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Beyond Gym Socks: The Allure of Washed-Rind Cheeses

To the uninitiated, washed-rind cheeses reek like dirty gym socks. To others, these pungent cheeses are among the peak experiences of the dairy world, with seductive aromas that mingle mushrooms, barnyard and earth. Those who love them, and their numbers are growing, have a hard time explaining how something that smells borderline rotten can taste so good. “The bark is worse than the bite, says Tom Johnson of Bingham Hill Cheese Company, Fort Collins, Colo., which makes washed-rind cheese. “We know if we can get it into people’s mouths, they’ll love it.

European washed-rind cheeses such as Epoisses, Munster, Taleggio and Reblochon have had fans in this country for decades. But American producers have mostly shied away from these hard-to-make cheeses, with the exception of the much-maligned Liederkranz and Limburger. In recent years, however, a few domestic cheesemakers have created new washed-rind cheeses. Their good results and the quick public acceptance suggest that this category is one to watch.

Encouraging Bacteria Growth
Washed-rind cheeses can be made from cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk. What distinguishes them from other types is that the cheesemaker actively encourages the surface growth of B. linens (Brevibacterium linens). This aggressive bacterium produces a thin, golden-orange rind—think Pont L’Evêque—and most of the beefy, garlicky, frankly “stinky aromas that washed-rind cheese enthusiasts love.

Although B. linens exist naturally in dairies, some cheesemakers add a purchased culture to give the bacteria a boost. Bathing the cheese frequently in brine keeps unwelcome molds at bay and provides the moist conditions that B. linens love. Some cheesemakers add alcohol to the brine (Epoisse is washed in marc, French Livarot in cider and Belgian Chimay in beer), which also promotes B. linens growth. Others make a sort of slurry out of brine and bacterial culture and apply it by hand several times during the cheese’s early life. “You physically rub it onto the surface, says Judy Schad of Capriole, Greenville, Ind., whose Mont St. Francis is a washed-rind goat’s milk cheese. “It’s very labor intensive.

Within five to six days, the cheesemaker can spot the B. linens at work. “And within 30 days, it’s that rich golden color you love, says Johnson, whose two new washed-rind cheeses—the cow’s-milk Harvest Moon and sheep’s-milk Angel Feat—are outselling his acclaimed Rustic Blue at farmers’ markets. “Virtually every cheese you see with an orange rind has this culture in common.

Like the white surface mold that ripens Brie and Camembert, B. linens ripens a cheese from the outside in. Under proper conditions, washed-rind cheeses gradually develop more surface coloration (the spreading B. linens), more aroma and flavor and a softer, creamier texture.

Moist But Not Sticky
Helping the cheese achieve optimum ripeness can be a challenge for retailers, who may not have those “proper conditions. Washed-rind cheeses prefer a moist and humid environment; 90 to 95% humidity is not too high. Most cheesemakers wrap the cheeses in coated paper and many package them in a wooden box to create a humid micro-environment.

At store level, they need to be kept moist but not sticky. Although most retailers recommend keeping a washed-rind cheese wrapped and in its box (if it has one), you should inspect the cheese first.

“Unwrap and study it when it comes in, suggests Sue Conley of Cowgirl Creamery, Point Reyes, Calif., which makes the triple-crème washed-rind Red Hawk. “It might need to be aired out. Sometimes, in travel and storage, these cheeses get sticky. You can dry them out in the walk-in, outside of their wrap, then rewrap them. Conley cautions against keeping them unwrapped on the counter; they will dry out and crack.

“Washed rind cheeses stand up better if left in their wrappers, says Peter Kindel, a consultant to Murray’s Cheese Shop in Manhattan. “They get more intense, stinkier; the bacteria keep moving along. For Taleggio, which comes wrapped in thin tissue, then overwrapped with paper, Kindel recommends removing the tissue at once. The sooner you do it, the easier it will be, because the tissue can stick to the tacky rind. Then rewrap with coated paper.

Cut to Order Is Best
Cheesemakers and merchants agree that washed-rind cheeses suffer more than others from being cut. Ideally, a clerk should cut them to order rather than cutting and wrapping a day’s or week’s worth. For retailers willing to educate, washed-rind cheeses can be some of the best movers in the cheese case. Yet in all but the most sophisticated neighborhoods, they must be hand-sold and sampled because consumers shy away from the smell.

“You must take your customers through this journey, says Juliana Uruburu, cheese buyer for the Pasta Shops in Oakland and Berkeley, Calif. “If you can get them past the stink, the flavors are mellow and complex.

Raymond Hook, an Atlanta cheese retailing consultant, suggests cross-merchandising washed-rind cheeses with sweet accompaniments, such as quince paste, exotic honeys or mostarda, the Italian fruit condiment. A mature washed-rind cheese is a memorable taste: Complex, layered, daring. Like the tropical fruit durian, so aromatic it’s not allowed on planes, the character of washed-rind cheeses teeters on the brink of respectability. “It’s exciting that they’re being revived in the U.S., says Andrea London of WorldofCheese.com, an online merchant. “It attests to the fact that the American palate is becoming more sophisticated.

Janet Fletcher is the author of The Cheese Course (Chronicle Books, 2000) and a staff food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.