Munster

Munster is a soft washed-rind cow's milk cheese of Alsace and the Vosges, named for the Munster valley where Benedictine monks founded a monastery in the seventh century; the name derives from the Latin for monastery. The cheese is also called Munster-gerome after the town of Gerardmer. Wikipedia documents its AOC status as granted in 1969; the AOC area covers seven departments of the Vosges massif. The cheese is made in disc form, washed every two days with a lightly salted brine, sometimes with local white wine or cumin added; the repeated washing develops the sticky orange rind and the famously powerful aroma.

A wedge of Munster has a sticky, moist, orange rind that releases a powerful, pungent aroma of damp earth and barnyard; the paste beneath is smooth and glossy, softer and milder than the smell promises. The flavor is beefy and savory, with a long, slightly sweet finish. Eaten traditionally with boiled potatoes and a sprinkle of cumin, and washed down with a glass of Gewurztraminer or Alsatian beer.

Munster is defined by its washed-rind technique. During affinage the wheels are turned and washed every two days with a lightly salted brine, sometimes with white wine or cumin added. The repeated brining creates a salty, moist surface environment that selects for Brevibacterium linens and related corynebacteria; these bacteria produce the sticky orange rind and the powerful aroma from sulfur compounds generated as they break down proteins. The bacteria also secrete proteases that ripen the paste from the outside in, softening it progressively to the smooth, glossy texture. The minimum affinage of about three weeks develops the full character; the cumin sometimes added to the wash or sprinkled on serving is a traditional aromatic complement.