Cheese of the Day: May 18 – French Munster

Stinky Thursdays Presented by ACS CCP® Erin Clancy:

Hey guys! It’s washed rind Thursday! Today we look at the deliciously stinky French Munster, Munster Gerome, Petit Munster, whatever you call it! ( but not to be confused with the annatto dressed muenster). This is not for the faint-hearted, it is for those who indulge in foods that take your taste buds and your sense of smell to the extreme ( this is when it’s ripe, ripe, ripe. It can be more mild and softer in flavor when it’s a yougin’). It’s SO good.

Originally, Munster was made for personal consumption by the monks who later passed on their traditional cheese-making methods to the peasants of the region. The peasants used the cheese to help pay the rent for the land on which they farmed. Made on both sides of the Vosges mountains, and formerly named “Munster” on the Alsace side and “Gerome” on the Lorraine side, they were united in 1978 under AOC denomination (protected name status). The origin of this cheese can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The cheese is made from milk from the Vosgiennes cows, a breed that was imported from Scandanavia in the 18th century and is known for the high protein content of their milk. Cheeses come in both pasteurized or raw versions and production can be fermier, cooperative, or industriel.*