Omnivore - Gods feet: the allure of washed-rind cheeses

Washed rind cheeses are the boldest and stinkiest

When people think of cheese, one of the first things that come to mind other than its undeniable sinful goodness, is the smell. When customers ask me for something funky and stinky, the first thing I reach for is a member of the washed rind family. A soft ripened cheese similar in texture to the Bloomy rinds that I talked about in April, washed rind cheeses are the boldest and stinkiest.


Most of the washed rinds were developed in monasteries hundreds of years ago. Some theories suggest that the bold, meaty cheeses were developed to provide a substitute for meat when meat was either forbidden or scarce. As many of you know, monasteries are also famous for making beer. I believe that washed rinds were developed, like so many things, out of people using what they had on hand.

Like the bloomy cheeses, washed rinds are not cooked or pressed. The curd are ladled directly into the form and allowed to drain under their own weight. Then the cheese maker or Affineur (one that ages cheese) begins the washing process. This can be done with a simple salt brine, beer, wine, spirits or a combination. This process causes bacteria to develop on the exterior of the cheese. The bacteria causes the cheese to develop a thin, pinkish/red rind that’s somewhat sticky and omits a pungent odor, which I’ve heard described as the smell of God’s feet.