Poll: Stinky cheese

[braumeister]

Cheese contains a lot of (yummy) butterfat, but don't go by the labels.
The fat content on the label is based on the percentage of solids in the cheese, not the total weight. Since most cheeses are at least 50% water, you have to consider that, and (rough rule of thumb) cut the percentage shown at least in half. So if you see 45% on the label, it's probably only about 22% overall. Soft cheeses even more so, due to their higher moisture content.

 

[NW-Bound]

Cheese and yogurt have a high content of calcium, so are good for women to help fight osteoporosis. Not a woman, but I have lactose intolerance so cannot drink milk and can eat only aged cheese that does not have lactose. And it tastes good too.

 

[braumeister]

Now that a sizable number have voted, I'm absolutely amazed at the high favorable percentage!

I only have two friends who enjoy the aromatic cheeses as much as I do. All the rest insist on keeping their distance -- lots of distance.

What a sophisticated crowd we have here!

 

[Nemo2]

What a sophisticated crowd we have here!

Plus (at least) one Philistine with a taste for pungent nutriments.

 

[haha]

Plus (at least) one Philistine with a taste for pungent nutriments.

I thought that Limburger was only available in America in cities with a high German-American heritage. But Whole Foods carries it. Always on hand when I was growing up, with that pumpernickel and thick slice of sweet onion.

Ha

 

[tmm99]

The stinkiest cheese I have eaten and liked is raclette. Grilled raclette on potatoes. I think it's a Swiss thing....?


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[GravitySucks]

What a sophisticated crowd we have here!

Not to mention how good looking...

 

[braumeister]

Not to mention how good looking...

Humble, too!

 

[Idnar7]

Raclette cold is acceptable. Grilled or heated it turns into smelly socks.

 

[tmm99]

Raclette cold is acceptable. Grilled or heated it turns into smelly socks.

It does smell a bit like smelly socks!! It doesn't taste like smelly socks though.

 

[NW-Bound]

It does smell a bit like smelly socks!! It doesn't taste like smelly socks though.

Do I want to know what smelly socks taste like?

 

[tmm99]

Do I want to know what smelly socks taste like?

I actually wrote "not that I have ever bitten into a smelly sock", but I deleted it. I should have kept it in!

 

[NW-Bound]

I dunno. There are things that people tell me would taste great if I could overcome the smell or look. Dirty socks may be one of them that I will never find out.

 

[audreyh1]

We went all the way up to Munster in the Alsace region of France to try us some Munster cheese (not the American kind, BTW, which is quite mild), and well, it was just a little too much.

I think gorgonzola is great. It's not as strong as some of the other blues.

One of Rick Steve's podcasts on French cheese explains that the bacteria that makes cheese stinky is the same bacteria that makes our armpits stinky.

Actually - I'm not sure if that part is in Fromage I or Fromage II http://www.podcastchart.com/podcasts/rick-steves-france-beyond-paris/episodes/french-fromage-i

 

[NW-Bound]

... the bacteria that makes cheese stinky is the same bacteria that makes our armpits stinky...

as well as stinky feet.

From Wikipedia on Limburger cheese:

The cheese is especially known for its pungent odor caused by the bacteria Brevibacterium linens, which is partially responsible for body odor and particularly smelly feet.​

How yummy! Some types of blue cheese also have this bacteria Brevibacterium linens. Nice!

So, if you spray deodorant on your cheese, will it taste the same?

Conversely, if you sleep with slices of cheese under your armpits, or wrap it in dirty socks, will that enhance it for the breakfast feast?

 

[braumeister]

Raclette cold is acceptable. Grilled or heated it turns into smelly socks.

Actually, Raclette is meant to be served warm. Traditionally, the cheese is placed in front of the fireplace and as it begins to melt it's scraped off onto potatoes or bread. Great stuff.

 

[tmm99]

One of Rick Steve's podcasts on French cheese explains that the bacteria that makes cheese stinky is the same bacteria that makes our armpits stinky.

Yikes! That is gross!!!

One tex-mex food - hot dogs with chili and chedder cheese - smells like stinky armpits to me...

 

[HFWR]

Can't say I've ever been fond of foods that have been aged/fermented to the "rotten sock" stage.

 

[nubill]

Not a big fan of fan of stinky cheeses, but I did have the opportunity to try one variety while stationed in Germany in the early 70’s. The cheese was called Handkase and was wrapped in cheesecloth. I believe it had an infinite shelf-life. There should have Hazmat labels on the cheesecloth and instructions not to consume with a popular German [-]drink[/-] toxin called Underberg or you could end up in the Krankenhaus. I noticed on the menu that the price of Handkase and Handkase mit Musik were the same price. Being the frugal consumer, I asked why the same price. The waiter laughed and said that the music is free but comes later.

 

[Nemo2]

The waiter laughed and said that the music is free but comes later.

Much to the dismay of whomever one is sharing a bed with that night.

 

[Fedup]

Growing up, I was told Camembert was one of the stingiest. I had them in Paris with cherries and wine. It didn't taste nor smell so bad. I eat Stilton cheese often, so that's not a biggie, smelly or not.but lately I must be allergic to cheese so I stopped eating them. But I will go to the cheese shop in London to try all the local cheese.

 

[Lcountz]

Does anyone remember a wonderful aromatic cheese called Leiderkranz? It's not made anymore....it was sold in a little cardboard box......

That was my favorite....now I settle for Limburger in the foil wrapper..room temperature..on crackers or rye toast with a slice of red onion.

My Mom and I used to enjoy Limburger before she passed away.....she and I were the only ones in our family who would eat it. I used to shock her by saying it made the kitchen smell as if someone had had a bowel movement in the room ( in different words!!!!)..

She liked that cheese, but in my family, only I like Limburger, sardines, caviar and anything smoked. ..like smoked whiting...Ummmm!!!!!! The smellier the better.

Strange how these foods smell SO BAD yet taste so good!!! I always wondered who first tasted Limburger cheese.

 

[Keim]

I have not run across a cheese I cannot eat. Cheese too stinky, I just eat a small piece.

My favorite type is the pedestrian cheddar, but not the typical cheddar. I like aged Kerrygold myself.

Get thee some Cougar Gold from Washington State University, stat!!!

 

[audreyh1]

Growing up, I was told Camembert was one of the stingiest. I had them in Paris with cherries and wine. It didn't taste nor smell so bad. I eat Stilton cheese often, so that's not a biggie, smelly or not.but lately I must be allergic to cheese so I stopped eating them. But I will go to the cheese shop in London to try all the local cheese.

I consider Camembert quite mild compared to the real stinkers.

I had some pretty good stinkers in France, but don't remember all the names.

 

[NW-Bound]

How one feels about or interprets a smell or aroma differs greatly between individuals, as we know. For example, take durian.

I am no fan of durian, and have had only a small piece of it and that was enough. The smell is strong, but I would not describe it as stinky. A high concentration of it would bother me, but I have the same reaction walking past the perfume counter in some department stores. At a lower level, durian does not bother me as much as smelly fish. Yet, a lot of people are bothered with durian as they would be with a smelly gas leak.

And I have seen durian lovers who describe the aroma as heavenly. Aye, aye, aye...