor is even and regular, no ups and downs with it. The funkiness, while never overbearing, holds strong and steady from start to finish. Brebis Fougere has an earthy, wild flavor. Funkiness aside, the creamy cheese is mild compared to some of the kings of stink like Pont L'Eveque or Limburger, but it still packs a punch. It has an interesting flavor with notes of raw hazelnuts and almonds. 

Despite a faint ammonia flavor that's constantly demanding attention, there's a definite sweetness to this cheese with an occasional French bread or yeasty taste that emerges. It's tart and pungent but not overly sharp. Because the cheese is made with pasteurized sheep's milk, the bite isn't as strong as a goat's milk cheese, but you will still notice the tang.  

A smooth and creamy interior sits inside the wash rind.

The fern is embedded in the rind.

This cheeses served on crusty French bread is the way to go. It pairs well with grapes or other fruits, and some people even serve it with honey on crackers or Melba toast.

Melba toast goes well with Brebis Fougere.

Liquor Mart in Boulder has an outstanding selection of wines, beer, champagne and more.

Kevin Downs, Assistant wine manager at Liquor Mart in Boulder, Colorado, suggests the following pairings for this cheese:

Finding the right wine to go with so called stinky cheese is tougher than one might think. It needs to have enough aromatic character to not be overpowered, yet needs to compliment rather than compete. It also has to have flavors that can stand up to the fat and the strong earthy flavors of the cheese. I think whites are a better choice here, and my first choice would be an Alsatian Gewurztraminer.

Gewurztraminer is a member of the so called “aromatic whites”, and this wine has beautiful aromatics of lychee and white flowers. On the palate, it literally is like spice cake in a glass, off dry and delicious and is wonderful with the earthy, mushroomy and raw nut flavors of this cheese. Trimbach makes a wonderful Gewurztraminer for $23.99, and if you want to spend a little less, Ziegler’s version is quite good for $14.99.

Riesling, another aromatic white, is a good choice for this cheese as well. Off dry is best as the touch of sweetness works well with the earth and fat from the cheese, and the acidity of Riesling works very well here. Gessinger Zeltinger Schlossberg Kabinett is awesome for $17.99. If pronouncing German labels is a traumatic experience for you, Charles Smith’s Kung Fu Girl (named in honor of Uma Thurman) from Washington at $10.99 will work. Viognier, a medium bodied wonderfully aromatic white originating in the Northern Rhone in France, will work well too. It is unoaked, has wonderful floral aromatics and flavors of stone fruits and tropical fruits. Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier from Australia is wonderful at $18.99, but their entry level Y Series for $10.99 is a good value.

If you must have a red, I would go with a big full flavored one with medium tannins such as a California or Washington Syrah (Sticky Beak at $14.99) or a big Zinfandel like the Earthquake ($25.99) or the Predator ($15.99). Whatever your choice of wine, you will enjoy this awesome cheese.

Gewurztraminer pairs well with Brebis Fougere.