Randy Chandler
There are many cheeses that are renowned for their stench, including Vieux Boulogne, Pont l’Eveque, Scharfe Maxx Extra, Brie Fermier, Epoisses de Bourgogne, Limburger, Cendre d'olivet and Greensward. These cheeses are created with bacteria that is found on the human body, giving them a distinctive odour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Casu Marzu, Pont l’Eveque, Gorgonzola Cheese, Stinking Bishop, Camembert, Livarot Munster |
| Origin | Sardinia, France, Italy, Gloucestershire in England, French village of Epoisse |
| Made from | Sheep's milk, cow's milk, goat's milk |
| Texture | Creamy, crumbly, sharp, tangy, soft, spreadable, chewy |
| Taste | Sour, salty, sweet, spicy |
| Goes well with | Merlot, Chardonnay, Stinking Bishop pear brandy |
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What You'll Learn
- Casu Marzu, a Sardinian cheese made from sheep's milk and infested with live maggots
- Pont l’Eveque, a French cheese made from unpasteurised cow's milk
- Stinking Bishop, an English cheese made from the milk of the rare Gloucester breed of cattle
- Gorgonzola, an Italian cheese made from cow's milk
- Epoisses, a French cheese that is washed in marc or white burgundy
Casu Marzu, a Sardinian cheese made from sheep's milk and infested with live maggots
Casu Marzu is not the only cheese with an offensive odour. Pont l'Eveque, one of the earliest French cheeses, is said to be another stinky cheese. It has a delicate, creamy texture and is created from unpasteurised cow's milk. It is said that the flavour is rather sour and it is best paired with Merlot. Gorgonzola Cheese, an Italian cheese made from cow's milk, is also known for its strong, pungent odour. It is crumbly and sharp with a tangy flavour.
Stinking Bishop, a cheese from Gloucestershire in England, is another cheese with a strong smell. It took first place in a contest to determine England's funkiest-smelling cheese, with judges describing it as smelling like "a rugby club changing room".
Pont l’Eveque, a French cheese made from unpasteurised cow's milk
Pont l'Eveque is one of the earliest French cheeses, made from unpasteurised cow's milk. It has a delicate, creamy texture and a strong odour, with a sour flavour. It is said that merlot is the ideal wine to pair with Pont l'Eveque.
Pont l'Eveque is made with time-tested methods and is crafted with care. It is a washed-rind variety, which is known to be one of the world's most malodorous types of cheese. Washed-rind cheeses are usually soft-ripened or semi-firm and are milder in flavour than their smell suggests. Pont l'Eveque is one of the stinkiest cheeses in the world, but it is by no means the only one. Stinking Bishop, for example, is an English cheese that took first place in a contest to determine the country's funkiest-smelling cheese. It is washed in brandy made from Stinking Bishop pears, giving it a strong aroma.
Stinking Bishop, an English cheese made from the milk of the rare Gloucester breed of cattle
Stinking Bishop is a washed-rind cheese, which is a variety known for its strong odour. The pungency is mostly contained within the rind, leaving a soft-ripened or semi-firm cheese within that is usually milder in flavour. Despite its strong smell, Stinking Bishop is described as having a sweet and spicy flavour, with a chewy texture. It is crafted with care and is something to be savoured, representing a long cultural tradition.
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Gorgonzola, an Italian cheese made from cow's milk
There are many cheeses that are known for their strong, pungent aroma. One of the stinkiest cheeses in the world is Casu Marzu, a Sardinian cheese made from sheep's milk that is infested with live maggots. The maggots help to break down the cheese, making it soft and spreadable, and giving it a sharp, tangy flavour. Another is Pont l’Eveque, one of the earliest French cheeses, which has a delicate, creamy texture and is made from unpasteurised cow's milk. It has a strong odour and a sour flavour.
Stinking Bishop, a cheese from Gloucestershire in England, is another strong-smelling cheese. It took first place in a contest to determine England's funkiest-smelling cheese, with judges describing its smell as akin to "a rugby club changing room".
Some other stinky cheeses include Camembert, Livarot Munster, and Epoisses, which is banned on French public transportation due to its strong odour.
Epoisses, a French cheese that is washed in marc or white burgundy
Epoisses is a French cheese that is washed in marc or white burgundy. It is so pungent that it is banned in the United States and on French public transport. Epoisses is made in the village of Epoisse and is described as chewy, occasionally salty, sweet and spicy. It pairs well with Chardonnay.
Epoisses is not the only cheese with a strong smell. Casu Marzu, a Sardinian cheese made from sheep's milk, is infested with live maggots. The maggots break down the cheese, making it soft and spreadable. Pont l’Eveque, one of the earliest French cheeses, is made from unpasteurised cow's milk and has a strong odour and a sour taste. Merlot is said to be the ideal wine to drink with it.
Stinking Bishop, an English cheese, is said to smell like "a rugby club changing room". It is made with milk from the rare Gloucester breed of cattle and washed with brandy made from Stinking Bishop pears.
Frequently asked questions
Vieux Boulogne, a French cheese that's banned from public transportation in France.
Stinky cheese is made by washing its rind in a solution that contains Brevibacterium linens, a bacteria found on the human body and in human sweat.
Stinky cheese often tastes milder than it smells.
Some of the stinkiest cheeses in the world include Pont l’Eveque, Scharfe Maxx Extra, Brie Fermier, Epoisses de Bourgogne, Limburger, and Cendre d’olivet.
