Tag: 58

Sad news out of France this week: Robert Berthaut—the man responsible for reviving the iconic washed rind cheese Epoisses—passed away on Monday, at the age of 94. For sixty year, Berthaut’s family farm has been the world’s leading Epoisses producer, and the man himself was instrumental in getting the cheese protected designation of origin status in 1991.

Epossies was first created in the early 1500s, and it enjoyed rarefied status in France for centuries after. Napoleon was partial to it. It was dubbed the “king of all cheeses” by none other than Brillat-Savarin himself. Such superlatives go on and on.

But by the end of World War II, production of the cheese had all but ceased. The war had a particularly detrimental effect on the cheese’s namesake village, where the population dropped significantly. It wasn’t but fifty years earlier that more than 300 farms had been producing the Epoisses, and now none did.

Then, in 1956, Berthaut and his wife, Simone, decided to make a few wheels in the cellar of their home. They got the recipe from his aunt. The idea was that they’d use milk from their own cows and just have the cheese for themselves. But it turned out well—really well—and they began selling it in the small grocery they ran. It developed a reputation in town, and then word spread as tourists coming to visit the Epoisses castle would discover the cheese and tell tale of it back home. It wasn’t long until Robert and Simone shifted the focus of their lives to the production of Epoisses, and, thanks to them, the cheese was rescued from obsolescence and has since regained its status as one of France’s most celebrated wheels.

And well it should—Epoisses is straight up delicious. It is washed in a local brandy, marc de Bourgogne, and made according to very exacting milk standards and make processes. What results is a runny, smeary, custardy paste contained within a sticky orange rind, which is itself housed in a cylindrical wooden shell, so as to encourage the gooey cheese to maintain its shape. Pop the lid off and you’re going to get smells to roasted peanut skin. Cut back some rind, go right in with a spoon, and you’ll get flavors of rich lardo and salty, yeasty, slightly fermented bread. It’s hard to argue against Brillat-Savarin’s assessment.

And after 60 years, Fromagerie Berthaut remains far and away the world’s primary Epoisses producer. Our hearts go out to the town of Epoisses and the Berthaut family. We’ll be thinking of them this week and celebrating Robert by popping open one of his signature wooden cylinders.

Sometimes, artisan cheeses can come off as ‘snobby’, but we couldn’t agree less! Here at Murray’s, we want everyone to enjoy cheese in whatever whey they want – whether it’s at a fancy dinner party or just snacking on the couch watching Netflix or a film downloaded using a Pirate Bay proxy. Cheese is what you make it, to be enjoyed however you like. With this idea in mind, we took some of our favorite artisan cheeses and paired them with snack food – the kinds of things you can find at your corner store or local bodega. No need to get fancy! It just has to taste good!

Sour Cream & Onion Lays Potato Chips + Montgomery’s Cheddar

There’s something about a bright green bag that makes us want to take it home and break into it. Normally we’d open up some dip and really go to town, but instead, we suggest breaking out a chunk of Montgomery’s Cheddar. This English cheddar isn’t like the ones you’d find outside of the US. Monty is savory and meaty, with notes of chive and baked potato. Both the chips and the cheese are highly snackable – they have that addictive quality that makes you want to nibble mindlessly while marathoning old episodes of Parks & Recreation. So, snack on!

Flamin’ Hot Cheetos + Epoisses

A funky wheel of Epoisses might not be the first thing you think of for a midnight bite, but this bacony, custardy cheese is practically its own dip. If you’re thinking about what to dunk, we suggest a fiery red bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The cheesy heat might leave a red residue all over your fingers, but once it’s covered in gooey, tasty cheese, you won’t even care about the stains. The heat of the crispy cheese puffs cuts through the funk, leaving Epoisses’ spicy, meaty, and surprisingly creamy flavors to dazzle in its wake.

Original Cherry Pop Rocks + Valencay

We owe this pair to one of our expert mongers over at Murray’s Cheese Bar! Valencay is a French classic that comes from the Loire Valley – the goat cheese capital of the world. It has a storied history, and was said to even have had a run in with Napoleon, who chopped off the pyramid-shaped cheese’s top out of frustration after a battle gone awry. But don’t let that intimidate you – it makes a seriously great snack with a candy you probably haven’t had since you were a kid: Pop Rocks! You know how we recommend champagne and bubblies with soft cheeses goat’s milk cheeses? This is the candy equivalent. It sounds crazy, but there’s something about these fruity cherry popping candies that pairs perfectly with tangy, minerally Valencay.

Chips Ahoy! Chocolate Chip Cookies + Persille de Rambouillet

One of our cheesemongers likes to compare Persille to vanilla birthday cake, and she’s not wrong. There’s something sweet and creamy about this goat’s milk blue that makes it unlike any other we’ve tasted. To pair this cheese with chocolate would be obvious, but we want to take it a step further. Spreading a little bit of blue cheese on top of a chocolate chip cookie might seem a little bit odd. But trust us, it’s worth it. It’s the dessert you’d never think of, but you’ll realize just how perfect it is when enjoyed with a glass of wine while lounging around.