Epoisses
- Pasteurized
- Animal Rennet
- Age: 5 Weeks
- Cow Milk
- by Berthaut
- France
- ApproachableAdventurous
- SoftHard
Pungent doesn’t begin to describe this gooey, pasteurized cow’s milk cheese. Rumor has it, Epoisses is banned on the Paris Metro due to its unmistakable, inescapable funk. A meaty, salty, spoonable paste is aged in humid cellars and washed in salt water and Marc de Bourgogne, a fiery French spirit, to give it its intense flavor. Pinor noir is a classic terroir-based pairing, though we love it with the sweet contrast of a sauternes. Try with some Fabrique Delices Saucisson Sec and Trois Petits Cochons Mini Toast.
“This stinky darling is notoriously strong and unapologetically meaty, with a bite to match its stinky bark. As it matures, it develops a gooey texture that begs to be smeared on your favorite bread or cracker. Pair with pickles and your favorite double IPA, or try it with a tangy fruit spread and some red wine if you have a sweet tooth.”
Allergens: Milk
- With an unmistakable funk, Epoisses is a pasteurized cow’s milk cheese that is rumored to be banned from the Paris Metro due to its smell.
- Curds are hand-ladled into a form before being washed with a mix of salt water and Marc de Bourgogne, a fiery French spirit distilled from grape pomace leftover from winemaking (similar to Italian grappa).
- It ripens in a humid cellar, and the rind continues to be washed in an increasingly concentrated blend of salt water and brandy, leaving it orange and sticky.
- The cheese is packed into a small wooden box to contain its scoopable paste.
- Epoisses comes from the Burgundy region of France and dates all the way back to the 14th century.
- At the turn of the 19th century, famed French foodie Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin challenged the reign of Parmigiano Reggiano by declaring Epoisses the “king of cheeses” It’s also rumored to have been a favorite of Napoleon Bonaparte.
- During the First and Second World Wars, the formula was nearly lost.
- With many men away at war, the women who typically spent their days making cheese instead had to manage the responsibilities of the farm.
- Cheesemaking legends Robert and Simone Berthaut revived the formula around 1960.
- Epoisses earned AOC certification in 1991.
- AOC is short for the French “appellation d'origine contrôlée,” translating to “controlled designation of origin.”
- In 1996, it also gained PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certification, protecting it across all of Europe.
When you receive your cheese, unpack the order and refrigerate the items. We recommend using the cheese paper we send most of our products in to store the cheese. The cheese paper helps cover the items and stop them from drying out, while also allowing the cheese to breathe. Since cheese is mold, it's a living thing! If you cut off air circulation to the cheese, you can actually cause it to suffocate and spoil at a faster rate.
- Based in the town of Epoisses in Burgundy, France, Fromagerie Berthaut and its founders Robert and Simone Berthaut are credited with almost single-handedly reviving the village’s historic, eponymous cheese.
- Epoisses is said to have been created by Cistercian monks in the 16th century. After production ceased during the Second World War, the historic cheese was on the verge of extinction.
- In 1956, the husband and wife Berthaut team decided to try to revive the cheese using milk from their cows and a recipe from Robert’s aunt.
- The cheese turned out beautifully—so much so that it quickly earned a reputation in the town and was soon flying off the shelves at the small grocery Robert and Simone owned.
- It wasn’t long before the duo made Epoisses production their sole focus, and their part in reviving the cheese has made it one of France’s most celebrated wheels—and made Fromagerie Berthaut one of France’s most respected cheese producers.
Pairing Recommendations
Share
