This (in)famous washed rind cows milk cheese from Burgundy, France has a fabulous pungent aroma, distinctive orange rind and a rich, velvety texture.
Key Facts
Details
Dietary
Key Facts
Origin: Burgundy region, France
Milk: Cow
Rennet Type:Animal rennet
Style: Washed rind
Classification: Artisan
Shelf Life: 7 - 10 days
Goes well with: Red Burgundy, Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, off-dry Riesling, Champagne or sparkling wine, Marc de Bourgogne
Baguette or crusty bread, nuts, pear
Similar cheeses: Munster, Stone & Crow Nightwalker, Ami du Chambertin
Printable Cheese Note
Details
Époisses de Bourgogne (ay-PWAHS deuh boor-GO-nyuh) is famous for its pungent aroma and sticky terracotta-coloured rind. The underlying paste has a smooth, velvety texture with a meaty flavour that melts in the mouth. During maturation, Époisses de Bourgogne is washed in the local Marc de Bourgogne, mixed with salty water, several times per week. It tastes milder than the aroma suggests, and has a decidedly sweet finish.
A little history about Epoisses
This cheese was created by Cistercian monks in the early 16th century in the village of Époisses, in Burgundy. On fast days, the monks were forbidden meat and on Fridays they ate fish. Washed rind cheeses became an important part of their diet as they had strong, meaty flavours. Époisses cheese was very popular for several hundred years, and when the monks departed they passed on the production secrets to the local population. In the early 20th Century, however, the cheese virtually disappeared, but it was revived by Robert & Simone Berthaut, of Fromagerie Berthaut, in the 1950s.
*AOC = Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée
Dietary
Ingredients: Pasteurised cow's milk, Marc de Bourgogne, salt, cultures, animal rennet.
