| Feet, socks, BO. We are not talking about the | | | | As we all know, the French love their cheese. No |
| locker room but the aroma of some of the | | | | other country produces so many types. There is |
| world's most delectable foods - gourmet cheese. | | | | one cheese so putrid it was once banned from Le |
| One step into a fine cheese shop and it's easy to | | | | Metro (the Parisian subway system) - Epoisses de |
| be overwhelmed with the foul fragrance. To | | | | Bourgogne. But don't let this stop you from |
| some it's offensive and to others it's heavenly. | | | | enjoying one of the most incredible washed-rind |
| With most foods, the sense of smell is directly | | | | cheeses. With its edible rind the color of worn |
| related to the taste but this is not always the | | | | rust, Epoisses (as it's commonly known) has a |
| case with cheese. If the odor wasn't enough to | | | | gooey, creamy center and a distinct, pronounced |
| keep you from sampling these culinary delights | | | | flavor. Made from unpasteurized cow's milk, it is |
| then perhaps the use of molds and bacteria in the | | | | washed with a local brandy. Look for Epoisses in a |
| cheese production process will. These microscopic | | | | small round wooden box at your local cheese |
| wonders are employed to produce a desired rind | | | | shop or gourmet food store. |
| color and flavor profile. For the adventurous | | | | An equally sumptuous washed-rind cheese worthy |
| foodie, there are many renowned cheeses | | | | of your attention is Taleggio. This square-shaped |
| considered to have an unsavory bouquet that are | | | | cheese from the Lombardy region of Italy has |
| definitely worth a taste. | | | | been crafted in the same manner for centuries. |
| Most gourmet cheeses known to be odiferous | | | | Made from cow's milk and doused with a |
| have something in common. They fall into a | | | | salt-water bath, Taleggio has an edible, rose |
| category known as washed-rind cheeses. During | | | | colored rind. When perfectly ripe, it is a moist, |
| the aging process, these cheeses are washed | | | | semi-soft cheese with a buttery (some say |
| with a brine typically of salt water, brandy, beer | | | | meaty) taste. And let's not forget the |
| or other spirits. Sounds perfectly harmless, right? | | | | unforgettable odor. |
| Turns out this washing method allows the cheese | | | | With one bite of these epicurean treasures, it's |
| to become hospitable to the beneficial bacterium | | | | easy to forget the strong smell. Simply grab a |
| responsible for the brightly hued rinds, robust | | | | bottle of wine and a loaf of crusty bread. But to |
| flavor and pungent odor. A few times per week, | | | | be considerate, just make sure you are not on Le |
| the cheeses are bathed in these liquids until they | | | | Metro. |
| are perfectly aged. | | | | |